How much is the nurse manager vs nurse practitioner pay gap in Wisconsin?

The estimated gap in Wisconsin is about $5,480 a year, or roughly 4% more for nurse practitioners. Your actual pay depends on experience, specialty, shift, and employer — use the calculator to compare both for your situation.

Are these Wisconsin figures exact?

No — they're modeled estimates, not verified Wisconsin wages. They start from each role's national pay and adjust for Wisconsin's cost of labor, and they update to verified numbers when official state data is loaded.

Why are some figures verified and others estimates?

National pay for the main nursing roles — registered nurses, LPNs/LVNs, nurse practitioners, CRNAs, nurse midwives, and nursing assistants — comes from verified public wage data. State, city, and specialty figures that aren't reported on their own start from that national pay and are labeled "Estimated" or "Specialty estimate." We never show an estimate as a verified figure.

Wisconsin · WI

Nurse Manager vs Nurse Practitioner salary in Wisconsin

In Wisconsin, nurse practitioners earn more — an estimated $132,300 a year versus $126,820 for nurse managers, a gap of about $5,480 (roughly 4% more). Both are estimates based on national pay for each role adjusted for Wisconsin.

Nurse Manager — Wisconsin

Specialty estimate

Median annual pay

$126,820

At national

Hourly

$60.97/hr

Median $126,820

$89,620Middle 50%: $104,430–$146,060$178,710

Typical range: $104,430–$146,060; What most nurses earn
High end: $178,710; Top earners
Entry level: $89,620; Newer nurses

Nurse Practitioner — Wisconsin

Estimated

Median annual pay

$132,300

At national

Hourly

$63.61/hr

Median $132,300

$101,340Middle 50%: $117,990–$156,700$174,420

Typical range: $117,990–$156,700; What most nurses earn
High end: $174,420; Top earners
Entry level: $101,340; Newer nurses

Why the gap in Wisconsin

Nurse manager and nurse practitioner pay lands in a similar range, but the roles diverge sharply. The NP is a clinical advanced-practice provider who diagnoses and prescribes; the nurse manager is a leadership role running a unit's staffing, budget, and operations. Which pays more depends heavily on setting, region, and seniority. The Wisconsin figures apply the same local pay adjustment to both roles, so the gap here mirrors the national picture, shifted for Wisconsin's cost of labor. Actual pay varies with experience, specialty, shift, and employer — compare the national Nurse Manager vs Nurse Practitioner comparison or personalize the calculator.

Nurse Manager vs Nurse Practitioner in Wisconsin — FAQ

Do nurse managers or nurse practitioners earn more in Wisconsin?: In Wisconsin, nurse practitioners earn more — an estimated $132,300 a year versus $126,820 for nurse managers, a gap of about $5,480 (roughly 4% more). Both are estimates based on national pay for each role adjusted for Wisconsin's local pay level.
How much is the nurse manager vs nurse practitioner pay gap in Wisconsin?: The estimated gap in Wisconsin is about $5,480 a year, or roughly 4% more for nurse practitioners. Your actual pay depends on experience, specialty, shift, and employer — use the calculator to compare both for your situation.
Are these Wisconsin figures exact?: No — they're modeled estimates, not verified Wisconsin wages. They start from each role's national pay and adjust for Wisconsin's cost of labor, and they update to verified numbers when official state data is loaded.
Why are some figures verified and others estimates?: National pay for the main nursing roles — registered nurses, LPNs/LVNs, nurse practitioners, CRNAs, nurse midwives, and nursing assistants — comes from verified public wage data. State, city, and specialty figures that aren't reported on their own start from that national pay and are labeled "Estimated" or "Specialty estimate." We never show an estimate as a verified figure.

Source & confidence— An estimate for a specialty that public pay data does not list on its own. A ballpark to start from, not an exact figure.

Modeled estimate (BLS national × state wage index)

Wisconsin figures are estimated by adjusting the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS national median for local pay levels (a state adjustment of 1.00×).

Source year 2025. Last reviewed July 3, 2026. Full methodology

Estimated figures for Wisconsin. Last reviewed July 3, 2026.