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

$129,125/yr median(+$38,667 · 42.7% more)

Registered Nurse

Median$90,458
Mean$93,431
10th %ile$69,377
25th %ile$79,192
75th %ile$104,665
90th %ile$119,036
Employed3.3M+
Higher pay

Nurse Practitioner

Median$129,125
Mean$130,028
10th %ile$95,496
25th %ile$112,582
75th %ile$143,140
90th %ile$165,207
Employed305K+

Salary Distribution Comparison

Registered Nurse

Registered Nurse salary percentiles
PercentileAnnual Salary
10th percentile$69,377
25th percentile$79,192
Median (50th percentile)$90,458
75th percentile$104,665
90th percentile$119,036

Nurse Practitioner

Nurse Practitioner salary percentiles
PercentileAnnual Salary
10th percentile$95,496
25th percentile$112,582
Median (50th percentile)$129,125
75th percentile$143,140
90th percentile$165,207

Top Paying States

Registered Nurse

#StateMedian
1California$140,330
2Hawaii$136,320
3Oregon$123,990
4Washington$112,180
5Alaska$110,690

Nurse Practitioner

#StateMedian
1California$166,610
2New Jersey$149,620
3Alaska$145,450
4New York$145,390
5Oregon$144,600

Frequently Asked Questions

Which pays more, Registered Nurse or Nurse Practitioner?
Nurse Practitioner pays more with a median salary of $129,125/year, which is 42.7% more than Registered Nurse at $90,458/year.
What is the salary difference between Registered Nurse and Nurse Practitioner?
The median salary difference is $38,667/year (42.7%).

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