Employing RNs vs NPs May Not Offer Payroll Savings Much Longer—in Some Areas

Historically, there’s been a pretty sizeable pay gap between nurse practitioners and registered nurses. Given the role NPs play in urgent care, it’s an important consideration in evaluating the makeup and scheduling of the clinical team. There are signs that the gap could be shrinking in some states, however. According to the California Health Foundation, for example, median salary for an RN in the Golden State is $110,620 compared with $129,960 for NPs, a difference of only about 15%. While that’s not necessarily reflected in all states (anecdotal evidence says the gap is still nearly double that in Ohio), it’s reasonable to think that what flies in California, where the CHF notes nursing is the single largest health profession in the state, could catch on in other areas.