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Starting salaries for nurse practitioners vary based on location as well as specialty but the overall average for the country is $128,490 (Bureau of Labor Statistics - 2023) per year. Montana is just about average with a mean salary at approximately $124,640.
This means that nurse practitioners who are looking for a new job or who are looking to get started in the field should base their requirements around this number. Keep in mind that this is an average salary, which means those with more experience should be negotiating their rates higher than $124,640, while newcomers should be looking closer to this rate.
Montana Nurse Practitioner Salaries – Visualized
Nurse Practitioners Salaries in urban areas of Montana
| Metro Area | # Employed | Mean Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Billings, MT | 150 | $127,800 |
| Great Falls, MT | 60 | $119,760 |
| Missoula, MT | 130 | $119,840 | Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics - 2023 |
Nurse Practitioners Salaries in rural areas of Montana
| Metro Area | # Employed | Mean Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area | 230 | $121,830 |
| West Montana nonmetropolitan area | 140 | $128,670 |
| East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area | 120 | $128,820 | Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics - 2023 |
Increasing the Nurse Practitioner Salary
Increase Your Educational Background to Increase Salary Minimums
Getting the minimum amount of education will afford you the right to the minimum salary as a nurse practitioner, but continuing education can open more doors. This includes certification for different specialties such as those offered by the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists or the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board.
These areas offer higher starting salaries and allow nurse practitioners the opportunity to move up from standard base rate. By obtaining certification in multiple areas or at least gaining experience in multiple areas a nurse practitioner can increase their overall value in the profession, thereby increasing their earning potential as well.
Continue Negotiating Your Rate as Your Status Changes
Once you have started working with a hospital or medical facility the rate that you start at is not the rate you end at. It is not the rate that you should maintain throughout your tenure either as your work experience and education will continue to increase over time. Your rate should increase as you continue to gain in both of these areas.
Negotiation should take place regularly and it is your responsibility to fight for what you deserve. Do not expect your facility to offer what you’re worth without you asking for it. Looking at national averages and more specifically Montana averages for different types of work and experience levels will help you know where your negotiations should start.
Look Into Different Locations
Rather than only looking at different fields within the career of nurse practitioner look at different locations in Montana. While an average nurse practitioner can expect to start with a salary around $124,640, that rate will vary based on location. Nurse practitioners working in rural areas will likely earn less than this rate while those working in larger cities can generally expect to earn more.
If you know that you have reached a cap when it comes to increasing your nurse practitioner salary in Montana you can take a look at other states where the starting salary could be higher, such as New Jersey, New York, or California.