As Clinical Advisor continues to be a champion for the nurse practitioner (NP) and physician assistant (PA) audiences, we recognize that just as clinical practice has evolved over the past year, so too has compensation. Are you con-sidering a career in a new location or specialty and unsure about how this change may a� ect your compensation? The results of the 2019 NP/PA Salary Survey are in and available to help guide your next big career move.

Similar to the results from previous surveys, more than half of all NPs and PAs who responded to the survey reported earning more in 2018-2019 than in the prior year.

Although the wage gap persists between male and female advanced practice providers, it has narrowed in 2019. In 2018, men earned approximately $17,000 more than their female counterparts. In contrast, results from the 2019 salary survey indicate that male NPs earned approximately $11,000 more than female NPs, and male PAs earned approximately $15,000 more than female PAs.

NPs and PAs reported average annual salaries in the 2019 survey of $107,973 and $115,881, respectively.

24 THE CLINICAL ADVISOR • SEPTEMBER 2019 • www.ClinicalAdvisor.com

Are you being fairly compensated?

FEATURE: SALARY SURVEY

The West Coast remains the region with the highest average yearly compensation, with NPs earning $117,311 and PAs earning $125,307. The majority of NPs surveyed reported practicing in suburban locations (38%); however, those practicing in urban locations (36.8%) earned the highest salary. Like NPs, the majority of PAs surveyed practiced in suburban locations (42.2%), but PAs working in rural areas earned the highest salary ($118,344).

Interestingly, family medicine is no longer the specialty in which the majority of NPs and PAs are employed (27% and 13.8%,

respectively). Like last year, most NP and PA respondents practice in a stand-alone clinic, but those working in hospitals reported earning the highest salary ($122,598 and $127,173, respectively). Additionally, 40.5% of NPs and 41.1% of PAs report working in more than 1 location, and approximately one-fourth of respondents see 51-75 patients per week.

The majority of NPs and PAs anticipate earning as much or more than they currently earn in the year to come, with more than half of all clinician respondents expecting more money in their paychecks in 2020.

See how your salary compares

with those of your peers as

reported in the2019 NP/PA

SALARY SURVEY

TABLE 1. Average NP salary

Profession Percent response

Average salary

Average hourly rate

Nurse Practitioner

100.0%(n=1,644) $107,973 $59.89

TABLE 2. Average PA salary

Profession Percentresponse

Average salary

Average hourly rate

Physician Assistant

100.0%(n=557) $115,881 $62.86

TABLE 3. Average NP salary by practice area

Practice area Percent response Average salary

Family Medicine 27.0% (n=444) $102,158

Pediatrics 6.8% (n=111) $97,160

Psychiatry 5.6% (n=92) $130,382

Adult Medicine 5.4% (n=88) $107,672

Primary Care 5.2% (n=86) $104,032

Urgent Care 4.7% (n=77) $116,293

Geriatric Medicine 4.3% (n=70) $112,177

Other 41.1% (n=676) $110,096

TABLE 4. Average PA salary by practice area

Practice area Percent response Average salary

Family Medicine 13.8% (n=77) $109,259

Pediatrics 7.4% (n=41) $116,806

Psychiatry 6.8% (n=38) $109,000

Adult Medicine 6.1% (n=34) $120,577

Primary Care 5.8% (n=32) $120,887

Urgent Care 3.8% (n=21) $125,281

Geriatric Medicine 3.6% (n=20) $165,833

Other 52.8% (n=296) $112,730

FIGURE 2. Average PA salary by geographic region

South(n=174)

$115,000 average salary

Midwest(n=130)$110,789 average salary

West(n=125)$125,307 average salary

Northeast(n=128)$113,431 average salary

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Midwest(n=451)$103,059 average salary

West(n=273)$117,311 average salary

Northeast(n=311)$111,502 average salary

South(n=609)

$106,255 average salary

TABLE 5. Average NP salary by degree attained

Degree Percent response Average salary

Masters 83.2% (n=1,367) $107,348

Doctorate 13.4% (n=221) $114,910

Certi� cate of completion 3.4% (n=56) $92,153

TABLE 6. Average PA salary by degree attained

Degree Percent response Average salary

Masters 65.5% (n=365) $115,552

Doctorate 5.4% (n=30) $110,220

Certi� cate of completion

29.1% (n=162) $117,946

TABLE 7. Average NP salary according to gender

Female Male

$107,177 (n=1,500) $118,200 (n=137)

TABLE 8. Average PA salary according to gender

Female Male

$111,194 (n=351) $126,334 (n=200)

FIGURE 1. Average NP salary by geographic region

FEATURE: SALARY SURVEY

26 THE CLINICAL ADVISOR • SEPTEMBER 2019 • www.ClinicalAdvisor.com

TABLE 9. Average NP salary by experience level

Experience in years Percent response Average salary

<5 32.7% (n=538) $100,634

6-10 20.3% (n=335) $110,442

11-15 11.1% (n=182) $110,828

16-20 12.9% (n=212) $111,730

>20 22.9% (n=377) $112,989

TABLE 10. Average PA salary by experience level

Experience in years Percent response Average salary

<5 18.7% (n=104) $97,370

6-10 15.3% (n=85) $122,172

11-15 16.2% (n=90) $112,286

16-20 16.9% (n=94) $126,027

>20 33.0% (n=184) $120,140

TABLE 11. Average NP salary by urban, suburban, or rural location

Practice location Percent response Average salary

Suburban 38.0% (n=624) $108,633

Urban 36.8% (n=605) $110,231

Rural 25.2% (n=415) $103,565

TABLE 12. Average PA salary by urban, suburban, or rural location

Practice location Percent response Average salary

Suburban 42.2% (n=235) $117,333

Urban 39.5% (n=220) $113,295

Rural 18.3% (n=102) $118,344

FIGURE 4. Did you earn more this year (PAs)?

53.7%35.9%

More

Same

Less

FIGURE 3. Did you earn more this year (NPs)?

More

Same

Less51.2%35.1%

FIGURE 6. Do you expect to earn more next year (PAs)?

39.5%54.6%

3.2%

More

Same

Less

FIGURE 7. Do you work in multiple locations (NPs)?

59.5% (n=978)

40.5% (n=666)

No

Yes

FIGURE 8. Do you work in multiple locations (PAs)?

58.9% (n=328)

41.1% (n=229)

No

Yes

FIGURE 5. Do you expect to earn more next year (NPs)?

42.9%50.5%

4.3%

More

Same

Less

7.7%11.4%

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TABLE 13. Average NP salary according to practice setting

Practice setting Percent response Average salary

Clinic: Stand-Alone 23.4% (n=385) $103,352

Clinic: Hospital 19.6% (n=323) $108,965

Office Practice 18.3% (n=301) $104,466

Hospital 13.1% (n=216) $122,598

Walk-in/ Ambulatory Care

5.5% (n=90) $105,814

Long-term Care 2.4% (n=40) $115,000

TABLE 14. Average PA salary according to practice setting

Practice setting Percent response Average salary

Clinic: Stand-Alone 25.5% (n=142) $116,156

Clinic: Hospital 20.3% (n=113) $115,714

Office Practice 12.6% (n=70) $120,735

Hospital 20.8% (n=116) $127,173

Walk-in/ Ambulatory Care

4.7% (n=26) $111,944

Corrections/Prison 2.7% (n=15) $92,500

TABLE 16. Number of patients seen per week (PAs)

Number of patients Percent response

<25 14.7% (n=82)

26-50 29.1% (n=162)

51-75 22.3% (n=124)

76-100 19.9% (n=111)

101-125 8.4% (n=47)

125+ 5.6% (n=31)

TABLE 15. Number of patients seen per week (NPs)

Number of patients Percent response

<25 15.6% (n=257)

26-50 31.3% (n=515)

51-75 25.9% (n=425)

76-100 18.1% (n=298)

101-125 6.2% (n=102)

125+ 2.9% (n=47)

TABLE 18. Hours per week worked (PAs)

Hours per week Percent response

<20 2.7% (n=15)

21-30 7.9% (n=44)

31-40 43.3% (n=241)

41-50 34.7% (n=193)

51-60 7.7% (n=43)

61-70 2.5% (n=14)

>70 1.3% (n=7)

TABLE 17. Hours per week worked (NPs)

Hours per week Percent response

<20 4.4% (n=73)

21-30 8.2% (n=135)

31-40 44.4% (n=730)

41-50 33.1% (n=544)

51-60 7.4% (n=121)

61-70 1.7% (n=28)

>70 0.8% (n=13)

TABLE 20. How satisfied are you with your compensation (PAs)?

Satisfaction Percent response Average salary

Very Satisfied 16.0% (n=89) $140,888

Satisfied 45.2% (n=252) $116,070

Neutral 19.4% (n=108) $104,596

Dissatisfied 14.4% (n=80) $103,320

Very Dissatisfied 2.3% (n=13) $99,722

TABLE 19. How satisfied are you with your compensation (NPs)?

Satisfaction Percent response Average salary

Very Satisfied 13.1% (n=215) $120,623

Satisfied 40.6% (n=668) $111,547

Neutral 22.3% (n=366) $102,052

Dissatisfied 17.3% (n=285) $100,305

Very Dissatisfied 4.4% (n=72) $91,500