Hospitalist Nurse Practitioner (NP) Salary Guide

The average annual NP salary is $128,438, according to the 2022 Becker’s Hospital Review highest paid specialties for NPs report. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the job outlook for nurse practitioners is growing by 6% over the next decade, making this a viable employment opportunity.

Locum tenens hospitalist NPs can make upwards of $70-$115 per hour on average, however, there are many factors that impact rates including location, years of experience, and the level of demand.

If you were to extrapolate the low end of this range over a year (at 40 hours per week), a locum tenens hospitalist NP could make $145,600 per year or more.

That means locum tenens hospitalist NPs could make 13% more per year than the average NP. Making direct salary comparisons between locum tenens and permanent providers can be complicated. While perms are more likely to be salaried, locum tenens hospitalist NPs are independent contractors earning an hourly rate, which can vary based on which assignments they take in a year.

Furthermore, because locum tenens hospitalist NPs are paid by the hour, the hours they work are directly reflected in their pay, while a salaried hospitalist NPs additional hours may not be reflected in their salary.

Finally, paid time off and insurance may be reflected in the perm hospitalist NPs salary structure, but locum tenens providers do have options when it comes to health insurance.

The most recent state breakdown of NPs salaries comes from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, though the BLS was not able to collect enough data for all 50 states. While the BLS was unable to report on hospitalist NPs specifically, , the top 5 highest paying states for NPs salary are:

• California (Average NP Salary between $125,780-$158,130)
• New Jersey (Average NP Salary between $125,780-$158,130)
• Massachusetts (Average NP Salary between $125,780-$158,130)
• Oregon (Average NP Salary between $125,780-$158,130)
• Nevada (Average NP Salary between $125,780-$158,130)

This data can provide insight into the possible highest paying states for hospitalist NPs.

Hospitalist NPs are within the top 3 highest paid specialties in the 2022 Becker’s Hospital Review highest paid specialties for NPs. The top 3 highest paying specialties include hospitalist NPs, emergency medicine NPS, and pediatric NPs, all reporting an annual salary over $128,000.

According to the Medscape RN/LPN Compensation Report, the average nurse increased their earnings by $2000 this past year. If this trend continues, the average hospitalist NP can expect to make $130,438 in 2024.