What are most lucrative specialties for an NP?

[FullGlass, BSN, MSN, NP]

Until recently, I assumed the most lucrative NP specialty is PMHNP. However, now that I am job-hunting, it appears that Interventional Pain Mgt is also a very lucrative specialty. I'm in California, a little over 1 year experience, and was offered a job making $150K in Year 1 and $160K in Year 2 in Interventional Pain Mgt. There is another doctor advertising an Interventional Pain Mgt fellowship for NPs that is identical to the one offered MD residents - Year 1 and 2 pay aren't great, but the pay goes up to $270K per year in Year 3, after fellowship is finished.

Just wondered what others NPs thoughts and experiences are on the most lucrative NP specialties.

Note: I am in California

[guest769224]

It seems that dermatology is consistently high paying and relatively hard to break into.

[babyNP., APRN]

Neonatology is one of the higher paid NP specialities, but has the barrier of schools requiring RN experience, generally in at least a level 3 NICU. Other downsides are nearly guaranteed night shift, holidays, and weekends built into the job, although at least we get to sleep if the babes are behaving- hit or miss in a Level III/IV but there quite a few sleepy Level IIs where you can sleep all night most of the time for regular pay.

[LibraSunCNM, BSN, MSN, CNM]

270k per year in pain management? Seems to good to be true and possibly pill-mill territory...

[FullGlass, BSN, MSN, NP]

27 minutes ago, LibraSunCNM said:

270k per year in pain management? Seems to good to be true and possibly pill-mill territory...

No, it is Interventional Pain Mgt - procedures are the most lucrative part of pain mgt. Year 1 and 2 are not great pay because that is the fellowship portion. The job is in Fresno, you can search for it. Year 1 $72K, Year 2 $90K, then fellowship is done and pay goes up to $250K+, I assume based on some sort of productivity metric. Interventional Pain Mgt is not about meds, it is about procedures. Dispensing meds is not very profitable for doctors.

[AddictionNP, MSN, RN, NP]

I think Derm and Pain Management are pretty high up there.

[Oldmahubbard]

So NPs are now going to be doing these interventions? Crazy cool.

[OUxPhys, BSN, RN]

Minute clinics. It's insane what NP's make working at a minute clinic. I dont know if that's considered a specialty though.

[NICU_Nurse_Casti, BSN, RN]

On 8/26/2019 at 1:48 PM, FullGlass said:

No, it is Interventional Pain Mgt - procedures are the most lucrative part of pain mgt. Year 1 and 2 are not great pay because that is the fellowship portion. The job is in Fresno, you can search for it. Year 1 $72K, Year 2 $90K, then fellowship is done and pay goes up to $250K+, I assume based on some sort of productivity metric. Interventional Pain Mgt is not about meds, it is about procedures. Dispensing meds is not very profitable for doctors.

What sort of interventions/procedures?

[I_Love_Bacon, APRN, NP]

On 8/25/2019 at 7:22 PM, babyNP. said:

Neonatology is one of the higher paid NP specialities, but has the barrier of schools requiring RN experience, generally in at least a level 3 NICU. Other downsides are nearly guaranteed night shift, holidays, and weekends built into the job, although at least we get to sleep if the babes are behaving- hit or miss in a Level III/IV but there quite a few sleepy Level IIs where you can sleep all night most of the time for regular pay.

I would hope requiring RN experience would NOT be considered a downside to a future NP of any specialty. Sheesh.

[babyNP., APRN]

1 hour ago, I_Love_Bacon said:

I would hope requiring RN experience would NOT be considered a downside to a future NP of any specialty. Sheesh.

Well that’s a bit of a can of worms on this forum. Please note I said barrier, not downside. But I meant it in more of a that it can be hard to get into a NICU for nursing experience. It’s not like FNP where “any job” experience will do, if any. There are many more people who want to go into neonatology than are able to get jobs, so yes it’s harder to go on to become a NNP.

FWIW, I don’t have a strong opinion for adult NPs requiring RN experience- mostly bc I’ve never worked as an adult nurse or as a NP and I feel uniquely unqualified to know what is appropriate. I do know that it should and already is required for NNPs to have RN experience. Babies are just too different and complex to do it on the fly. Even PAs generally go through a a year fellowship or orientation bc of this deficit.

[the VEGAN Professor]

On 8/26/2019 at 12:17 PM, LibraSunCNM said:

270k per year in pain management? ...,,,,possibly pill-mill territory...

EXACTLY!!!!!!!!