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The differences between nurse practitioners and doctors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a doctor has an average salary of $208,582, which is higher than the $100,033 average annual salary of a nurse practitioner.
The top three skills for a nurse practitioner include patients, diagnosis and home health. The most important skills for a doctor are patients, customer service, and emergency medicine.
| Nurse Practitioner | Doctor | |
| Yearly salary | $100,033 | $208,582 |
| Hourly rate | $48.09 | $100.28 |
| Growth rate | 40% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 27,912 | 14,571 |
| Job satisfaction | 2.67 | - |
| Most common degree | Master's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 35% |
| Average age | 43 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | - |
A nurse practitioner's role is diverse. It revolves around supervising nurses in a particular area and providing immediate care and treatment to patients through extensive knowledge and clinical experience. Among the duties of a nurse practitioner involves diagnosing and treating medical conditions, performing research and analysis through various tests, evaluating data and results, operating different kinds of medical equipment, and gathering samples from patients. Furthermore, a nurse practitioner must maintain an active line of communication and coordination among fellow health workers in a hospital or clinic.
A doctor is a medical expert who diagnoses and treats illnesses and injuries, often specializing in particular areas. Their responsibilities revolve around conducting initial interviews and examinations, studying a patient's medical history and laboratory results, providing consultations and care advice, prescribing medication, and referring patients to specialists when necessary. They must also coordinate and maintain an active communication line with nurses, administrators, and technicians for a smooth workflow. Moreover, a doctor must educate patients about their health conditions, helping them understand their situation better.
Nurse practitioners and doctors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Nurse Practitioner | Doctor | |
| Average salary | $100,033 | $208,582 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $161,000 | Between $106,000 And $408,000 |
| Highest paying City | Richmond, CA | Green Bay, WI |
| Highest paying state | California | Ohio |
| Best paying company | Pace University | Saint Luke's Health System |
| Best paying industry | - | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a nurse practitioner and a doctor in terms of educational background:
| Nurse Practitioner | Doctor | |
| Most common degree | Master's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 35% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Medicine |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between nurse practitioners' and doctors' demographics:
| Nurse Practitioner | Doctor | |
| Average age | 43 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 13.1% Female, 86.9% | Male, 45.8% Female, 54.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 6.7% Asian, 6.3% White, 77.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 5.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 18.6% White, 62.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 13% |