Nurse practitioner compensation continues to grow, with the average annual salary reaching more than $137,000 and seven specialties now averaging at least $150,000. Becker’s Physician Leadership highlighted these 10 compensation trends for 2026:
- $137,300: Average annual salary for nurse practitioners, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
- $132,300: Median annual salary for nurse practitioners.
- California leads: California has the highest average NP salary at $176,760.
- Highest-paying metro: The San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, California, metropolitan area has the highest average NP salary.
- Oklahoma leads after cost-of-living adjustment: NPs in Oklahoma averaged an adjusted $75.02 per hour, the highest among states.
- Hawaii ranks lowest after adjustment: Hawaii NPs averaged an adjusted $37.14 per hour.
- Emergency medicine tops specialty pay: Emergency medicine NPs have the highest compensation among the specialties reviewed.
- Anesthesiology and psychiatry also rank among the highest-paying specialties for NPs.
- Seven specialties reach $150,000 or more: NPs in seven specialties now average at least $150,000 annually.
- Business support services leads by industry: BLS data identifies business support services as the highest-paying industry for nurse practitioners.
The data provides a snapshot of how NP compensation varies by location, specialty and industry, giving healthcare organizations additional context when evaluating workforce and compensation trends.
Resource: 10 stats on nurse practitioner pay to know in 2026