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Nurse Practitioner vs. Physician Assistant Salaries by State | ThriveAP

Written by Erin Tolbert, MSN, FNP-C | Jun 2, 2016 3:19:53 AM

As you weigh the physician assistant vs .nurse practitioner career decision (or, if you’re just plain curious like me…), a quick salary comparison in the state where you plan to practice can help nail down your profession pick. Some states are more NP friendly while others traditionally favor physician assistants. In most locations, the decision to become either an NP or PA won’t make a significant difference when it comes to your wallet. But, in a few it may mean a more than $10K salary difference, on average, each year. Check out this state-by-state comparison of nurse practitioner and physician assistant salaries.

Alabama

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $89,890

Hourly Rate: $43.22

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $91,000

Hourly Rate: $43.75

 

Alaska

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $106,080

Hourly Rate: $51.00

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $115,670

Hourly Rate: $55.61

Arkansas

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $102,800

Hourly Rate: $36.40

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $97,680

Hourly Rate: $46.96

California

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $102,800

Hourly Rate: $49.43

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $115,460

Hourly Rate: $55.51

Colorado

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $93,070

Hourly Rate: $44.74

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $101,290

Hourly Rate: $48.70

Connecticut

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $106,760

Hourly Rate: $51.33

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $99,180

Hourly Rate: $47.68

Delaware

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $105,210

Hourly Rate: $50.58

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $97,300

Hourly Rate: $46.78

District of Columbia

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $92,550

Hourly Rate: $44.50

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $91,430

Hourly Rate: $43.96

Florida

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $97,710

Hourly Rate: $46.98

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $92,530

Hourly Rate: $44.49

Georgia

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $94,910

Hourly Rate: $45.63

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $90,490

Hourly Rate: $43.50

Hawaii

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $90,880

Hourly Rate: $43.69

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $115,870

Hourly Rate: $55.71

Idaho

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $95,180

Hourly Rate: $45.76

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $94,040

Hourly Rate: $45.21

Illinois

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $83,770

Hourly Rate: $40.28

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $85,410

Hourly Rate: $41.06

Indiana

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $95,940

Hourly Rate: $46.12

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $93,200

Hourly Rate: $44.81

Iowa

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $92,000

Hourly Rate: $44.23

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $92,770

Hourly Rate: $44.60

Kansas

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $94,580

Hourly Rate: $44.23

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $84,270

Hourly Rate: $40.51

Kentucky

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $96,260

Hourly Rate: $46.28

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $93,230

Hourly Rate: $44.82

Louisiana

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $81,290

Hourly Rate: $39.08

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $96,510

Hourly Rate: $46.40

Maine

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $100,110

Hourly Rate: $48.13

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $94,400

Hourly Rate: $45.39

Maryland

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $84,550

Hourly Rate: $40.65

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $93,020

Hourly Rate: $44.72

Massachusetts

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $102,290

Hourly Rate: $49.18

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $107,230

Hourly Rate: $51.55

Michigan

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $95,690

Hourly Rate: $46.01

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $92,260

Hourly Rate: $44.36

Minnesota

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $103,890

Hourly Rate: $49.95

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $102,640

Hourly Rate: $49.35

Mississippi

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $49,900

Hourly Rate: $23.99

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $99,080

Hourly Rate: $47.64

Missouri

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $95,060

Hourly Rate: $45.70

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $89,690

Hourly Rate: $43.12

Montana

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $95,550

Hourly Rate: $45.94

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $92,800

Hourly Rate: $44.61

Nebraska

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $91,040

Hourly Rate: $43.77

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $90,240

Hourly Rate: $43.38

Nevada

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $112,700

Hourly Rate: $54.19

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $95,450

Hourly Rate: $45.89

New Hampshire

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $109,760

Hourly Rate: $52.77

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $100,000

Hourly Rate: $48.08

New Jersey

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $89,890

Hourly Rate: $43.22

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $106,060

Hourly Rate: $50.99

New Mexico

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $101,130

Hourly Rate: $48.62

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $100,490

Hourly Rate: $48.31

New York

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $100,290

Hourly Rate: $48.22

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $104,510

Hourly Rate: $50.24

North Carolina

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $95,190

Hourly Rate: $45.76

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $96,020

Hourly Rate: $46.16

North Dakota

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $96,010

Hourly Rate: $45.76

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $88,520

Hourly Rate: $42.56

Ohio

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $101,310

Hourly Rate: $48.71

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $92,830

Hourly Rate: $44.63

Oklahoma

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $96,810

Hourly Rate: $46.54

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $82,880

Hourly Rate: $39.85

Oregon

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $104,990

Hourly Rate: $50.48

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $111,160

Hourly Rate: $53.44

Pennsylvania

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $87,020

Hourly Rate: $41.84

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $88,480

Hourly Rate: $42.54

Rhode Island

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $111,180

Hourly Rate: $53.45

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $101,130

Hourly Rate: $48.62

South Carolina

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $84,350

Hourly Rate: $40.55

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $88,460

Hourly Rate: $42.53

South Dakota

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $92,960

Hourly Rate: $44.69

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $90,210

Hourly Rate: $43.37

Tennessee

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $90,150

Hourly Rate: $43.34

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $91,950

Hourly Rate: $44.21

Texas

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $107,390

Hourly Rate: $51.63

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $102,070

Hourly Rate: $49.07

Utah

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $92,600

Hourly Rate: $44.52

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $93,110

Hourly Rate: $44.76

Vermont

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $107,050

Hourly Rate: $51.47

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $91,030

Hourly Rate: $43.77

Virginia

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $86,550

Hourly Rate: $41.61

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $96,420

Hourly Rate: $46.35

Washington

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $107,390

Hourly Rate: $51.63

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $100,530

Hourly Rate: $48.33

West Virginia

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $87,750

Hourly Rate: $42.19

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $88,780

Hourly Rate: $42.68

Wisconsin

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $92,300

Hourly Rate: $44.38

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $93,170

Hourly Rate: $44.79

Wyoming

Physician Assistant

Annual Salary: $95,880

Hourly Rate: $46.10

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $90,400

Hourly Rate: $43.46

*Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

How do physician assistant and nurse practitioner salaries compare in your state?

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