Have you ever wondered how much is a nurse practitioner salary per year in the United States? Health care is one of the fastest growing industries in the United States and well paying job opportunities are expected to continue to rise.

A nurse practitioner salary, benefits and other rewards can be what you just what are looking for to fulfill the dreams you have for your life.

The Duties of a Nurse Practitioner

A nurse practitioner is a registered nurse that has completed a Master’s or Doctorial degree. The duties of a nurse practitioner expand beyond those of a traditional registered nurse. They are licensed and certified through state nursing boards in specialized areas including women’s health, family care, pediatric and psychiatric practices.

For example, they may help seniors that need to be put on a recliner for sleeping, work with children who are sick and so on.

In all of these areas, a nurse practitioner salary is earned by performing duties such as preventive and wellness care, patient education, family support, patient advocacy and research. Other duties include examinations and ordering tests as well as diagnosing and treatment of medical conditions.

According to recent a market pricing report, the average nurse practitioner salary is around $89,000 to $113,000 a year. This figure represents general nurse practitioners who work in hospitals, doctors’ offices and other industries of all sizes and in various geographical locations in the country.

The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners state that in 2008 the highest nurse practitioner salary was paid for practitioners in the state of Florida. In general, correctional facilities, hospitals and cardiac care units offered higher nurse practitioner salary.

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Salary

A pediatric nurse practitioner has advanced training and education in the field of pediatrics in addition to a nursing degree. They are qualified to provide care to babies, children and teens. They perform exams, diagnose illness and disease and provide treatment and medication as needed to patients.

In addition, they also administer immunizations and provide other nursing care similar to the nurse practitioner. In many cases, their earnings are somewhat higher than a nurse practitioner salary since they provide specialized care for children who may have medical issues that differ from adult patients.

According to the statistics from a popular national job search website, an average pediatric nurse practitioner salary is around $100,000 annually. This also includes those who work with seniors with arthritis.

Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Salary

A psychiatric nurse practitioner can earn a good living that exceeds a nurse practitioner salary.  This is because they have up to ten years of higher education, including psychiatric nurse practitioner programs. Their challenging job duties include providing a wide range of mental health services to people of all ages. They assess patients, conduct therapy, prescribe medicine and provide psychiatric services on an emergency basis.

Although they work in primary care facilities and outpatient mental health clinics, 20 states in the nation allow psychiatric nurse practitioners to open their own practices. Depending on the location, experience and size of a facility, a psychiatric nurse practitioner can expect a starting salary of over $90,000 a year.

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