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RN vs Nurse Practitioner: pay, jobs and what each takes
Registered nurses and nurse practitioners side by side: what each earns by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics and by the jobs open today, how many jobs there are, and the education and credentials each takes.
RN vs Nurse Practitioner, side by side
| Registered nurse | Nurse practitioner | |
|---|---|---|
| Open jobs on this board today | 77,248 | 4,305 |
| Median posted hourly pay (open jobs) | $47.75 | $80 |
| Median hourly pay (BLS, May 2025) | $46.90 | $63.61 |
| Median yearly pay (BLS) | $97,550 | $132,300 |
| Projected employment change (BLS, 2025-2035) | +5.6% | +41.0% |
| Openings a year (BLS) | 180,800 | 29,400 |
| Typical education to enter (BLS) | Bachelor's degree | Master's degree |
| Credentials | Registered nurse license (NCLEX-RN); Multistate nurse license (Nurse Licensure Compact) | Advanced practice registered nurse license (APRN); Family nurse practitioner certification (FNP-C); Family nurse practitioner certification (FNP-BC) |
RN vs Nurse Practitioner: common questions
Who makes more, an RN or an NP?
Nurse practitioners, by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025): a median of $63.61 an hour ($132,300 a year), against $46.90 ($97,550 a year) for registered nurses, $16.71 an hour more. The open jobs on this board today post medians of $47.75 an hour for registered nurses and $80 for nurse practitioners.
Are there more registered nurse or nurse practitioner jobs?
On this board today: 77,248 open registered nurse jobs and 4,305 nurse practitioner jobs, read from each employer's own job board. BLS expects about 180,800 openings a year for registered nurses and 29,400 for nurse practitioners, with employment changing +5.6% and +41.0% over 2025-2035.
What is the difference between an RN and an NP?
Registered nurses assess patients, give medications and treatments, watch for changes and teach patients and families what comes next. Most work in hospitals on 8- or 12-hour shifts, others in clinics, home care, schools and nursing homes. Nurse practitioners examine patients, order and read tests, diagnose and prescribe, often with their own panel of patients. They work in primary care, specialty clinics, hospitals, urgent care and telehealth.
How do you become an RN or an NP?
An associate degree (ADN) or bachelor's degree (BSN) in nursing, then the NCLEX-RN exam. (BLS: Bachelor's degree.) A registered nurse license, then a master's (MSN) or doctoral (DNP) nurse practitioner program and a national board exam. (BLS: Master's degree.) Each occupation's page lists its credentials and who grants them: Registered nurses, Nurse practitioners.
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- Phlebotomist vs CNA
Sources and method
Pay and outlook are BLS's figures for each occupation's main SOC code; open jobs and their posted median are this board's, counted as each occupation's own page counts them.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025) and Employment Projections (2025-2035)
- CareJobs.Now job board: open jobs read every night from each employer's own careers site
Cite this page
CareJobs.Now. (2026). RN vs Nurse Practitioner: Pay, Jobs and Requirements Compared. Data as of 9 Nov 2026. https://carejobs.now/compare-careers/rn-vs-np