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With the shortage of physicians in Michigan, adding nurse practitioners to the state’s healthcare system is a welcome expansion that can help alleviate some of the pressure. Although the Great Lake State is one of the most restrictive states for nurse practitioners, advocates are working on changing that.
Michigan Nurse Practitioner Salaries – Visualized
Nurse Practitioners Salaries in urban areas of Michigan
| Metro Area | # Employed | Mean Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Ann Arbor, MI | 660 | $126,430 |
| Battle Creek, MI | 70 | $113,320 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 3,820 | $121,260 |
| Flint, MI | 320 | $116,190 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI | 880 | $118,370 |
| Jackson, MI | 100 | $118,520 |
| Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | 270 | $114,660 |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | 240 | $125,540 |
| Midland, MI | 90 | $121,860 |
| Monroe, MI | 60 | $151,800 |
| Muskegon, MI | 100 | $121,370 |
| Niles-Benton Harbor, MI | 80 | $114,690 |
| Saginaw, MI | 200 | $122,500 | Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics - 2023 |
Nurse Practitioners Salaries in rural areas of Michigan
| Metro Area | # Employed | Mean Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area | 170 | $117,010 |
| Northeast Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area | 120 | $114,770 |
| Northwest Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area | 200 | $117,560 |
| Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area | 310 | $113,890 | Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics - 2023 |
Increasing Your Nurse Practitioner Salary in Michigan
If you’re working toward a career as a nurse practitioner in Michigan, you can make a comfortable living; the state is not too far below the national mean salary at $120,680 (Bureau of Labor Statistics - 2023), within nearly $5,000 of the national average. As a nurse practitioner in Michigan, you don’t have to settle for average; you can increase your salary by following the actionable advice provided below.
Connect with a Mentor
Studies have proven that professionals who have an ongoing relationship with a mentor make more money. Make it a priority that the first thing you do to increase your nurse practitioner salary in Michigan is sign up for the Connect Mentor Program offered by the Michigan Council of Nurse Practitioners. When you connect with a mentor, you are gaining insight into the path experienced by nurse practitioners before you. These local mentors help you to clarify your goals and your path while also connecting you to nearby resources along the way.
Become an Advocate for FPA
If you are fond of the mentor model, you are likely destined to become a leader yourself. And with the laws being super restrictive in Michigan for nurse practitioners, you will quickly find that banding together with other nurse practitioners in a common mission to expand to full practice authority (FPA) can be mutually beneficial and rewarding.
The Michigan Board of Nursing does not legally give any additional authority to nurse practitioners than they do to registered nurses. Anything a nurse practitioner does in Michigan must be supervised by a physician. Without full practice authority (FPA), nurse practitioners in Michigan cannot diagnose, treat, or prescribe medications without a doctor’s approval.
When you become an advocate for FPA, you increase your opportunities for salary advancement exponentially. Not only does it show your future employers that you are dedicated to your career in Michigan, but it also could pay off greatly by creating a landfall of salary increases once FPA comes to the state. Become an advocate for FPA through the Michigan Council of Nurse Practitioners or attend their annual advocacy day event to get involved.
Work at Outpatient Care Centers or Hospitals
A quicker way to increase your salary as a nurse practitioner in Michigan is by being intentional when selecting the facility type for your practice. Outpatient centers and hospitals have the highest income for nurse practitioners in the state, averaging annual salaries that are around 5% higher. The lowest-paid NPs are working in colleges and doctor’s offices.
Consider Relocation
Michigan’s top 10% of highest-paid nurse practitioners earn almost $140,400 annually. Location is a big reason how some push salaries to and beyond this level. Go back up and explore urban and regional salary differences to know what areas are paying the highest premiums to nurse practitioners. Relocating to this region may be a way to increase your salary within the Wolverine state. One major consideration for relocating is your level of interest in advocating for increased practice authority. If you’d prefer to work in a state that’s already allowing nurse practitioners to use their full training skillset, then moving out of state might be a more practical consideration and route to increasing your salary as a nurse practitioner.
Final Thoughts
The restrictions that Michigan has placed on nurse practitioners has not created a roadblock to earning a great living in the state. While the future is uncertain regarding the scope of authority that nurse practitioners may gain in Michigan, there are plenty of opportunities to increase your salary in the Wolverine State.