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Nurse Practitioners

Diagnose and treat acute, episodic, or chronic illness, independently or as part of a healthcare team. May focus on health promotion and disease prevention. May order, perform, or interpret diagnostic tests such as lab work and x rays. May prescribe medication. Must be registered nurses who have specialized graduate education.

Median pay
$132,300

a year

Doing it now
336,300

across the country

By 2035
Up 41%

29,400 openings a year

Usually needs
Master's degree

to get in

What the work involves

  • Educate patients about self-management of acute or chronic illnesses, tailoring instructions to patients' individual circumstances.
  • Schedule follow-up visits to monitor patients or evaluate health or illness care.
  • Counsel patients about drug regimens and possible side effects or interactions with other substances, such as food supplements, over-the-counter (OTC) medications, or herbal remedies.
  • Order, perform, or interpret the results of diagnostic tests, such as complete blood counts (CBCs), electrocardiograms (EKGs), and radiographs (x-rays).
  • Analyze and interpret patients' histories, symptoms, physical findings, or diagnostic information to develop appropriate diagnoses.
  • Diagnose or treat acute health care problems, such as illnesses, infections, or injuries.
  • Diagnose or treat chronic health care problems, such as high blood pressure and diabetes.

What to study

The fields of study the Department of Education links to this occupation, most widely taught first.

Who it suits

O*NET scores every occupation on six interest dimensions. This one leans hardest on these three.

  • Analytical and curious

  • Helping and teaching

  • Organised and precise

Answer 24 questions and see whether this is a fit for you

Careers like this one

Where this comes from: the description and the task list are O*NET, which the Department of Labor maintains. Pay, workforce size, outlook and the education normally needed are the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections programme, 2025 wages and 2025 to 2035 projections. Half of them earn more than $132,300 a year, which means half earn less, and what you would earn depends on where you work and how long you have been doing it. The fields of study come from the National Center for Education Statistics crosswalk.