Average Nurse Practitioner Salary in Texas
Nurse Practitioners are registered nurses (RNs) who have undergone post-graduate training in a particular medical specialty such as critical care, pediatrics or neonatal care. They work in hospitals, doctors' officers and other health care facilities, where they assist physicians in providing patient care. Duties vary widely by industry and specialty but may include examining patients, prescribing medicine and developing treatment plans. The salaries of nurse practitioners are generally higher than those of RNs without the nurse practitioner certification as well as those of licensed practical nurses (LPNs). Earnings vary by specialty, work facility, work experience and geographic location.
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Average Salaries
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According to an April 2010 salary survey by Payscale.com, the median expected salary for a nurse practitioner working in Texas falls between $68,765 and $86,701. That works out to an hourly average wage of $34.38 through $49.06. An April 2010 salary survey by Indeed.com places the average annual salary of nurse practitioners across the state at $83,000.
Work Experience
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The earnings of nurse practitioners tend to increase along with work experience. According to an April 2010 salary survey by Payscale.com, the median expected annual salary for nurse practitioners with less than one year of work experience falls between $59,369 and $75,812. That salary range increases to $70,899 through $88,435 for nurse practitioners with between five and nine years of work experience. Those who have been on the job for more than 20 years can expect to bring home between $71,314 and $93,777. While this data is not specific to nurse practitioners working in Texas, it demonstrates how nurse practitioner salaries increase over time.
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Specialty
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Among the many factors that can impact the earnings of a nurse practitioner in Texas are specialty. According to April 2010 salary reports by Indeed.com, nurse practitioners working in the critical care field average $108,000 per year. Nurse practitioners who specialize in neonatal care and obstetrics bring home $95,000 each year, according to the report. Nurse practitioners working in the pediatrics field earn $95,000.
Facility
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The type of facility in which a nurse practitioner is employed may also impact earnings. According to a May 2008 nursing salary survey by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nurses working in general and surgical hospitals were better compensated than those employed in the offices of private physicians. Nurses working for home health care organizations earned less than those working in private doctor's offices. The lowest-paid nurses were employed in nursing homes.
Geographic Location
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Geographic location is another factor that can impact the earnings of a nurse practitioner. In general, nurse practitioners working in the metropolitan areas of Texas earn higher average incomes than their counterparts working in rural parts of the state. This is likely due to the relatively higher cost of living in urban centers. According to a customized salary report produced on the BLS website (see Resources), RNs living in Houston were the best-compensated of all RNs working in the state. They earned $65,810 per year on average. Those working in Dallas brought home $65,390, while those employed the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission metropolitan area earned $63,420.
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References
- Payscale.com: Nurse Practitioner Median Salary by Years Experience
- Payscale.com: Nurse Practitioner Median Salary by State or Province
- Payscale.com: Nurse Practitioner Median Hourly Salary by State or Province
- Indeed.com: Nurse Practitioner Salaries in Texas
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook: Registered Nurses
Resources
- Photo Credit Scrub Nurse image by Mary Beth Granger from Fotolia.com
