Do Registered Nurses or Nurse Practitioners earn more?

Nurse Practitioners earn more, with a national median of about $132,300 a year vs $97,550 for Registered Nurses — a gap of roughly $34,750 per year.

How big is the pay gap between Registered Nurses and Nurse Practitioners?

The difference is about $34,750 a year, or roughly 36% more for Nurse Practitioners. It varies by state, experience, setting, and shift — use the calculator to compare both for your own situation.

Why do Nurse Practitioners earn more than Registered Nurses?

Scope of practice, required education, and autonomy are the biggest drivers — Nurse Practitioners complete more training and take on more clinical responsibility, which is reflected in pay.

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.

RN vs Nurse Practitioner Salary

Nurse Practitioners earn more — a national median of $132,300 vs $97,550, a gap of about $34,750 per year.

Registered Nurse

Verified public wage data

$97,550 / yr median

Median $97,550

$68,940Middle 50%: $80,330–$112,350$137,470

Nurse Practitioner

Verified public wage data

$132,300 / yr median

Median $132,300

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

Annual pay, side by side

Registered NurseVerified public wage data$97,550$46.90/hr
Nurse PractitionerVerified public wage data$132,300$63.61/hr

What the difference comes down to

Nurse Practitioners — advanced practice nurses who diagnose and prescribe — earn well above staff RNs. Scope of practice, required education, and autonomy are the biggest drivers of the gap. Use the calculator to personalize either path by your state, experience, and work setting.

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