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According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nurse practitioners earn a national mean annual salary of $124,680. Kansas’s annual mean wage for nurse practitioners is nearly $10,000 less than that at $111,670.
The average salary for nurse practitioners in Kansas may not be the highest in the nation, but the demand for these health professionals is growing. Out of more than 800 occupations analyzed by the Kansas Department of Labor, nurse practitioners rank in the top 25 professions in terms of anticipated growth. While Kansas is projected to experience a 2.6% increase in total employment, jobs for Kansas nurse practitioners are expected to grow 18.3% from 2018 to 2028 (BLS Employment Projections).
Kansas Nurse Practitioner Salaries – Visualized
Nurse Practitioners Salaries in urban areas of Kansas
| Metro Area | # Employed | Mean Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Lawrence, KS | 90 | $108,030 |
| Manhattan, KS | 60 | $107,660 |
| Topeka, KS | 380 | $116,330 |
| Wichita, KS | 700 | $104,410 | Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics - 2022 |
Nurse Practitioners Salaries in rural areas of Kansas
| Metro Area | # Employed | Mean Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas nonmetropolitan area | 690 | $113,710 | Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics - 2022 |
Increasing Nurse Practitioner Salary in Kansas
Whether you are currently working as a nurse practitioner, in school to become a nurse practitioner, or are just researching how to become a nurse practitioner, learning all you can about increasing nurse practitioner salary in Kansas is important.
More Education as a Way of Increasing Salary
Nurse practitioners in the U.S. must first earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), at least a master’s in an advanced practice nursing program, and pass a national nurse practitioner board certification exam. Nurse practitioners wanting to increase their salary in Kansas often do so by earning a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), and online post-master’s DNP programs make it easier for practicing nurse practitioners to work this into their schedules.
The online MSN to DNP at Pittsburg State University, offered through the Irene Ransom Bradley School of Nursing, and the Post-Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice at the University of Kansas Medical Center are both 32-hour programs that prepare advanced practice nurses for more responsibility and higher salaries.
A DNP is one way of increasing nurse practitioner salary in Kansas, but it is not the only way. Post-MSN certificates are also a great way to improve your earnings and marketability. Myriad possibilities exist for certifications—women’s health, acute care, neonatal, and pediatrics to name but a few. Following are some of the best post-master’s certificates for Kansas nurse practitioners:
- Master of Health Science Post-Graduate Certificate at Washburn University
- Online Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certificate at the KU School of Nursing
- Online Masters in Nursing Administration at Fort Hays State University
- Find all Kansas DNP programs on the Kansas Nurse Practitioner degree programs page
Kansas nurse practitioners are required to complete a minimum of 30 contact hours of approved continuing education every two years in order to renew their licenses. The Kansas Board of Nursing maintains a list of approved CE providers here.
Consider Relocation for Career Advancement
Due to being a reduced practice state, and one of the lowest-paying states for nurse practitioners, the “Sunflower State” may not be where you decide to spend your career if you desire to maximize your earnings. If you come to the conclusion that increasing your nurse practitioner salary in Kansas is not feasible and you decide on relocation, be sure to become educated about the average nurse practitioner salary by state to make the best possible choice for growing your career as a nurse practitioner.