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Job outlook for licensed nurse practitioners in the United States
Are licensed nurse practitioner jobs in demand?
Yes, licensed nurse practitioner jobs are in demand. Licensed nurse practitioner demand is projected to grow 6% from 2018 to 2028.
Licensed nurse practitioner job and salary trends over time
Compare the number of licensed nurse practitioner jobs and the average licensed nurse practitioner salary over time.
Licensed nurse practitioner jobs over time
Licensed nurse practitioner job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 101 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 107 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 110 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 111 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 111 | 0.00% |
Average licensed nurse practitioner salary over time
Licensed nurse practitioner salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $56,564 | $27.19 | +2.8% |
| 2025 | $55,011 | $26.45 | +2.7% |
| 2024 | $53,574 | $25.76 | +2.7% |
| 2023 | $52,172 | $25.08 | +2.1% |
| 2022 | $51,083 | $24.56 | +2.1% |
Licensed nurse practitioner jobs by state
The map below shows you the number of licensed nurse practitioner job openings in each state. The darker areas on the map show where licensed nurse practitioners earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Most common states for licensed nurse practitioners
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 401 | 46% |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 2,970 | 43% |
| 3 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 512 | 38% |
| 4 | Vermont | 623,657 | 239 | 38% |
| 5 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 260 | 34% |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 3,929 | 31% |
| 7 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 409 | 31% |
| 8 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 1,901 | 29% |
| 9 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 308 | 29% |
| 10 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 530 | 28% |
| 11 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 507 | 28% |
| 12 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,523 | 27% |
| 13 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 1,555 | 26% |
| 14 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 543 | 26% |
| 15 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 1,704 | 25% |
| 16 | Delaware | 961,939 | 239 | 25% |
| 17 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 2,821 | 24% |
| 18 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 256 | 24% |
| 19 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 1,718 | 23% |
| 20 | Alaska | 739,795 | 170 | 23% |
Most common cities for licensed nurse practitioners
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lexington | 2 | 6% | $62,671 |
| 2 | Cleveland | 1 | 2% | $54,453 |
| 3 | Clarksville | 1 | 1% | $54,498 |
| 4 | Columbus | 1 | 1% | $53,675 |
| 5 | Green Bay | 1 | 1% | $56,555 |
| 6 | Charlotte | 1 | 0% | $55,354 |
| 7 | Fort Wayne | 1 | 0% | $56,617 |
Licensed Nurse Practitioner job outlook: Expert opinions
We spoke to licensed nurse practitioner professors and experts from several universities and companies to get their opinions on where the licensed nurse practitioner job market for recent graduates is heading and how young graduates entering the licensed nurse practitioner industry can be adequately prepared. Here are their thoughts.
Our panel of licensed nurse practitioner experts
B
Beth Latimer
New York University
Terrica Durbin Ph.D.
Western Carolina University
B
What skills will help Licensed Nurse Practitioners earn the most?
Beth Latimer: Critical thinking, prioritization, carefully assessing any situation at the appropriate time, not normalizing the abnormal, and escalating necessary crucial information to the team at that right moment in time will save lives. Great nurses notice, and when in doubt, will take the right actions to get the right type of intervention for their patients and their families with patient advocacy at the forefront.
Terrica Durbin Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Director, School of NursingWestern Carolina University
College of Health and Human Sciences
What soft skills should all Licensed Nurse Practitioners possess?
Terrica Durbin Ph.D.: Communication, critical thinking, problem-solving, flexibility.
Licensed nurse practitioner jobs
Updated October 12, 2021