Nurse Practitioner / Physician Assistant
Also known as: NP, PA, Nurse Practitioner, Physician Assistant, PA-C, APRN, Mid-Level Provider
Diagnose illnesses, prescribe medications, and manage patient care independently or alongside physicians in clinics and hospitals.
Salary Range
The highest-paid specialization or seniority level for nurse practitioner / physician assistants.
About 1 in 200 reaches this level
About 170K PAs in the US; surgical PAs are the highest-paid PA specialty at $140-180K. Those in cardiac, neuro, and ortho subspecialties can reach $200K+ total comp. PA Program Director is an academic role paying less (~$120K). 0.5% reflects the fraction reaching top surgical specialty comp.
Salary data based on 2025 BLS, Glassdoor, and industry reports. Actual compensation varies by location, experience, and employer.
How to Become One
This career typically requires a master's degree. Here are the top colleges for it:
AI Risk Assessment
Among the most AI-resilient careers in the entire economy. BLS projects 35% employment growth from 2024-2034, making NPs one of the three fastest-growing occupations nationally, with about 32,700 annual openings. The work is fundamentally hands-on -- physical exams, procedures, patient counseling, and clinical decision-making in unpredictable environments that AI cannot replicate. AI ambient scribes and diagnostic support tools make NPs more efficient (20-30% less documentation time), but the U.S. faces a shortfall of over 3.2 million healthcare workers by 2026, ensuring robust demand far outstrips any productivity-driven displacement.
Ratings reflect a 10-year outlook based on 2025-2026 research, weighted toward entry-level impact. Individual outcomes will vary.
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