SalaryData

Registered Nurse vs Nurse Practitioner Salary (2026)

Side-by-side salary comparison based on BLS OES data. Updated 2026.

Higher paying occupation

Nurse Practitioner

$133,771/yr median(+$39,673 · 42.2% more)

Registered Nurse

Median$94,098
Mean$96,306
10th %ile$72,082
25th %ile$81,810
75th %ile$107,731
90th %ile$123,341
Employed3.4M+
Higher pay

Nurse Practitioner

Median$133,771
Mean$135,412
10th %ile$103,133
25th %ile$118,080
75th %ile$149,370
90th %ile$170,358
Employed323K+

Salary Distribution Comparison

Registered Nurse

Registered Nurse salary percentiles
PercentileAnnual Salary
10th percentile$72,082
25th percentile$81,810
Median (50th percentile)$94,098
75th percentile$107,731
90th percentile$123,341

Nurse Practitioner

Nurse Practitioner salary percentiles
PercentileAnnual Salary
10th percentile$103,133
25th percentile$118,080
Median (50th percentile)$133,771
75th percentile$149,370
90th percentile$170,358

Top Paying States

Registered Nurse

#StateMedian
1California$140,270
2Hawaii$136,320
3Oregon$129,010
4Washington$124,200
5Alaska$109,480

Nurse Practitioner

#StateMedian
1California$168,520
2New Jersey$159,310
3Washington$156,100
4Oregon$155,680
5Alaska$155,170

Frequently Asked Questions

Which pays more, Registered Nurse or Nurse Practitioner?
Nurse Practitioner pays more with a median salary of $133,771/year, which is 42.2% more than Registered Nurse at $94,098/year.
What is the salary difference between Registered Nurse and Nurse Practitioner?
The median salary difference is $39,673/year (42.2%).

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