In February of 2017, PracticeMatch conducted a national survey of nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) in a variety of practice settings, experience levels, and medical specialties.

The survey examined salary, bonus, and career satisfaction levels from 1,090 participants nationwide, including 532 NPs (49% of total participants) and 558 PAs (51% of total participants). Below are some of the key findings.

Job Satisfaction

Both groups of clinicians reported a very high level of career satisfaction. About one fourth of all respondents described themselves as "extremely satisfied" with their careers. About 38% of NPs and 44% of PAs are "Very Satisfied," and about a third of each group were "satisfied." Only 6% of the total respondents reported being unsatisfied with their careers.

Signing Bonuses:

Signing bonuses for non-physician providers has recently grown in popularity, with 11% of NPs and PAs reporting that they received a signing bonus for their current position. The average amount reported for a signing bonus was about $11,000 for NPs, and nearly $8,000 for PAs. Among all survey respondents, (including NPs and PAs together) the average was $9,000 and the median signing bonus was $5,000.

The percentage of clinicians receiving signing bonuses was higher for newer clinicians, likely due to the fact that they more recently signed on with their position, and signing bonuses have become more common in recent years. Among respondents with fewer than ten years of experience, 14% received a signing bonus.

Salary Trends:

Many salary trends were similar between NPs and PAs responding to the survey. About half of respondents reported an increase in salary from 2015 to 2016. Thirteen percent of respondents reported an increase of 4-7% in salary, and 12% of respondents reported an increase of 8% or more.

Most respondents reported being relatively satisfied with their income, but few were "Extremely Satisfied" – about 15%. About 25% were "Very Satisfied," and most (44%) were "Satisfied". The remaining 15% were not satisfied with their current income.

• Most respondents (2/3) report earnings within the range of $75,000 - $125,000.
• Slightly fewer than one third of respondents (29% of PAs, and 31% of NPs) report earnings of $101,000 - $125,000.

Generally, PAs and NPs with an experience level of 11-20 years earn the most in base pay, not including bonuses, with an average annual salary of $119,330. Those with ten years of experience or less earned an average of $103,120, while those with 21 or more years of experience earn an average of $104,510 annually.

Survey Demographics:

Practice Setting

Full Time vs. Part-time

Education Level / Degree

Age Ranges

Gender

About the Survey:

The survey was conducted by M3 Global Research in February 2017, on behalf of PracticeMatch. Sample size was 1,090 respondents among Nurse Practitioner (532) and Physician Assistant (558) members of the MDLinx panel. M3 Global Research maintains the largest physician and healthcare professional panel with over 3 million members across more than 50 countries. Research respondents did not receive an honoraria for their participation.

About PracticeMatch:

PracticeMatch provides a variety of valuable resources to match pre-screened clinicians directly with employers nationwide. Founded more than 25 years ago, PracticeMatch is one of the most established companies serving the staffing side of the healthcare industry, and its Pinpoint physician database includes more than 338,000 interviewed physicians. Additional products and services include APMatch.com, a database and job board for NPs and PAs and their employers, as well as 25-30 career fairs hosted annually for physicians and advanced practice clinicians nationwide.