ThriveAP Blog

Nurse Practitioner vs. Physician Salaries: State Breakdown | ThriveAP

Written by Erin Tolbert, MSN, FNP-C | Apr 13, 2016 8:18:20 PM

Occasionally, patients or acquaintances ask me why I did not become a doctor. I can always tell salary is on their mind. “Why would she choose to work a similar job for less?”, they wonder. Admittedly, compensation was a significant part of my own decision making process as I selected my career path. I became an NP knowing full well that my salary would be significantly lower than that of a physician. Just how much lower are nurse practitioner salaries compared to those of physicians?

Several factors come into play in comparing salaries of healthcare providers with location and specialty being the primary influencers. Comparing NP and MD salaries on a state-by-state basis gives a more in-depth picture of differences in compensation between the two professions. Remember, nurse practitioner scope of practice regulations also affect NP salaries and may account for variations as well as inconsistent comparisons with MD salaries across state lines.

Overall, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, family and general practice physicians earn a mean annual wage of $186,320. Nurse practitioners earn, on average, $97,990. So, primary care physicians earn about $88,330 more annually than NPs. Physician salaries listed below are broken down by state and reflect data for family and general practice physicians. 

Alabama

Physician

Annual Salary: $186,640

Hourly Rate: $89.73

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $91,000

Hourly Rate: $43.75

 

Alaska

Physician

Annual Salary: $228,340

Hourly Rate: $109.78

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $115,670

Hourly Rate: $55.61

 

Arizona

Physician

Annual Salary: $171,980

Hourly Rate: $82.68

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $102,720

Hourly Rate: $49.38

 

Arkansas

Physician

Annual Salary: $202,110

Hourly Rate: $97.17

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $97,680

Hourly Rate: $46.96

 

California

Physician

Annual Salary: $198,160

Hourly Rate: $95.27

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $115,460

Hourly Rate: $55.51

 

Colorado

Physician

Annual Salary: $186,690

Hourly Rate: $89.75

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $101,290

Hourly Rate: $48.70

 

Connecticut

Physician

Annual Salary: $177,910

Hourly Rate: $85.53

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $99,180

Hourly Rate: $47.68

 

Delaware

Physician

Annual Salary: $105,210

Hourly Rate: $50.58

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $97,300

Hourly Rate: $46.78

 

District of Columbia

Physician

Annual Salary: $192,590

Hourly Rate: $92.59

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $91,430

Hourly Rate: $43.96

 

Florida

Physician 

Annual Salary: $194,040

Hourly Rate: $93.29

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $92,530

Hourly Rate: $44.49

 

Georgia

Physician 

Annual Salary: $223,710

Hourly Rate: $107.55

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $90,490

Hourly Rate: $43.50

 

Hawaii

Physician

Annual Salary: $231,110

Hourly Rate: $111.11

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $115,870

Hourly Rate: $55.71

 

Idaho

Physician 

Annual Salary: $188,470

Hourly Rate: $90.61

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $94,040

Hourly Rate: $45.21

 

Illinois

Physician

Annual Salary: $162,890

Hourly Rate: $78.31

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $85,410

Hourly Rate: $41.06

 

Indiana

Physician

Annual Salary: $176,120

Hourly Rate: $84.67

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $93,200

Hourly Rate: $44.81

 

Iowa

Physician

Annual Salary: $217,460

Hourly Rate: $104.55

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $92,770

Hourly Rate: $44.60

 

Kansas

Physician 

Annual Salary: $222,090

Hourly Rate: $106.77

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $84,270

Hourly Rate: $40.51

 

Kentucky

Physician

Annual Salary: $181,810

Hourly Rate: $87.41

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $93,230

Hourly Rate: $44.82

 

Louisiana

Physician

Annual Salary: $182.790

Hourly Rate: $87.88

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $96,510

Hourly Rate: $46.40

 

Maine

Physician

Annual Salary: $169,550

Hourly Rate: $81.51

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $94,400

Hourly Rate: $45.39

 

Maryland

Physician

Annual Salary: $171,480

Hourly Rate: $82.44

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $93,020

Hourly Rate: $44.72

 

Massachusetts

Physician

Annual Salary: $209,050

Hourly Rate: $100.51

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $107,230

Hourly Rate: $51.55

 

Michigan

Physician

Annual Salary: $181,590

Hourly Rate: $87.30

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $92,260

Hourly Rate: $44.36

 

Minnesota

Physician

Annual Salary: $183,010

Hourly Rate: $87.99

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $102,640

Hourly Rate: $49.35

 

Mississippi

Physician

Annual Salary: $205,360

Hourly Rate: $98.73

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $99,080

Hourly Rate: $47.64

 

Missouri

Physician

Annual Salary: $149,430

Hourly Rate: $71.84

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $89,690

Hourly Rate: $43.12

 

Montana

Physician

Annual Salary: $191,730

Hourly Rate: $92.18

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $92,800

Hourly Rate: $44.61

 

Nebraska

Physician

Annual Salary: $222,480

Hourly Rate: $106.96

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $90,240

Hourly Rate: $43.38

 

Nevada

Physician

Annual Salary: $158,270

Hourly Rate: $76.09

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $95,450

Hourly Rate: $45.89

 

New Hampshire

Physician

Annual Salary: $206,440

Hourly Rate: $99.25

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $100,000

Hourly Rate: $48.08

 

New Jersey

Physician

Annual Salary: $162,360

Hourly Rate: $78.06

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $106,060

Hourly Rate: $50.99

 

New Mexico

Physician

Annual Salary: $172,700

Hourly Rate: $83.03

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $100,490

Hourly Rate: $48.31

 

New York

Physician

Annual Salary: $187,140

Hourly Rate: $89.97

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $104,510

Hourly Rate: $50.24

 

North Carolina

Physician

Annual Salary: $200,710

Hourly Rate: $96.49

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $96,020

Hourly Rate: $46.16

 

North Dakota

Physician

Annual Salary: $173,590

Hourly Rate: $83.46

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $88,520

Hourly Rate: $42.56

 

Ohio

Physician

Annual Salary: $184,450

Hourly Rate: $88.68

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $92,830

Hourly Rate: $44.63

 

Oklahoma

Physician

Annual Salary: $136,990

Hourly Rate: $65.86

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $82,880

Hourly Rate: $39.85

 

Oregon

Physician

Annual Salary: $182,880

Hourly Rate: $87.93

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $111,160

Hourly Rate: $53.44

 

Pennsylvania

Physician

Annual Salary: $190,470

Hourly Rate: $91.57

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $88,480

Hourly Rate: $42.54

 

Rhode Island

Physician

Annual Salary: $193,800

Hourly Rate: $93.17

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $101,130

Hourly Rate: $48.62

 

South Carolina

Physician

Annual Salary: $184,860

Hourly Rate: $88.88

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $88,460

Hourly Rate: $42.53

 

South Dakota

Physician

Annual Salary: $203,320

Hourly Rate: $97.75

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $90,210

Hourly Rate: $43.37

 

Tennessee

Physician

Annual Salary: $167,370

Hourly Rate: $80.47

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $91,950

Hourly Rate: $44.21

 

Texas

Physician

Annual Salary: $196,380

Hourly Rate: $94.41

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $102,070

Hourly Rate: $49.07

 

Utah

Physician

Annual Salary: $191,440

Hourly Rate: $92.04

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $93,110

Hourly Rate: $44.76

 

Vermont

Physician

Annual Salary: $147,070

Hourly Rate: $70.71

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $91,030

Hourly Rate: $43.77

 

Virginia

Physician

Annual Salary: $178,130

Hourly Rate: $85.64

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $96,420

Hourly Rate: $46.35

 

Washington

Physician

Annual Salary: $190,600

Hourly Rate: $91.63

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $100,530

Hourly Rate: $48.33

 

West Virginia

Physician

Annual Salary: $173,080

Hourly Rate: $83.21

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $88,780

Hourly Rate: $42.68

 

Wisconsin

Physician

Annual Salary: $198,120

Hourly Rate: $95.25

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $93,170

Hourly Rate: $44.79

 

Wyoming

Physician

Annual Salary: $165,550

Hourly Rate: $79.59

Nurse Practitioner

Annual Salary: $90,400

Hourly Rate: $43.46

 

*Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

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