Nurse practitioner salary in Washington
Washington nurse practitioners earn a median of $156,100 a year ($75.05 an hour), according to BLS data for May 2025. That is 18% above the national median of $132,300, and ranks 3rd of 51 states.
Median, Washington
$156,100
Mean $152,180
Middle half earns
$129,670 to $169,500
US: $117,990 to $156,700
Employed in Washington
6,700
0.91x the national concentration
Where Washington sits in the range
Washington
Statewide
United States
National
Portland
Metro area
Spokane
Metro area
Yakima
Metro area
Kennewick
Metro area
Nurse practitioner pay by percentile
Ten percent of Washington nurse practitioners earned less than $122,420 and ten percent earned more than $187,240, a spread of $64,820. Where you land depends mostly on specialty, setting, experience and how the productivity pay is built, which is why two offers in the same city can be far apart.
| Percentile | Washington | United States | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $122,420 | $101,340 | +20.8% |
| 25th | $129,670 | $117,990 | +9.9% |
| Median | $156,100 | $132,300 | +18.0% |
| 75th | $169,500 | $156,700 | +8.2% |
| 90th | $187,240 | $174,420 | +7.4% |
Nurse practitioner pay by metro area
BLS published NP pay for 13 metro areas that include part of Washington. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA has the highest median at $160,090. Metro estimates rest on smaller samples than the statewide figure, so treat a low-precision row as a direction, not a number.
| Metro area | Employed | Median | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 1,390 | $158,890 | $140,030 to $170,660 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | 530 | $141,990 | $126,240 to $159,130 |
| Yakima, WAmoderate precision | 200 | $138,860 | $126,520 to $147,440 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WAmoderate precision | 180 | $147,890 | $131,220 to $164,600 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | 180 | $145,950 | $130,250 to $163,700 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | 160 | $156,470 | $128,660 to $164,730 |
| Bellingham, WAmoderate precision | 150 | $147,890 | $134,340 to $165,880 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | 90 | $142,350 | $138,630 to $158,680 |
| Lewiston, ID-WA | 60 | $125,030 | $105,010 to $137,740 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | 60 | $148,960 | $138,550 to $171,520 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | 60 | $141,790 | $130,950 to $164,830 |
| Walla Walla, WAmoderate precision | 50 | $130,380 | $118,670 to $139,030 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | not published | $160,090 | $130,680 to $169,500 |
How NP pay compares with other clinicians in Washington
| Occupation | Washington | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse practitioner | $156,100 | $132,300 |
| Physician assistant | $164,360 | $135,880 |
| Nurse anesthetist (CRNA) | $274,390 | $236,590 |
| Registered nurse | $124,200 | $97,550 |
The Washington NP workforce
BLS counts 6,700 nurse practitioners on Washington payrolls, or 1.89 for every 1,000 jobs in the state, close to the national concentration. The federal NPI registry, which also counts self-employed and part-time clinicians, lists 8,522 nurse practitioners with a Washington practice address, and 293 new NP NPIs there in the past twelve months.
Using these numbers when you negotiate
A state median is a reference point, not a target. If an offer comes in under $129,670, it sits in the bottom quarter of what Washington nurse practitioners earn, and you should know why before you sign: a new-grad rate, a light schedule, or a base kept low because a productivity bonus is supposed to make up the difference. If it is above $169,500, ask what is expected in return, such as call, volume targets or a longer non-compete.
Compare the whole package, not the base: how the bonus is calculated, call pay, CME, PTO and who pays malpractice tail coverage. The negotiation guide and the contract checklist walk through each term.
Questions about NP pay in Washington
How much does a NP make in Washington?
The median annual wage for nurse practitioners in Washington was $156,100 in May 2025, and the mean was $152,180, per the BLS. The middle half earned between $129,670 and $169,500.
What is the hourly rate for nurse practitioners in Washington?
The median hourly wage was $75.05 and the mean was $73.16. BLS computes hourly figures from annual pay assuming a full-time year, so per-shift or per-diem rates can differ.
Where do NPs earn the most in Washington?
Among Washington metro areas with published data, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA had the highest median at $160,090, and Lewiston, ID-WA the lowest at $125,030.
How does Washington rank for NP pay?
Washington ranks 3rd of 51 states (including DC) by median NP pay, 18% above the national median of $132,300. Pay is only half the picture: compare it with what housing and taxes cost where you would live.
How many nurse practitioners work in Washington?
BLS estimated 6,700 nurse practitioners employed in Washington in May 2025. The federal NPI registry lists 8,522 with a Washington practice address.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (bls.gov/oes), SOC 29-1171, all industries and ownerships. NPI counts: NPPES monthly file, August 2026 (CMS, public domain). BLS wages are straight-time pay: they include production bonuses but leave out overtime, shift differentials, non-production bonuses and benefits, and they exclude the self-employed.
Have an offer on the table?
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