Career comparison
Nurse Practitioner vs. Pediatrician
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Pediatricians earn more at the median ($210,040 vs. $132,300), while nurse practitioners usually get to work faster (6–8 years including RN education of training). Nurse practitioners diagnose, treat and prescribe as an advanced practice registered nurse. Pediatricians care for the health of babies, children and teens.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Nurse Practitioner | Pediatrician | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $132,300 ($63.61/hr) | $210,040 ($100.98/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $101,340 – $174,420 | $91,470 – $338,500 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +41.0% (much faster than average) | +1.5% (slower than average) |
| Openings per year | 29,400 | 1,000 |
| Typical entry education | Master's degree | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Training time | 6–8 years including RN education | 11 years after high school |
| Key credential | FNP-BC or FNP-C | ABP board certification |
| Work setting | NPs work in primary care clinics, hospitals, specialty practices, urgent care, schools and telehealth.. | Pediatricians work in clinics, hospitals, nurseries and community health centers.. |
What each job does
Nurse Practitioner
- Assess and examine patients
- Diagnose acute and chronic conditions
- Prescribe medications and treatments
- Order and interpret tests
- Manage chronic disease
Pediatrician
- Examine newborns and children
- Track growth and development
- Give vaccines
- Diagnose and treat illnesses
- Manage chronic conditions like asthma
How they’re similar
Both careers involve helping others, high-pay, high responsibility, and working with people. Both are part of the healthcare field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose nurse practitioner if…
- I’m a nurse who wants more autonomy
- I enjoy diagnosing and treating
- I like building patient relationships
Choose pediatrician if…
- I love working with kids
- I communicate well with parents
- I like prevention
Still torn? Take the Nurse Practitioner fit quiz and the Pediatrician fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, nurse practitioner or pediatrician?
Pediatricians earn more at the median: $210,040 versus $132,300 for nurse practitioners, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Nurse Practitioners typically train faster (6–8 years including RN education) than pediatricians (11 years after high school).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects nurse practitioners to grow +41.0% from 2025–35, compared with +1.5% for pediatricians.