10 (LOWEST) Paying Nurse Practitioner Jobs


Written By: Donna ReeseDonna Reese MSN, RN, CSN

Donna Reese is a freelance nurse health content writer with 37 years nursing experience. She has worked as a Family Nurse Practitioner in her local community clinic and as an RN in home health, rehabilitation, hospital, and school nursing. She utilizes her personal experiences to write from the heart to apply to her writing for various health publications, including BLOGS, newsletters, and educational materials and videos. Read Full Bio »»
MSN, RN, CSN


Most nurse practitioners can expect to make a comfortable annual wage of well over $100,000. However, there still are some positions that do not compensate as well as others.

If you are considering becoming a nurse practitioner or are in the job market, you should be aware of these lower-paying opportunities. Now, you are probably asking yourself, “What is the lowest-paying nurse practitioner job?”

Here, I provide you with a list of the top 10 lowest-paying nurse practitioner jobs. These crucial details will help you make an informed decision before you select your specialty or begin a job search. Of course, not all NPs are motivated by money, but this insightful article should prove worthwhile if you are looking into an NP career to improve your financial status.


What are the Lowest-Paying Nurse Practitioner Jobs?

(The following are the 10 lowest-paying nurse practitioner jobs.)


JOB #1: Educator


About the Job:

Earning the #1 spot in the lowest-paid nurse practitioner jobs list is that of a nursing professor. Nurse educators are the mainstay of our profession, teaching the next generation of nurses to nurse. Working in universities, hospitals, and colleges, nursing professors teach nursing students and participate in medical research. NPs working in education can be clinical instructors, adjunct professors, and lecturers. They teach associate degree and BSN students courses such as nursing theory and nursing practice, along with the primary specialties in nursing such as critical care, obstetrics med-surg, etc.

As a nursing professor, you may also work hybrid or entirely virtual.

To teach BSN students, you must hold a master's in nursing or education or a higher-level degree.

Average Salary:

According to ZipRecruiter, the average nursing professor's salary is $81,843 /year.

Why is it One of the Lowest Paid:

It’s pretty sad that the advanced practice nurses responsible for educating our incoming nursing students are paid a lower wage than most NPs and many RNs. Although there is an urgent demand for nursing professors, the pay does not compensate for the advanced education, experience, and magnitude of this role.

As APRNs, we realize the value of our educators; however, those who write the checks for NPs working in education may not hold the same appreciation. Perhaps the pay of a nursing instructor is low due to the paltry wage of professors overall. Although there is a grave nursing faculty shortage, proper compensation to rectify the issue is not catching up with the need.


JOB #2: Non-profit Agency


About the Job:

Non-profit organizations hire nurse practitioners to work with at-risk populations such as children, youth, and seniors. In addition, agencies such as the American Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders hire medical teams to help during crises.

Depending on the agency and situation, your work can vary between administrative duties, teaching, and hands-on care. At times, travel is necessary. Your hours should mostly be regular office hours unless you work in emergency mode, making your schedule chaotic. With your soft skills, such as organization and time management, and your advanced degree, you may be a good choice for a management role in this environment.

Average Salary:

The wage of an NP in this role can vary from $56,000 to $100,000 annually, according to a review of non-profit jobs on ZipRecruiter.

Why is it One of the Lowest Paid:

Non-profit agencies often do not pay as well as other NP opportunities. Thus, NPs working for a non-profit may find themselves in one of the lowest-paid nurse practitioner jobs.

An article in Forbes informs us that 57% of executives working in non-profits attribute low pay as the cause of frequent turnover. If executives complain about noncompetitive compensation, we can surmise that the providers are experiencing the same issue. With many non-profit agencies depending on fundraising for their primary revenue, the expectation for increased pay for the workers typically is limited.


JOB #3: Local Government Jobs


About the Job:

NP jobs in local government can be in city offices, schools, community centers, homeless encampments, and shelters, to name a few. The duties of an NP in local and state government jobs vary according to whichever job you choose. No two positions are alike.

For example, working in a state health department office may involve much paperwork and planning, while NP positions at a homeless shelter should be very hands-on. One plus is that government jobs occur during regular office hours.

Average Salary:

The pay for city and county NP jobs varies widely. Many public employee NP jobs pay around $50/hour, which is $104,000 annually.

Why is it One of the Lowest Paid:

Local government jobs tend to always be on the lower end of the pay scale and, therefore, rank among the lowest-paying nurse practitioner jobs. According to the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics, state and local government wages are 4%-11% less than in the private sector. The exception is for education, where, in some instances, employees make less in the private sector. In general, state government pays more across the board than local government jobs.


JOB #4: Pediatric Office NP


About the Job:

Working with little kids can be very gratifying and sometimes fun. Although I am an FNP, I specialized in pediatrics, and the children never failed to make my day.

Working in a pediatric office typically involves a busy schedule of well-child checks, immunizations, and acute non-life-threatening illnesses. You will have the opportunity to develop relationships with children and their parents, especially for those with chronic conditions such as diabetes and cystic fibrosis. In some instances, you will be required to round in the hospital, especially to check on newborns.

Most NPs who work in pediatric offices are pediatric nurse practitioners.

In this environment, you typically don’t work weekends unless you are on call or your office has Saturday hours. However, you can expect a lot of action when you are on call. Little kiddos tend to get sick and injured frequently and do not take off for the weekend.

Average Salary:

According to the Medscape APRN Compensation report, primary care pediatric nurse practitioner pay falls at the bottom of the list of NP jobs. ZipRecruiter lists the average compensation for a pediatric nurse practitioner as $125,190 annually.

Why is it One of the Lowest Paid:

For some reason, those working in pediatric care tend to come out on the lower end of the pay scale. Is the health of our children not as important as that of adults or other populations?

Perhaps this specialty area pays poorly because the clientele are primarily healthy and do not typically require expensive surgeries or treatment. Thus, reimbursement is lower than in other specialty areas, such as cardiology, where costly surgery is the norm for patients. This fact may verify why a pediatric NP office position is one of the lowest-paying nurse practitioner jobs.


JOB #5: Family Care Office


About the Job:

According to the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) survey, 72.6% of NPs work in a family primary care setting. Although most NPs work in this environment, this opportunity is still among the lowest-paid nurse practitioner jobs.

As an NP in a family practice office, you can expect to work with at least one physician and see a variety of patients. Ages may range from infant to frail elderly.

You will see a steady flow of patients with minor illnesses to severe chronic conditions. You will be working frequently with Medicare patients and thus need to be familiar with its regulations.

Average Salary:

Family nurse practitioners in primary care make an average salary of $128,141 /year, according to ZipRecruiter.

Why is it One of the Lowest Paid:

Although most PCP offices are not the stereotypic old-fashioned country doctor establishments, primary care providers (NPs included) tend to be on the short end regarding pay. Take a look around the waiting room of your local PCP, and you will find a disproportionate number of senior citizens to younger folks. This population fact translates to lower Medicare reimbursement for services.


JOB #6: Outpatient Adult-Gerontology


About the Job:

Adult-gerontology NPs can be found working in internal medicine, vascular care, long-term care facilities, and for Medicare. In this position, you will perform assessments and medical management of adults 65 and over. You will often check in on patients’ post-hospital admission to ensure that they continue to progress.

If working in a long-term care facility, you may be assigned to medically manage certain patients onsite.

At times, you may work hybrid or virtual, although this population tends to prefer in-person visits. You will be expected to have extensive knowledge of Medicare regulations.

Average Salary:

According to ZipRecruiter, the yearly salary of an adult-gerontology NP working in ambulatory care is $131,543 on average.

Why is it One of the Lowest Paid:

Medicare reimbursement is lower than insurance or private pay. Thus, it makes sense that providers working primarily in Medicare-reimbursed jobs will receive lower compensation than offices where high-cost procedures (covered by private insurance) are standard. The term “follow the money” holds true when describing which medical specialty area pays the most, and adult-gerontology NP jobs are not at the top end of that list.


JOB #7: Women's Health Clinic


About the Job:

NPs working in a women's health clinic can expect to see a new patient every 20-30 minutes, with more time allotted for procedures and initial visits. Most women's health clinics are overly busy with a waiting list. Our local mid-sized clinic sees upward of 300 patients a day.

You can expect to see a variety of patients, such as those needing prenatal and postnatal care, rape and human trafficking victims, menopause guidance, routine exams with pap smears, and STD testing. You may also be trained to perform some procedures, such as colposcopies.

Your hours are generally regular business hours, with some NPs working occasional weekends for emergencies or egg retrievals.

Average Salary:

According to ZipRecruiter, Women's Health NPs make an average salary of $130,333 annually.

Why is it One of the Lowest Paid:

Although NP jobs in a women's health clinic pay a decent wage, the pay is still lower than those working in private industry or more lucrative specialty clinics. Caring for pregnant women tends to come with some pretty high risks without a high cash return from the insurance companies. This imbalance creates a pay system that trickles down to the staff compensation.


JOB #8: Oncology


About the Job:

One of the more surprising positions in the category of lowest-paying nurse practitioner jobs is one in an oncology office. NPs who work in oncology offices see patients regularly for initial diagnosis and ongoing treatment and follow-up. Even with medical advances, cancer is not going away, and the oncology offices are typically bustling. NPs in this field tend to be extra compassionate and patient. You will work in tandem with the team of oncologists to oversee treatment and manage side effects.

Typically, you should work regular office hours, although many providers in this specialty tend to check on patients during off hours. Some offices require that providers rotate call duty.

Average Salary:

ZipRecruiter indicates that NPs working in oncology offices make an annual average wage of $131,543/year.

Why is it One of the Lowest Paid:

Although oncology is a highly specialized field, NPs receive only average compensation for their work in this area. With the average age of patients diagnosed with cancer at 66, you can expect that reimbursement for services is lower than in offices with a higher percentage of private insurance.


JOB #9: Urgent Walk-In Clinic


About the Job:

An urgent care walk-in clinic has an uneven flow and ebb. An NP may be swamped one minute, and the next, all is quiet. You can expect to treat all age groups and any illness or injury that walks in. The key word here is that the patient does walk in, so your more catastrophic emergencies are rare.

As an urgent care clinic provider, you will see many fractures, children with fevers, and flu cases. You may deal with some psychiatric issues, but these problems commonly end up in the ER.

Unless you are in an around-the-clock urgent care job, you can expect to work mainly 1st or 2nd shift and weekends. Weekends and evenings tend to be the busiest time in this environment.

Average Salary:

NP jobs in an urgent care walk-in clinic can expect mid-range pay. ZipRecruiter states that an NP working in an urgent care clinic is typically paid $132,885 yearly on average.

Why is it One of the Lowest Paid:

Ambulatory care jobs tend to pay less than acute care overall. Working in an outpatient setting can be less stressful than the ER due to the acuity of the patients and having a more scheduled approach to care. Many seasoned ER NPs prefer the more subdued walk-in clinic environment over the emergency room's stress.


JOB #10: Health Writer


About the Job:

This nontraditional NP job combines your medical knowledge, expertise, and health teaching skills. A health writer can write textbooks, nursing or other educational courses and CE’s, medical product literature and reviews, health blogs, journal articles, medical and wellness product advertising, and guides. The actual list of writing possibilities is endless.

As a health writer, your time is flexible, and you can work independently if you freelance.

There are many other non-traditional NP jobs to explore (some pay more than others), with writing as one of many choices.

Average Salary:

The average health writer makes $53,617 annually, according to Payscale.com. With your NP credentials, you should expect to make more than the average health writer and be on the higher end of the scale, which can be up to $90,000 per year, with a few writers breaking the six-figure mark.

Why is it One of the Lowest Paid:

A career as a writer is traditionally on the lower end of the pay scale. NPs who write for journals and health sites bring much expertise and valuable insight to their content. However, with competing writer reimbursement so low, an NP who writes will not make the same wage as one in clinical practice.

Alternatively, you can command much higher compensation if you want to write more technical content, such as those that a medical writer creates. Medical technical writers typically work with big pharma and med tech companies where pay can be substantial. Health writing and medical writing are 2 different niches and, at times, are confused.


My Final Thoughts


Rarely do you see a listing of the lowest-paying NP jobs. It is more likely that the top-paying NP jobs are showcased since our profession is among the better-paying careers in healthcare. But before you start job hunting, this article on the “10 lowest paying nurse practitioner jobs” can be an invaluable place to begin to help you avoid the pitfall of working for less than comparable NP wages.

Now that I have answered your question, “What is the lowest paying nurse practitioner job?” you may have noticed a common thread about NP work. Jobs in ambulatory care tend not to pay as much as some other areas. NPs who choose to work outpatient or are not in highly technical roles will generally make less than their inpatient or surgical counterparts.

We all pick our specialty areas and jobs according to our needs and desires. If higher pay is the driving factor in your career, you should now be knowledgeable about which jobs do not compensate well and can make an informed choice.


Donna Reese MSN, RN, CSN
Donna Reese is a freelance nurse health content writer with 37 years nursing experience. She has worked as a Family Nurse Practitioner in her local community clinic and as an RN in home health, rehabilitation, hospital, and school nursing.