- Guide Introduction
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Main Specializations (Population Foci)
What's Here? - Table of Contents
Nurse Practitioners are one of the fastest growing careers today, and for good reason.
Growth of the NP Career
Nationally nurse practitioners, a type of advanced practice nurse, are expected to grow 28.2% from 2018 to 2028. Most likely within your state the number of nurse practitioners is also expected to grow at a much faster pace than most careers out there.
Coupled with high professional salaries, $124,680 (Bureau of Labor Statistics - 2022), becoming a nurse practitioner is a solid career choice as a first career option or a mid-career move. Even in high-cost-of-living areas, nurse practitioners are able to live comfortable lives, afford expensive vacations, provide for families and costs of education, and contribute to retirement at a healthy rate.
What does a nurse practitioner do?
Nurse practitioners are trained to meet the needs of the majority of patient healthcare needs in the United States. They are charged with providing a unique blend of nursing and more autonomous medical services to individuals and groups.
Some of their core services:
- Diagnose and manage acute and chronic conditions
- Emphasize disease prevention measures and health promotion
- Order, conduct and interpret diagnostic and lab tests
- Prescribing medications and therapies (in certain states)
Education Requirements
A master’s degree or higher is required in all states to become a licensed nurse practitioner.
Licensing Guides
Each state has slightly different requirements and all have their own licensing boards to apply through. Select the state you wish to earn you NP license through for step by step instructions:
Nurse Practitioner Specializations
Nurse practitioners will normally specialize in a specific population foci. Explore the links below to learn more about the standard population foci options for nurse practitioners.