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The Lone Star state is on par with the national average when it comes to making a living as a nurse practitioner. Coming in at $130,010 (Bureau of Labor Statistics - 2023) annually with the highest earners exceeding $165,340.
Texas Nurse Practitioner Salaries – Visualized
Nurse Practitioners Salaries in urban areas of Texas
| Metro Area | # Employed | Mean Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Abilene, TX | 150 | $120,020 |
| Amarillo, TX | 270 | $116,000 |
| Austin-Round Rock, TX | 1,600 | $132,840 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | 290 | $132,140 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | 320 | $121,470 |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | 340 | $117,860 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | 290 | $122,600 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 4,730 | $129,180 |
| El Paso, TX | 610 | $124,410 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | 5,150 | $139,360 |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | 380 | $127,490 |
| Laredo, TX | 100 | $117,720 |
| Longview, TX | 240 | $119,890 |
| Lubbock, TX | 290 | $114,140 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | 490 | $124,590 |
| Midland, TX | 160 | $122,010 |
| Odessa, TX | 80 | $121,580 |
| San Angelo, TX | 110 | $116,080 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 1,870 | $125,460 |
| Sherman-Denison, TX | 90 | $122,890 |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | 150 | $124,000 |
| Tyler, TX | 290 | $129,110 |
| Victoria, TX | 90 | $133,650 |
| Waco, TX | 170 | $119,460 |
| Wichita Falls, TX | 160 | $123,040 | Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics - 2023 |
Nurse Practitioners Salaries in rural areas of Texas
| Metro Area | # Employed | Mean Salary |
|---|---|---|
| West Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | 250 | $135,360 |
| North Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | 440 | $124,090 |
| Big Thicket Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | 170 | $131,960 |
| Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | 280 | $129,720 |
| Border Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | 70 | $128,450 |
| Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | 230 | $124,390 | Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics - 2023 |
Increase Your Nurse Practitioner Salary in Texas
Texas is a great place to maximize your earning potential as a CNP. But how do you rise above average? Let’s find out how to make the most of your nurse practitioner salary in Texas.
Go Coastal
There’s no denying that Texas is a huge state. It employs nearly 15,000 nurse practitioners, gaining third place out of the states with the highest numbers of NPs. The salaries of those nurse practitioners vary quite a bit based on regional location. Trends show that the coastal & northwest regions earn the highest salaries, adding up to an additional $25,000 on top of average salaries. So if you’re looking for a quick fix to your average nurse practitioner salary, consider moving to the coast.
Join a Network of Colleagues
If you’re not interested in relocating, there are other ways to add to your payday. Invest in yourself by joining an organization whose mission is to advance and support nurse practitioners in Texas. One such organization is the Texas Nurse Practitioners. Some benefits to joining a group of like-minded colleagues include:
- Networking opportunities
- Job opportunities / Access to job boards
- Access to career resources
- Continuing Education Classes
- News & legislative updates
The Texas Nurse Practitioners, in particular, offer services such as annual conferences held at resorts to gain relevant CE credits, job boards, a social media platform to connect with colleagues, online CE classes, a calendar of events, advocacy, and practice resources. They even offer a free resume review within their career center.
Each of these is a pathway to increasing your salary as a nurse practitioner in Texas. The more connected and informed you are, the more likely you are to land the perfect opportunity at the right time.
Additional organizations that provide similar resources include the Texas Nurses Association, Advanced Practice Nurses of the Permian Basin, Galveston Coalition of APNs, Houston Area Nurse Practitioners, North Texas Nurse Practitioners, and the Southeast Texas Nurse Practitioners.
Expand your Population Focus Area
If you’re still struggling to increase your income, another strategy you can use to expand your practice and patient base is by becoming licensed in multiple population focus areas. It’s not easy, but it is possible. The current board-recognized nurse practitioner population groups are:
- Acute Care Adult
- Acute Care Adult/Gerontology
- Acute Care Pediatric
- Adult
- Adult/Gerontology
- Family
- Gerontological
- Neonatal
- Pediatric
- Psychiatric/Mental Health
- Women’s Health
In order to practice in multiple areas, you must complete the educational requirements and national certifications in that focus area and apply for additional licenses. While it seems like a lot of work, it could potentially pay off.
Conclusion
Texas is home to a large group of nurse practitioners. Even the average earners are bringing in above the national wage for CNPs. If you want to be above average in the Lone Star State, use the advice in this article as a guiding light.