Nurse practitioner salary info and career training

In 2010, there were about 140,000 practicing nurse practitioners (NP) in the U.S. While licensing requirements vary from state to state, all states license NPs. Nurse practitioners must have a graduate degree to perform services similar to those of licensed physicians, including prescribing medications. NPs may perform some or all of the following tasks:

• Analyze patient histories
• Write treatment plans
• Conduct physical examinations
• Order laboratory tests
• Give referrals as needed

NPs work in hospitals, physicians' offices, clinics, rural care facilities, long-term care homes, and governmental health agencies. The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners reports that 600 million visits are made to NPs every year. A Master of Science in Nursing degree (MSN) provides the major pathway into the NP profession. Some 93 percent of nurse practitioners hold a master's degree, while seven percent of professionals choose to earn doctorate degrees. Formal degree work and nursing experience are part of the application requirements for MSN work in the field. Students may choose to specialize as practitioners in advanced nursing fields including:

• Pediatrics
• Oncology
• Psychiatric
• Women's health
• Gerontology

Looking at the nurse practitioner salary

The U.S. Department of Labor reports a 2009 national median annual wage of $65,220 for nurse practitioners. Top salaries are around $133,500. Job growth is projected at 7 percent to 13 percent during the 2008 through 2018 decade, with 15,300 new positions added across the country. The 2009 median nurse practitioner salary in a range of selected states includes:

• Washington, $68,400
• New York, $81,700
• Alaska, $98,200
• Hawaii, $65,000
• California, $62,100
• Florida, $62,100
• Massachusetts, $59,400
• Illinois, $60,600
• Texas, $62,900

For more NP career information from MyOnlineNursingDegree.com, see:

• The Master of Science in Nursing salary
• RN to BSN salary information: Education pays off
• Forensic Nursing Salary Information
• Nursing Scholarship Resources