How to Become a Nurse Practitioner
Diagnose and treat illness as an advanced practice nurse, prescribe medication, and manage patient care independently or with physicians. It typically requires a master's degree (msn or dnp after rn licensure), with a median salary of $132,300 per year and much faster than average projected job growth.
Median pay
$132,300/yr
Middle half
$117,990 to $156,700
Job growth
Much faster than average
Openings / yr
29,500
Majors that lead here
Key skills
- Advanced Clinical Assessment
- Diagnosis
- Pharmacology
- Patient Care
- Critical Thinking
Helpful certifications
- NCLEX-RN
- National NP Board Certification (AANP or ANCC)
- State APRN Licensure
Is this career a fit?
Remote-friendly
20/100
Work-life balance
48/100
Stress level
68/100
Satisfaction
78/100
Related careers
- Psychiatrist$281,870 median
- Physician (Family Medicine)$244,180 median
- Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)$236,590 median
- Dentist$170,950 median
- Pharmacist$140,910 median
- Optometrist$136,570 median
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Nurse Practitioner make?
The median pay for a Nurse Practitioner is $132,300 a year, and the middle half of workers earn between $117,990 and $156,700 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). That covers everyone in the job, not only people starting out, so newer workers sit toward the lower end.
What degree do you need to become a Nurse Practitioner?
The usual entry point is a master's degree (msn or dnp after rn licensure). Common majors are Nursing, Pre-Nursing, and Health Sciences.
Is Nurse Practitioner a growing field?
Projected job growth for this role from 2024 to 2034 is much faster than average (BLS projections via O*NET), with roughly 29,500 U.S. openings a year.
What skills does a Nurse Practitioner use most?
Common skills for this role are Advanced Clinical Assessment, Diagnosis, Pharmacology, Patient Care, and Critical Thinking.
Planning to become a Nurse Practitioner?
Save this career to your PlanexAI path and track the majors, courses, and milestones that lead to it.
Not sure this is right for you?
Take our free 2-minute quiz to match your interests to majors and careers.
Take the major quizWhere these pay figures come from
Career pay is the annual wage of everyone working in that occupation, not only recent graduates, so it includes people who have done the job for decades. The middle half is the 25th to the 75th percentile. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).
All figures are national. What you earn depends on where you work, who you work for, and how far you take the degree.
Job-growth figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).