Nurse Practitioner Salary in Ohio for 2025
Written By: Pattie Trumble, MPP, MPH
Though Ohio is by no means one of the most restrictive states in the U.S. when it comes to nurse practitioner scope of practice, NPs do have limited practice authority in the Buckeye State. Nurse practitioners in Ohio can only practice under the terms of a Standard Care Arrangement (SCA), set up in collaboration with a supervising physician; this SCA stipulates which services the NP can offer as well as a schedule for patient chart reviews. This may be one of the reasons why the salary of Ohio NPs is 6 percent lower than the average NP salary in other parts of the U.S.: Demand for NP services may not be as high because they are not as effective as substitutes for physicians. How much does a nurse practitioner make in Ohio? This article provides an in-depth look at nurse practitioner salary in Ohio for 2025.
What is the Starting Salary of a Nurse Practitioner in Ohio?
Entry-level nurse practitioners in Ohio can earn a solid income, but they’re paid less than entry-level nurse practitioners in practically every other part of the midwest. A nurse practitioner in the Buckeye State who’s just starting his or her career will earn $96,640 annually, which works out to $8,050 a month or $46.46 an hour. This is still nearly twice the amount of the average starting salary throughout the U.S., which is
$40,153 according to the employment website Indeed.com..
Geographical location isn’t the only factor that influences starting salary, though. A nurse practitioner’s area of certification will also influence his or her entry-level earnings. Neonatal and psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners in Ohio typically start out higher than family nurse practitioners. Additionally, NPs who land first-time jobs in hospitals or outpatient clinics can usually count on taking more money home than nurse practitioners who begin in physicians’ offices.
Hourly | $46.46 |
Monthly | $8,050 |
Annual | $96,640 |
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) |
What is the Average Salary of a Nurse Practitioner in Ohio?
What is the average salary of a nurse practitioner in Ohio? The average salary of a nurse practitioner in Ohio is $56.46 an hour, which amounts to $9,790 a month or $117,440 annually.
This is 87 percent higher than the internet employment marketplace ZipRecruiter’s calculation for the average salary for all occupations in the Buckeye State, which comes to $56,477. NPs typically reach the average salary mark after they’ve been in practice between five and nine years.
The average NP salary varies significantly depending upon the state, and, according to Forbes Magazine, Ohio is one of the states where NPs make the least amount of money,
coming in at number 41 on the magazine’s ranking of NP salaries. However,
the cost of living in Ohio is significantly lower than it is in many other parts of the U.S. This means that your NP salary is likely to stretch farther than in many other states where average compensation may be higher.
Hourly | $56.46 |
Monthly | $9,790 |
Annual | $117,440 |
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) |
Nurse Practitioner Salary in Ohio by Years of Experience
The clinical medical training you received as a student at one of the
best nurse practitioner programs in Ohio is not enough alone to make you a great NP. The longer you work, the more likely you are to improve and enhance your skillset, and this is why the more experience you have as a nurse practitioner, the higher your nurse practitioner salary in Ohio will be.
The other reason salaries increase with experience is retention: High compensation is awarded to experienced NPs to keep them in clinical practice.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has estimated that in four years, Ohio will have a shortage of 1,200 primary care providers. Research from the Kaiser Family Foundation shows that
experienced nurse practitioners can provide between 80 and 90 percent of the care traditionally provided by physicians without any significant differences in outcome, and that, moreover, they can do this less expensively. Nurse practitioners, in other words, can be a cost-effective substitute for primary care physicians.
The entry-level nurse practitioner salary in Ohio is $96,640 annually. By the time you have one to four years of experience under your belt, your average nurse practitioner salary in Ohio will have increased by more than 6 percent to $102,300 annually. With five to nine years of experience, you’ll be earning an average salary of $113,040 a year, more than one-third as much as your starting salary. By the time you’ve been an NP in Ohio for 20 years or more, your average salary of $135,890 will be 41 percent higher than what it was when you embarked upon your career path.
Years of Experience | Hourly | Monthly | Annual |
Starting (Entry-Level) | $46.46 | $8,050 | $96,640 |
1-4 Years of Experience | $49.18 | $8,530 | $102,300 |
5-9 Years of Experience | $54.35 | $9,420 | $113,040 |
10-19 Years of Experience | $62.50 | $10,830 | $130,000 |
20 Years or More Experience | $65.33 | $11,320 | $135,890 |
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) |
Total Annual Nurse Practitioner Compensation (Including Other Benefits) in Ohio
Payment numbers alone, however, do not tell the full story of the compensation Ohio NPs receive from their employers. The true nurse practitioner salary in Ohio is a combination of salary and the indirect, noncash compensation known as employee benefits. For nurse practitioners in the Buckeye State, such compensation may include legally required benefits like workers’ compensation and unemployment insurance, vacation allowances, medical insurance, and contributions to 401(k) funds and other retirement funds.
In Ohio, nurse practitioners working for private sector healthcare providers can expect to receive employee benefits whose cash valuation would amount to 42 percent of their salaries: Their average salary is $117,450 a year, and their benefits package is worth $49,620 a year, so their effective salary is $167,070.
Nurse practitioners working for federal, state and local government agencies in Ohio receive benefits packages worth considerably more. The cash valuation for NPs employed in the public sector amounts to 62 percent of their salaries. On average, these NPs earn $117,350 a year and their benefits package is $72,230 a year, bringing their total compensation to $189,580. Thus, even though public sector NPs appear to be earning a lower nurse practitioner salary in Ohio on paper, their real compensation is is 12 percent higher.
Component | Private Industry | State and Local Government |
Paid Leave | $12,363 | $14,408 |
Supplemental Pay | $5,847 | $1,896 |
Insurance | $13,031 | $22,181 |
Retirement and Savings | $5,680 | $23,508 |
Legally Required | $12,697 | $10,427 |
Total Benefits | $49,620 | $72,230 |
Average Annual Salary | $117,450 | $117,350 |
Total Compensation | $167,070 | $189,580 |
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) |
Nurse Practitioner Salary in Ohio by Practice Setting
NPs working in outpatient care centers are the highest-paid nurse practitioners in the Buckeye State. Outpatient care centers perform medical consultations, procedures and treatments that don’t require an overnight stay. They’re busy places with high patient turnover. NPs employed by Ohio outpatient care centers earn $60.70 an hour on average, which calculates out to $126,250.
NPs in hospital settings throughout Ohio earn $58.57 an hour or $121,820 a year, which is 4 percent less than nurse practitioners in outpatient care clinics. Part of this may be due to the fact that there are many more doctors in hospitals assigned to oversee the complex procedures that, in an outpatient clinic setting, would be assigned to NPs.
Ohio NPs who work in physician offices make $55.20 an hour or $114,800 a year while nurse practitioner employed by Ohio universities and professional schools earn $51.59 an hour or $107,300 a year. Buckeye State nurse practitioners who work in physicians’ offices have a higher salary than their counterparts who work in academic settings, but it’s likely that their real compensation is lower. Don’t forget that nurse practitioner salary in Ohio is comprised of earnings plus benefits. Academic settings typically offer much better benefits than individual physicians.
Type of Practice Setting | Hourly | Annual |
Offices of Physicians | $55.20 | $114,800 |
Hospitals | $58.57 | $121,820 |
Outpatient Care Centers | $60.70 | $126,250 |
Offices of Other Health Practitioners | $51.02 | $106,120 |
Colleges, Universities and Professional Schools | $51.59 | $107,300 |
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) |
Nurse Practitioner Salary in Ohio by Specialty
1. Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner:
The demand for adult-gerontology NP services in Ohio continues to grow. While adult-gerontology NPs are educated to care for all adult populations, they have specialized training that allows them to be particularly responsive to the needs of the elderly.
Seventeen percent of the Buckeye State’s population is over the age of 65, and that percentage is increasing. Adult-gerontology nurse practitioner salary in Ohio is just under $52.25 per hour on average, and this computes out to just under $108,680 a year.
Hourly | $52.25 |
Annual | $108,680 |
2. Aesthetic Nurse Practitioner:
Aesthetic nurse practitioners are advanced practice RNs who specialize in providing cosmetic medical procedures. They work primarily in conjunction with cosmetic surgeons or dermatologists in offices and medical spas located in Ohio’s more populated and cosmopolitan cities such as Columbus, Cincinnati and Cleveland. Aesthetic nurse practitioners earn approximately $102,960 a year or $49.50 an hour.
Hourly | $49.50 |
Annual | $102,960 |
3. Dermatology Nurse Practitioner:
Dermatology nurse practitioners working within a dermatologist’s office perform procedures and function semi-autonomously. In time, they start to attract their own patient loads, which makes them an asset since they increase the office’s overall revenue. This is why dermatology NPs in Ohio—and in other states as well—tend to earn relatively high salaries. The average dermatology nurse practitioner salary in Ohio is $54.95 an hour or just under $114,280 a year.
Hourly | $54.95 |
Annual | $114,280 |
4. Emergency Nurse Practitioner:
Hospitals structure NP compensation by looking at the number of patients seen and the complexity of the medical conditions patients present with. In Ohio, ER nurse practitioner compensation averages $116,810 a year or $56.16 an hour, but that will vary with the hospital: Salaries at hospitals located throughout large metropolitan regions like Columbus, Cleaveland and Cincinnati are likely to be higher than salaries in hospitals located in more rural parts of the state.
Hourly | $56.16 |
Annual | $116,810 |
5. Family Nurse Practitioner:
The average family nurse practitioner salary in Ohio is $54.65 an hour or $113,660 a year. In the Buckeye State, FNPs have the potential to fill in the gaps in primary care coverage that exist in so many of Ohio’s more rural, medically underserved areas.
Eighty-one of Ohio’s 87 counties contain areas designated by the U.S. Health Resources & Services Administration as primary care Health Professional Shortage Areas. NPs are handicapped, however, by the fact that they are required to work under the terms of collaborative agreements with physicians, and there is a shortage of physicians in these areas as well.
Hourly | $54.65 |
Annual | $113,660 |
6. Neonatal Nurse Practitioner:
Neonatal nurse practitioners are the most highly remunerated of the Buckeye State’s NPs. The average neonatal nurse practitioner salary in Ohio is $58.66 an hour, which works out to $122,010 a year. Neonatal NPs work in neonatal intensive care units, diagnosing, treating and managing fragile newborns, many of whom were born prematurely.
In 2019, one out of every 10 babies born in Ohio was born prematurely. There are relatively few neonatal nurse practitioners in the state, but the demand for their services is high. This is why they earn comparatively high salaries.
Hourly | $58.66 |
Annual | $122,010 |
7. Pediatric Nurse Practitioner:
The average pediatric nurse practitioner salary in Ohio is $52.05 an hour, which comes out to a little less than $108,280 a year.
It’s been estimated that one out of every five Ohio children lives in poverty. This statistic is significantly higher than childhood poverty figures for the U.S. as a whole. Poverty is associated with a number of healthcare issues, which PNPs have the specialized training to address. Like FNPs, however, the effectiveness of PNPs in Ohio is hampered by the fact that they do not have full practice authority.
Hourly | $52.05 |
Annual | $108,280 |
8. Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP):
Covid-19 caused a spike in the demand for mental health services throughout the Buckeye State. Even before the pandemic, however, experts estimated that one out of every five Buckeye State residents was grappling with a mental health-related challenge. Psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners play an important role in meeting Ohioans’ mental health needs. PMHNPs prescribe medications and provide therapy for patients with psychiatric and substance abuse disorders. The average psychiatric nurse practitioner salary in Ohio is $57.54 an hour or slightly less than $119,690 annually.
Hourly | $57.54 |
Annual | $119,690 |
9. Women's Health Nurse Practitioner:
There is some overlap between the services women’s health nurse practitioners offer and the services FNPs, AGNPs and nurse practitioner midwives specialize in. In the Buckeye State, WHNPs are most often employed by community agencies in larger cities like Columbus, Cincinnati and Cleveland where they provide reproductive services and gynecological care to low-income urban women. The average women’s health nurse practitioner salary in Ohio is $52.93 an hour or $110,090 annually.
Hourly | $52.93 |
Annual | $110,090 |
Nurse Practitioner Salary in Ohio by City
1. Columbus:
Approximately 18 percent of the Buckeye State’s population lives within the boundaries of the greater Columbus metropolitan area. Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center is nationally renowned in nine adult specialties. Other top-ranked hospitals in the Discovery City include OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital, and Mount Carmel East and West Hospitals.
A staggering 65 percent of Franklin County’s population is overweight or obese, which makes these residents susceptible to medical conditions like diabetes, coronary heart disease and depression. The average nurse practitioner salary in Columbus is $55.91 an hour or $116,300 annually.
Hourly | $55.91 |
Annual | $116,300 |
2. Cleveland:
Though Cleveland is home to some of the Buckeye State’s wealthiest communities,
its overall poverty rate is 30.8 percent, making it the poorest among large U.S. cities. Poverty is highly correlated with poor health, but on the whole, healthcare providers earn less in low-income areas. The average salary of a nurse practitioner in Cleveland, OH, is $125,300 a year or $60.24 an hour. Cleveland is home to the nationally recognized Cleveland Clinic as well as University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center and Cleveland Clinic Hillcrest Center.
Hourly | $60.24 |
Annual | $125,300 |
3. Cincinnati:
Access to care is often cited as Cincinnati’s worst healthcare problem. Other issues include obesity-related conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease, low-birth-weight babies and relatively high incidences of infant mortality. The average salary of a nurse practitioner in Cincinnati is $57.47 an hour, which works out to just over $119,530 a year. Christ Hospital, St. Elizabeth Healthcare Edgewood-Covington Hospitals and Good Samaritan Hospital-Cincinnati are among Cincinnati’s most highly regarded medical centers.
Hourly | $57.47 |
Annual | $119,530 |
4. Toledo:
Toledo is another Buckeye State municipality for which poverty is a serious issue:
More than one-quarter of Toledo’s residents lives beneath the federal poverty line. In addition to dealing with the health-related fallout from poverty, nurse practitioners in this area must also deal with exposure to
environmental hazards and unusually high rates of tobacco consumption. The average NP salary in Toledo, OH, is $55.16 an hour, which comes out to $114,720 annually. Toledo-based healthcare providers include ProMedica Toledo Hospital, Advanced Specialty Hospital of Toledo and Arrowhead Behavioral Hospital.
Hourly | $55.16 |
Annual | $114,720 |
5. Akron:
Akron and surrounding areas in northeastern Ohio have been hit hard by
the opioid and obesity epidemics as well as by Covid-19. Nurse practitioners have the potential to help alleviate a lot of health-related suffering in this region. Top-ranked medical care providers in this area include Cleveland Clinic Akron General, Akron Children’s Hospital and Summa Health-Akron Campus. NP salary in Akron, OH, averages $55.96 an hour or $116,390 a year.
Hourly | $55.96 |
Annual | $116,390 |
NP Pay in Ohio VS. Other Nursing Careers
On average, nurse practitioners in the Buckeye State make $117,440 a year, which is more than 50 percent higher than the average salary of a registered nurse working in Ohio. Even so, NPs in Ohio make significantly less than nurse practitioners in other parts of the U.S. Nurse practitioners seeking higher salaries and full practice authority may be tempted to seek employment outside Ohio.
Occupation | Average Annual Salary |
Nurse Anesthetist | $197,630 |
Nurse Midwife | $124,560 |
Nurse Practitioner | $117,440 |
Nursing Instructor and Teacher, Postsecondary | $82,840 |
Registered Nurse | $78,450 |
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurse | $52,330 |
Nursing Assistant | $34,110 |
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) |
NP Pay in Ohio VS. Other Healthcare Careers
Unsurprisingly, nurse practitioners in Ohio earn less on average than healthcare professionals with more autonomous practice authority. NP salaries are unlikely to rise unless Ohio joins 22 other states and the District of Columbia in sanctioning an NP scope of practice that’s independent from physician oversight.
Occupation | Average Annual Salary |
Dentist | $166,960 |
Pharmacist | $121,290 |
Podiatrist | $121,230 |
Optometrist | $121,040 |
Nurse Practitioner | $117,440 |
Physician Assistant | $117,200 |
Veterinarian | $109,490 |
Physical Therapist | $95,870 |
Occupational Therapist | $91,670 |
Speech-Language Pathologist | $88,440 |
Chiropractor | $86,600 |
Audiologist | $77,980 |
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) |
Why is the Outlook Bright for Nurse Practitioner Salary in Ohio?
Ohio is expected to open up an additional 650 nurse practitioner jobs a year between now and 2026. Though this is significantly higher than the projected rate of growth for all occupations in Ohio, it is less than the projected growth of NP job openings in many other states.
The primary thing that’s holding the profession back in the Buckeye State is the limited practice authority afforded to nurse practitioners. To that end, it’s gratifying to note that Ohio has
a bill pending in front of its legislature that, if passed, will grant nurse practitioners the right to practice autonomously. If this bill or one like it passes, both demand for NP services and NP salaries can be expected to soar.
Summing It Up
This article has looked at some of the factors that go into answering the question: How much does a nurse practitioner make in Ohio? NP salary depends upon many considerations, including setting practice, specialty area, geographical location and years of experience. Yet, the salary of a nurse practitioner in Ohio for 2025 is only one of many factors you should be taking under advisement when you are evaluating employment options. Working with the target population that excites you the most is probably a more reliable course toward a fulfilling career. Once you’ve found a job that’s a good match for your skills, you can always raise your salary by pursuing specialty certifications within that niche.
TOP QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY OUR EXPERT
1. How many Nurse Practitioners are currently employed in Ohio?
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that there are currently 10,730 nurse practitioners working in Ohio.
10,730 |
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) |
2. How much does a nurse practitioner make per hour in Ohio?
The average nurse practitioner salary per hour in Ohio varies with years of experience. By the time you’ve been at your job for five years, you can expect to average $54.35 an hour—which is nearly 16 percent more than your entry-level salary of $46.46 an hour. Once you’ve accumulated two decades of experience or more, you will earn $65.33 an hour or nearly two-thirds more than you did when you started your nurse practitioner career.
Years of Experience | Hourly |
Starting (Entry-Level) | $46.46 |
1-4 Years of Experience | $49.18 |
5-9 Years of Experience | $54.35 |
10-19 Years of Experience | $62.50 |
20 Years or More Experience | $65.33 |
Average Hourly Salary | $56.46 |
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) |
3. How does the average salary of a nurse practitioner in Ohio compare to the average NP salary in the U.S?
Nurse practitioners in Ohio make $117,440 a year, which is more than 6 percent less than $124,680, the average yearly take-home pay of nurse practitioners throughout the U.S.
Ohio | United States | Difference |
Number | % |
$117,440 | $124,680 | -$7,240 | -5.81% |
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) |
4. What are the 5 highest paying cities for Nurse Practitioners in Ohio?
Nurse practitioners in Cleveland-Elyria, Ohio, make $125,300 a year, which is 7 percent more than the average NP salary throughout the Buckeye State. Other municipalities with higher-than-average salaries for NPs include Cincinnati ($119,530), Akron ($116,390), Columbus ($116,300), Dayton ($116,220).
Rank | City | Average Annual Salary |
1 | Cleveland-Elyria | $125,300 |
2 | Cincinnati | $119,530 |
3 | Akron | $116,390 |
4 | Columbus | $116,300 |
5 | Dayton | $116,220 |
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) |
5. How much does a family nurse practitioner make in Ohio?
The average FNP salary in Ohio is $54.65 an hour, which amounts to $9,470 a month or $113,660 a year.
Hourly | $54.65 |
Monthly | $9,470 |
Annual | $113,660 |
6. How much does a psychiatric nurse practitioner make in Ohio?
The average PMHNP salary in Ohio is $57.54 an hour, which is the equivalent of $9,970 a month or $119,690 a year.
Hourly | $57.54 |
Monthly | $9,970 |
Annual | $119,690 |
7. What are the 5 highest paid Nurse Practitioners in Ohio?
At an annual salary of $122,010, the highest-paid nurse practitioner in Ohio is the neonatal nurse practitioner. These professionals make 7 percent more than family nurse practitioners in Ohio, but their salaries are still 4 percent more than the average salary for all nurse practitioners throughout the U.S. Rounding out the list for the top NP earners in the Buckeye State are psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners ($119,690), emergency nurse practitioners ($116,810), dermatology nurse practitioners ($114,280) and family nurse practitioners ($113,660).
Rank | Type of NP | Annual |
1 | Neonatal Nurse Practitioner | $122,010 |
2 | Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) | $119,690 |
3 | Emergency Nurse Practitioner | $116,810 |
4 | Dermatology Nurse Practitioner | $114,280 |
5 | Family Nurse Practitioner | $113,660 |
8. How much do Nurse Practitioners earn in the various metros of Ohio?
Nurse practitioners in Ohio earn their highest salaries in metropolitan areas like Akron, Toledo and Youngstown, which are located in the northern parts of the state. The reason for that may be that those cities are competing for nurse practitioner services with nearby cities like Detroit and Pittsburgh, which are located outside Ohio. In Cleveland-Elyria, the average NP pay is $125,300 a year. In contrast, Youngstown pays nurse practitioners $107,930 annually on average.
Metro | Employment | Per Hour | Per Year |
Cleveland-Elyria | 1,930 | $60.24 | $125,300 |
Cincinnati | 1,990 | $57.47 | $119,530 |
Akron | 620 | $55.96 | $116,390 |
Columbus | 2,430 | $55.91 | $116,300 |
Dayton | 860 | $55.88 | $116,220 |
Toledo | 630 | $55.16 | $114,720 |
Springfield | 90 | $53.78 | $111,860 |
Lima | 130 | $53.33 | $110,920 |
Canton-Massillon | 330 | $51.96 | $108,080 |
Mansfield | 110 | $51.95 | $108,060 |
Youngstown-Warren-Boardman | 360 | $51.89 | $107,930 |
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) |
9. Where do the majority of Nurse Practitioners practice in Ohio?
More than 5,100 nurse practitioners in Ohio are employed in physician offices. This is more than twice the number of NPs who are employed in hospital settings. In Ohio, nurse practitioners are only permitted to work if they enter into a collaborative agreement with a supervising physician. Working in a doctor’s office facilitates this kind of arrangement.
Type of Practice Setting | Number of Nurse Practitioners |
Offices of Physicians | 5,100 |
Hospitals | 2,410 |
Outpatient Care Centers | 990 |
Offices of Other Health Practitioners | 450 |
Colleges, Universities and Professional Schools | 280 |
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) |
10. What are the approximate number of annual job openings for nurse practitioners in Ohio for 2023?
Ohio can expect to see 1,100 job openings for nurse practitioners during 2023.
New Jobs | Replacement Jobs | Annual Job Openings (New + Replacement) |
631 | 469 | 1,100 |
(Source: careeronestop.org) |
11. What is the job outlook for NPs in Ohio?
Ohio is projected to see a 49 percent demand for nurse practitioner services within the next ten years.
Employment | Employment Growth (2020-2030) |
2020 | 2030 | Number | % |
9,660 | 14,350 | 4,690 | 48.55% |
(Source: careeronestop.org) |
Pattie Trumble, MPP, MPH
Pattie Trumble is a nurse who worked in both California and New York for many years as an emergency room nurse. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley, and an Associate Degree in Nursing from the Samuel Merritt Hospital School of Nursing. After 10 years of providing direct care, she went back to school and earned concurrent Master’s degrees in both public policy and public health from the University of California, Berkeley. Thereafter, she worked for various public health agencies in California at both the community and state levels providing economic and legislative analysis.
Nurse Practitioner Salaries in Other States