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The average nurse practitioner in the United States is approximately $128,490 (Bureau of Labor Statistics - 2023) per year. In Nevada, the number is only slightly higher, coming in at an average of $148,670 per year.
Metro Area | # Employed | Mean Salary |
---|---|---|
Carson City, NV | 70 | $154,720 |
Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV | 1,450 | $149,960 |
Reno, NV | 370 | $146,740 | Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics - 2023 |
Metro Area | # Employed | Mean Salary |
---|---|---|
Nevada nonmetropolitan area | 130 | $138,730 | Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics - 2023 |
You make a nice living as a nurse practitioner, but still, you would like to earn more money. Then you can stop worrying about meeting your financial obligations and put your sole focus on patient care. While you might feel stuck with your current salary, there are steps you can take to maximize your earning potential. Look at some options for increasing your nurse practitioner salary in Nevada.
First, it is important to know if you are currently making the annual mean wage in Nevada. If not, you can use that information to help you negotiate a larger salary.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nurse practitioners in Nevada make an annual mean wage of $148,670. If you believe you are underpaid, bring up this statistic when negotiating wages. Your employer likely does not expect you to have this information during negotiations. Fortunately, it is challenging to argue against hard data, so this can give you leverage.
The Nevada Nurse Practice Act requires APRNs to complete 15 hours of continuing education before each license renewal cycle. However, the classes you take must be related to your specialty. Thus, you can use these requirements to hone your skills, but you cannot expand your knowledge base beyond your specialty. Thus, your continuing education hours will help you remain compliant but will not allow you to change your specialty.
However, you can open the door for higher-paying jobs by acquiring a post-master’s certificate in a new specialty. For instance, you might be able to make more money as a pediatric or psychiatric nurse practitioner. If you have the time to go back to school, the certification can pay dividends.
The annual mean wage for nurse practitioners in the United States is $128,490 (Bureau of Labor Statistics - 2023), meaning the pay in Nevada is better than it is in many other states. Even so, the wages are considerably better in California, where the annual mean wage sits at $161,540. You can earn even more in other parts of the state. For instance, the annual mean wage is almost 28% higher in Vallejo-Fairfield, CA. The cost of living is also higher in California, so keep that in mind before exploring opportunities there.
You can also consider increasing your earnings through medical writing. Various job boards and websites advertise medical writing jobs for those with experience as nurse practitioners. You can even find opportunities that provide the freedom to write a bit in your spare time while maintaining your full-time NP position.
These strategies can help you secure a higher salary as a nurse practitioner. First, review the Bureau of Labor Statistics data on nurse practitioners. Then use that information when looking for jobs or negotiating a new contract.