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