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Best states for a certified nurse practitioner
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Not all states present equal opportunity for employees, and when it comes to certified nurse practitioner jobs, it's no different. We know how hard job search can be, and in order to make your life a little easier, we have the information you need in order to determine where you might want to start your job search. Although there are abundant certified nurse practitioner jobs in the United States, a large number of them are in the South. New Jersey is the best state in the country for certified nurse practitioner jobs.
The median salary for certified nurse practitioners in New Jersey is $131,830. Compare that to the median salary in Florida of $80,354, which ranked worst for certified nurse practitioners, and you can see how your location is important for your career.If you are currently seeking employment as a certified nurse practitioner, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.
10 best states for certified nurse practitioners in 2026
1. New Jersey
Total certified nurse practitioner jobs: 1,059 Average annual salary: $131,830 Lowest 10 percent earn: $78,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $222,000 Location Quotient: 1.56
2. New York
Total certified nurse practitioner jobs: 2,355 Average annual salary: $125,335 Lowest 10 percent earn: $73,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $214,000 Location Quotient: 2.14
3. Alaska
Total certified nurse practitioner jobs: 107 Average annual salary: $127,487 Lowest 10 percent earn: $77,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $210,000 Location Quotient: 1.49
4. Connecticut
Total certified nurse practitioner jobs: 232 Average annual salary: $135,828 Lowest 10 percent earn: $81,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $227,000 Location Quotient: 0.82
5. Oregon
Total certified nurse practitioner jobs: 677 Average annual salary: $115,136 Lowest 10 percent earn: $67,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $196,000 Location Quotient: 1.91
6. New Hampshire
Total certified nurse practitioner jobs: 214 Average annual salary: $113,269 Lowest 10 percent earn: $63,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $201,000 Location Quotient: 1.43
7. California
Total certified nurse practitioner jobs: 3,471 Average annual salary: $121,903 Lowest 10 percent earn: $73,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $203,000 Location Quotient: 1.38
8. Maine
Total certified nurse practitioner jobs: 168 Average annual salary: $109,782 Lowest 10 percent earn: $60,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $199,000 Location Quotient: 1.48
9. Massachusetts
Total certified nurse practitioner jobs: 550 Average annual salary: $118,370 Lowest 10 percent earn: $67,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $206,000 Location Quotient: 0.7
10. Rhode Island
Total certified nurse practitioner jobs: 48 Average annual salary: $114,900 Lowest 10 percent earn: $65,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $201,000 Location Quotient: 0.46
Certified nurse practitioner jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a certified nurse practitioner
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a certified nurse practitioner
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $131,830 | $78,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,059 |
| 2 | New York | $125,335 | $73,000 | 19,849,399 | 2,355 |
| 3 | Alaska | $127,487 | $77,000 | 739,795 | 107 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $135,828 | $81,000 | 3,588,184 | 232 |
| 5 | Oregon | $115,136 | $67,000 | 4,142,776 | 677 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $113,269 | $63,000 | 1,342,795 | 214 |
| 7 | California | $121,903 | $73,000 | 39,536,653 | 3,471 |
| 8 | Maine | $109,782 | $60,000 | 1,335,907 | 168 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $118,370 | $67,000 | 6,859,819 | 550 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $114,900 | $65,000 | 1,059,639 | 48 |
| 11 | Nevada | $106,805 | $61,000 | 2,998,039 | 245 |
| 12 | Montana | $108,155 | $61,000 | 1,050,493 | 113 |
| 13 | Ohio | $116,896 | $66,000 | 11,658,609 | 281 |
| 14 | Illinois | $105,198 | $58,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,511 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $106,098 | $59,000 | 12,805,537 | 755 |
| 16 | Vermont | $102,826 | $55,000 | 623,657 | 98 |
| 17 | Arizona | $100,771 | $58,000 | 7,016,270 | 741 |
| 18 | Delaware | $112,295 | $63,000 | 961,939 | 42 |
| 19 | Washington | $108,978 | $62,000 | 7,405,743 | 426 |
| 20 | Michigan | $103,728 | $57,000 | 9,962,311 | 393 |
| 21 | Mississippi | $91,548 | $50,000 | 2,984,100 | 299 |
| 22 | Virginia | $97,553 | $53,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,305 |
| 23 | District of Columbia | $108,941 | $61,000 | 693,972 | 113 |
| 24 | Texas | $96,133 | $54,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,071 |
| 25 | Wisconsin | $98,407 | $54,000 | 5,795,483 | 235 |
| 26 | Maryland | $102,543 | $56,000 | 6,052,177 | 688 |
| 27 | Oklahoma | $90,928 | $50,000 | 3,930,864 | 388 |
| 28 | New Mexico | $97,906 | $55,000 | 2,088,070 | 113 |
| 29 | Wyoming | $90,527 | $50,000 | 579,315 | 65 |
| 30 | Indiana | $97,027 | $53,000 | 6,666,818 | 259 |
| 31 | Minnesota | $97,724 | $54,000 | 5,576,606 | 325 |
| 32 | West Virginia | $92,029 | $49,000 | 1,815,857 | 64 |
| 33 | Utah | $91,217 | $50,000 | 3,101,833 | 276 |
| 34 | Louisiana | $85,409 | $47,000 | 4,684,333 | 486 |
| 35 | Hawaii | $96,788 | $69,000 | 1,427,538 | 90 |
| 36 | South Dakota | $81,376 | $44,000 | 869,666 | 145 |
| 37 | North Dakota | $87,970 | $48,000 | 755,393 | 52 |
| 38 | Kentucky | $80,275 | $42,000 | 4,454,189 | 513 |
| 39 | Missouri | $82,173 | $44,000 | 6,113,532 | 789 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $87,380 | $46,000 | 10,273,419 | 468 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $82,202 | $44,000 | 3,004,279 | 257 |
| 42 | Idaho | $90,342 | $50,000 | 1,716,943 | 44 |
| 43 | Georgia | $88,965 | $48,000 | 10,429,379 | 289 |
| 44 | Colorado | $92,418 | $51,000 | 5,607,154 | 162 |
| 45 | Iowa | $85,011 | $45,000 | 3,145,711 | 104 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $83,803 | $45,000 | 1,920,076 | 89 |
| 47 | Alabama | $78,037 | $42,000 | 4,874,747 | 383 |
| 48 | Tennessee | $79,934 | $42,000 | 6,715,984 | 241 |
| 49 | Kansas | $81,322 | $43,000 | 2,913,123 | 100 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $79,362 | $42,000 | 5,024,369 | 153 |
| 51 | Florida | $80,354 | $43,000 | 20,984,400 | 442 |
Highest paying states for certified nurse practitioners
| Rank | State | Avg. Certified Nurse Practitioner Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $131,830 |
| 2 | New York | $125,335 |
| 3 | Alaska | $127,487 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $135,828 |
| 5 | Oregon | $115,136 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $113,269 |
| 7 | California | $121,903 |
| 8 | Maine | $109,782 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $118,370 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $114,900 |
| 11 | Nevada | $106,805 |
| 12 | Montana | $108,155 |
| 13 | Ohio | $116,896 |
| 14 | Illinois | $105,198 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $106,098 |
| 16 | Vermont | $102,826 |
| 17 | Arizona | $100,771 |
| 18 | Delaware | $112,295 |
| 19 | Washington | $108,978 |
| 20 | Michigan | $103,728 |
| 21 | Mississippi | $91,548 |
| 22 | Virginia | $97,553 |
| 23 | District of Columbia | $108,941 |
| 24 | Texas | $96,133 |
| 25 | Wisconsin | $98,407 |
| 26 | Maryland | $102,543 |
| 27 | Oklahoma | $90,928 |
| 28 | New Mexico | $97,906 |
| 29 | Wyoming | $90,527 |
| 30 | Indiana | $97,027 |
| 31 | Minnesota | $97,724 |
| 32 | West Virginia | $92,029 |
| 33 | Utah | $91,217 |
| 34 | Louisiana | $85,409 |
| 35 | Hawaii | $96,788 |
| 36 | South Dakota | $81,376 |
| 37 | North Dakota | $87,970 |
| 38 | Kentucky | $80,275 |
| 39 | Missouri | $82,173 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $87,380 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $82,202 |
| 42 | Idaho | $90,342 |
| 43 | Georgia | $88,965 |
| 44 | Colorado | $92,418 |
| 45 | Iowa | $85,011 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $83,803 |
| 47 | Alabama | $78,037 |
| 48 | Tennessee | $79,934 |
| 49 | Kansas | $81,322 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $79,362 |
| 51 | Florida | $80,354 |
Certified nurse practitioner best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025