If you are considering becoming a nurse practitioner, studying to become one, or just starting your nursing education, you may be wondering how much a nurse practitioner makes. Nurse practitioner salaries are influenced by various factors, including location.
Minnesota allows nurse practitioners to practice independently. This means that nurse practitioners in Minnesota are permitted to make diagnoses, prescribe and administer medications, and treat patients without physician oversight. The salaries of nurse practitioners in independent practice states tend to be higher, which explains why nurse practitioners in Minnesota make more than the national average for nurse practitioners.
In this article, we will take a look at the salaries of nurse practitioners in Minnesota.
Starting Salary of a Nurse Practitioner in Minnesota
Nurse practitioners who are just beginning their careers can expect to earn a decent salary in Minnesota. In general, those at the entry-level are just finishing their degrees and have less than two-to-three years’ work experience. The entry-level salary for nurse practitioners varies based on a number of factors, including specialty and city.
On average, a nurse practitioner just starting out in Minnesota can expect to make about $90,000 per year. This breaks down to $7,500 per month or $43.29 per hour.
Average Salary of a Nurse Practitioner in Minnesota
As with any job or career, the salary for nurse practitioners in Minnesota is influenced by a variety of factors. Those factors can include location, specialty, type of practice, years of experience, shift differentials, degrees and certifications, and many others.
If we look at averages, though, a nurse practitioner in Minnesota makes about $118,900. That breaks down to $9,910 per month and $57.16 per hour.
In general, nurse practitioner salaries tend to be higher in states that permit their full scope of practice, like Minnesota.
Cost of living differs across locations as well, which also impacts average salaries. The cost of living in Minnesota is only 3% lower than the cost of living nationwide. In Minnesota, nurse practitioners earn 4% more than average compared to nurses in other parts of the United States, resulting in slightly higher purchasing power for nurse practitioners in Minnesota.
Nurse Practitioner Salary in Minnesota By Years of Experience
Experience increases a person’s earning potential. Nurse practitioners can expect their pay to increase over time as they advance in their careers. In analyzing nurse practitioner salaries, experience is one of the most critical factors to consider.
The average entry-level nurse practitioner salary in Minnesota is $90,040 per year, or $43.29 per hour. Five or six years after becoming a nurse practitioner, you’ll be earning an average of $120,860 per year. That’s over $30,000 increase in salary in just a few short years.
Looking at the mid-range experience level, nurse practitioners with ten years of experience can expect to make an average of $132,820 per year. Nurse practitioners with twenty years and more experience can make over $147,000 each year.
Nurse Practitioner Salary in Minnesota By Specialty
Nurse practitioners’ salaries are also heavily influenced by their specialties. In Minnesota, nurse practitioners can choose from a variety of specialties. Nurse practitioners generally choose a specialty based on their personal goals and what interests them. Specialties for nurse practitioners include pediatrics, family care, psychiatry, emergency medicine, and women’s health.
After finishing a nurse practitioner program, different specialties may require specific certifications. Certification requirements vary by specialty. Working in one area for an extended period of time can become boring for some people. As a nurse practitioner, they can work in one specialty for a little while before moving on to another. It is not unusual for nurse practitioners to work in a few different specialties over the course of their career.
Listed below are just some of the specialties in which nurse practitioners can specialize, along with their average salary.
– Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
- Treat patients from early adulthood to older adults
- Primary care or acute care
- Hospitals, long-term care facilities, nursing homes, hospice facilities, private practices, specialty clinics
- Average salary of $119,790 per year in Minnesota
– Dermatology Nurse Practitioner
- Treat diseases and medical conditions that affect the surface of the skin
- Appealing hours for work-life balance
- Dermatology clinic, plastic surgeon’s office, medical spas, research
- Average salary of $118,140 per year in Minnesota
– Family Nurse Practitioner
- Treat patients ranging from infants to adults
- Wide range of family-focused care from health promotion to chronic illnesses
- Acute care centers, physician offices, hospitals, long-term care facilities, hospice centers, private care with patient’s home, urgent cares, correctional facilities, private practice
- Average salary of $117,500 per year in Minnesota
– Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
- Treat high risk-infants, usually in a neonatal intensive care unit within a hospital
- Provide support and education to families for the infants they’re treating and work closely with the neonatologist
- Hospitals, clinics, home health care services, patient transport, research
- Average salary of $126,130 per year in Minnesota
– Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
- Treat children of all ages, from birth up to the age of 21
- Health promotion, along with diagnosis and treatment while working in collaboration with a pediatrician
- Hospitals, urgent cares, specialty clinics, physician offices, schools, private clinics
- Average salary of $122,920 per year in Minnesota
– Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- Treat and care for those with mental illness, and their families
- Practice in offices, outpatient centers, residential facilities, and inpatient hospitals
- Average salary of $123,740 per year in Minnesota
– Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner
- Treat women for a variety of health services, including acute and chronic health problems that are unique to women
- Health care, health promotion, and disease prevention usually in an office or clinic setting
- Hospitals, clinics, family planning clinics, prenatal clinics, women’s correctional facilities, private practices
- Average salary of $113,810 per year in Minnesota
Nurse Practitioner Salary in Minnesota By City
Another important factor to consider when determining nurse practitioner salaries in Minnesota is the location. When looking for an area, it’s important to consider the type of area you want: Metropolitan, small city, suburban, or more of a rural town. The pay for each location also varies based on need.
If there is a high demand for nurse practitioners in your area, the pay and benefits will be more competitive. These factors are important to consider when choosing a location.
Here we will look at some major cities within Minnesota.
– Duluth
- Population: 86,697 in 2020
- The center of Minnesota’s second-largest metropolitan area
- Average nurse practitioner salary: $116,980 per year
– Mankato
- Population: 44,488 in 2020
- Ranked as the second-best small college town in the United States
- Average nurse practitioner salary: $116,290 per year
– Minneapolis
- Population: 429,954 in 2020
- The most populous city in Minnesota
- Average nurse practitioner salary: $120,000 per year
– Rochester
Population: 121,395 in 2020
The home of the Mayo Clinic
Average nurse practitioner salary: $114,080 per year
– St. Cloud
- Population: 68,462 in 2020
- Minnesota’s tenth largest city
- Average nurse practitioner salary: $120,220 per year
Minnesota Nurse Practitioner Benefits and Compensation
The salary is clearly an important factor to consider when selecting a career path and working location. However, there is another important factor that must be considered, and that is the benefits. What kind of benefits and compensation are offered? As with salary, benefits and compensation are negotiable for nurse practitioners.
In addition to the average yearly salary of $118,900, nurse practitioners in Minnesota can find themselves earning an extra $50,000 to $72,000 in benefits and compensation. This varies according to whether the nurse practitioner position is in the private sector or local or state government.
There are a number of benefits and compensation options that nurse practitioners find appealing. Among them are:
- Health insurance
- Paid time off (PTO)
- Employer-sponsored pension plan
- Professional liability insurance
- Continuing education allowance
Highest-Paid Nurse Practitioners in Minnesota
Neonatal nurse practitioners are Minnesota’s highest-paid nurse practitioners. A neonatal nurse practitioner in Minnesota makes an average of $126,130 per year. The highest-paid positions are generally those in hospitals with requirements to work some holidays, weekends, and nights. It’s important to consider your own personal goals and weigh the pros and cons of the salary, the location, the specialty you are interested in, and what you hope to accomplish.
The Future for Nurse Practitioners in Minnesota
Nurse practitioners are poised for a bright future. With an aging population and advances in healthcare, there is an increasing need in the medical field. Additionally, there are many nurse practitioners who are retiring or nearing retirement, creating a need for positions in many areas and specialties.
Nurse practitioners positions are the seventh fastest-growing profession in Minnesota. A 10-year projection shows that nurse practitioner positions will increase by 26%. As a result of this supply and demand, nurse practitioners’ salaries are expected to increase in Minnesota.
Related Salary Guide
- Nurse Practitioner Salary in Georgia
- What is the Average Nurse Practitioner Salary in Florida?
- How Much Nurse Practitioners Make in California?
Conclusion
There are a multitude of factors to take into consideration when deciding where to work as a nurse practitioner. Many nurse practitioners are considering making Minnesota their home to practice for many reasons.
It is one of the few states that gives nurse practitioners the ability to practice independently. This is a competitive and attractive incentive for nurse practitioners. Nurses want the autonomy to practice independently, and Minnesota will give them that. Job security and a salary that’s higher than the national average for nurse practitioners are other attractive and competing factors to keep in mind.
It’s easy to see why Minnesota may be worth adding to your list of possibilities.
Sources:
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Minnesota Employment and Economic Development
Written by Joanne Potter
Joanne Potter, BSN, RN, is a writer that specializes in health and wellness. She has fifteen years of experience as a Registered Nurse in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit). Her years working at the bedside and extensive neonatal knowledge enable her to write with a deep understanding of what patients and families want from their communities. Visit her LinkedIn page.
