Career comparison
Nurse Practitioner vs. Registered Nurse
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Nurse practitioners earn more at the median ($132,300 vs. $97,550), while registered nurses usually get to work faster (2–4 years of training). Nurse practitioners diagnose, treat and prescribe as an advanced practice registered nurse. Registered nurses assess patients, give treatments, coordinate care and educate families.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Nurse Practitioner | Registered Nurse | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $132,300 ($63.61/hr) | $97,550 ($46.90/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $101,340 – $174,420 | $68,940 – $137,470 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +41.0% (much faster than average) | +5.6% (faster than average) |
| Openings per year | 29,400 | 180,800 |
| Typical entry education | Master's degree | Bachelor's degree |
| Training time | 6–8 years including RN education | 2–4 years |
| Key credential | FNP-BC or FNP-C | NCLEX-RN license |
| Work setting | NPs work in primary care clinics, hospitals, specialty practices, urgent care, schools and telehealth.. | About half of RNs work in hospitals; others work in physician offices, home health, nursing homes, outpatient and ambulatory surgery centers, schools, government and the military. |
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
Registered Nurse
- Assess patients’ physical and emotional condition and record observations
- Administer medications, IV fluids and treatments as ordered
- Monitor patients, interpret vital signs and lab values and recognize deterioration
- Develop and update nursing care plans
- Coordinate care with physicians, therapists, case managers and families
How they’re similar
Both careers involve helping others, high-pay, in-demand, and high responsibility. 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 registered nurse if…
- I want a career where I make a real difference in people’s health
- I can stay calm and think clearly in emergencies
- I’m willing to complete two to four years of rigorous study
Still torn? Take the Nurse Practitioner fit quiz and the Registered Nurse fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, nurse practitioner or registered nurse?
Nurse Practitioners earn more at the median: $132,300 versus $97,550 for registered nurses, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Registered Nurses typically train faster (2–4 years) than nurse practitioners (6–8 years including RN education).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects nurse practitioners to grow +41.0% from 2025–35, compared with +5.6% for registered nurses.