Where Do Nurse Practitioners Work?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 40% growth in demand for nurse practitioners (NPs) in the coming years — far more than the 4% average growth expected for all occupations. You may be wondering, Where do nurse practitioners work? NPs can work nearly anywhere, and they’re in demand across the country. Large acute care centers, outpatient clinics, long-term care facilities, and many other healthcare settings need NPs.
It’s one of the benefits of being an NP — the variety of work settings you can explore in an advanced practice role (APRN). Let’s explore where NPs work, an overview of each setting, and average salary information.
Where Do Nurse Practitioners Work? 6 Areas
- Physicians’ offices
- Hospitals
- Home health
- Colleges and universities
- Residential facilities
- Other organizations
1. Physicians’ Offices
If you’re wondering, Where do most nurse practitioners work? The answer is in outpatient offices. Over 88% of NPs are educated in primary care medicine, with a focus on preventative care. They may order labs, prescribe medications, diagnose illnesses, and refer to other providers. In some states, NPs must work under the supervision of a physician, while in others, they can work independently. Learn more about full-practice authority for NPs.
Check out the average annual NP salaries for outpatient and ambulatory care settings:
- Outpatient care centers: $143,600
- Ambulatory health care services: $129,990
- Medical and diagnostic laboratories: $129,640
- Offices of physicians: $127,600
- Personal care services: $123,180
Curious about outpatient NP specialties? Learn more about the roles below:
- Women’s health NP
- Dermatology NP
- Family NP
- Pain management NP
- Urology NP
- Endocrinology NP
- Aesthetic NP
Find outpatient NP jobs, aesthetic NP jobs, and urgent care NP jobs on IntelyCare.
2. Hospital NP Roles
In acute care settings, NPs care for patients who are especially sick. They may be recovering from surgery, an accident, or an exacerbation of chronic illness. Some hospitals are specialty centers that focus on serving one patient population — children’s hospitals and psychiatric facilities, for example. Other facilities serve a broad range of patients and issues.
Here are the average annual NP salaries in hospitals and acute care facilities:
- Psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals: $144,860
- Specialty hospitals (except psychiatric and substance abuse): $142,270
- General medical and surgical hospitals: $138,740
Where do NPs work in acute care? Check out the focus areas below:
Find the latest ER NP jobs, oncology NP jobs, psych NP jobs, med-surg NP jobs, and pediatric NP jobs on IntelyCare.
3. Home Health NP Roles
NPs are essential home health providers, coordinating visits, communication with social work and other services, and updating care plans. They can order dialysis, wound care, or new nursing services like catheterization and tracheostomy care. Depending on the agency, home health NPs may specialize in pediatrics, hospice, palliative care, or another area.
NPs working in home health care services earn an average salary of $130,410 per year.
Find the latest home health NP jobs and hospice NP jobs on IntelyCare.
4. Colleges and Universities
Nurse practitioners can work as educators for the next generations of nurses. They may lecture, run labs, supervise students in clinical rotations, research, or work as leaders within educational institutions.
It’s more common for NPs in academia to be DNP-prepared, and some even have PhDs as well. If you’re considering going back to school to be an educator, learn more about MSN vs. DNP degrees.
NPs working in colleges, universities, and professional schools earn $122,470 per year on average.
Find educator NP jobs on IntelyCare.
5. Residential Facilities
What happens to patients who need ongoing inpatient care but are not acutely sick? In residential facilities, NPs work on helping patients achieve their functional goals. The patients they see may have issues with memory, cognitive functioning, substance use, or ongoing mental illness. NPs work to help these patients have the best quality of life possible.
Where do nurse practitioners get paid the highest? It depends on several factors, but NPs working in residential intellectual and developmental disability, mental health, and substance abuse facilities earn an average annual income of $163,000 — the most of any NP on this list.
Find the latest NP memory care jobs on IntelyCare.
6. Other NP Roles
Can a nurse practitioner work in any field outside of clinical practice? Absolutely. There are many industries that need NPs. Government agencies, research institutes, academic centers, and many more locations need nurse practitioners’ skills and unique clinical expertise. Where could your NP schooling take you?
See the average annual salaries of other NP roles:
- Scientific research and development services: $155,150
- Social assistance: $137,540
- Management of companies and enterprises: $133,300
- Local government, excluding schools and hospitals:$129,150
- State government, excluding schools and hospitals: $124,400
- Educational services: $121,280
- Elementary and secondary schools: $94,500
Find the latest remote NP jobs, school NP jobs, and telehealth NP jobs on IntelyCare.
Where NPs Work: FAQ
What’s required to become a nurse practitioner?
A nurse practitioner first needs to become an RN, gain clinical experience, and graduate from either a master’s or doctoral program in nursing practice. Completing these requirements typically takes at least six years, but could be less if you choose a direct-entry program.
What’s the average NP salary?
NPs earn $132,000 per year on average. Keep in mind that an individual’s salary comes down to many factors, including experience, location, specialty, schedule, and more.
What is the typical work schedule for a nurse practitioner?
Schedules vary depending on work setting and individual preferences. Most NPs work in family medicine settings, which tend to have a Monday to Friday office schedule. But NPs in acute care may work on a shift schedule, covering nights and weekends.
Where do nurse practitioners work in the U.S.?
NPs can work anywhere they have licensure. Some areas employ more NPs than others, though. See roles in the metros with the highest employment of nurse practitioners:
Can NPs be travel nurses?
Yes, nurse practitioners can take travel contracts anywhere they’re licensed. Short-term contracts often pay more than staff roles, so this is an attractive option for NPs who are willing to move around.
Find the latest travel NP jobs on IntelyCare.
Find Roles for Nurse Practitioners
Where do nurse practitioners work that appeals to you? If you’re looking for NP jobs, we can help you find them. Learn about personalized job notifications that alert you to roles that fit your needs.