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Diagnose and treat acute, episodic, or chronic illness, independently or as part of a healthcare team. May focus on health promotion and disease prevention. May order, perform, or interpret diagnostic tests such as lab work and x rays. May prescribe medication. Must be registered nurses who have specialized graduate education.
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:
| Employment (1) | Employment RSE (3) |
Mean hourly wage |
Mean annual wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 150,230 | 1.3 % | $50.30 | $104,610 | 0.5 % |
Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) |
75% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly Wage | $34.82 | $41.81 | $48.52 | $57.91 | $67.76 |
| Annual Wage (2) | $72,420 | $86,970 | $100,910 | $120,450 | $140,930 |
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offices of Physicians | 68,490 | 2.72 | $49.54 | $103,030 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | 39,040 | 0.72 | $52.42 | $109,030 |
| Outpatient Care Centers | 13,660 | 1.64 | $51.52 | $107,160 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | 4,640 | 0.15 | $46.51 | $96,750 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners | 4,230 | 0.50 | $49.12 | $102,160 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offices of Physicians | 68,490 | 2.72 | $49.54 | $103,030 |
| Outpatient Care Centers | 13,660 | 1.64 | $51.52 | $107,160 |
| Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals | 2,010 | 0.78 | $56.31 | $117,120 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | 39,040 | 0.72 | $52.42 | $109,030 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners | 4,230 | 0.50 | $49.12 | $102,160 |
Top paying industries for this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personal Care Services | 340 | 0.05 | $65.52 | $136,280 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | 40 | (7) | $63.47 | $132,010 |
| Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals | 2,010 | 0.78 | $56.31 | $117,120 |
| Offices of Dentists | (8) | (8) | $56.17 | $116,820 |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services | (8) | (8) | $55.06 | $114,530 |
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 13,060 | 1.44 | 1.34 | $54.55 | $113,450 |
| California | 12,740 | 0.80 | 0.75 | $59.78 | $124,330 |
| Florida | 8,940 | 1.09 | 1.02 | $45.99 | $95,650 |
| Texas | 8,890 | 0.76 | 0.71 | $52.91 | $110,060 |
| Ohio | 6,650 | 1.25 | 1.16 | $47.92 | $99,680 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | 2,350 | 2.10 | 1.96 | $48.02 | $99,880 |
| Maine | 1,130 | 1.90 | 1.77 | $47.67 | $99,140 |
| Tennessee | 5,230 | 1.81 | 1.69 | $45.09 | $93,790 |
| Massachusetts | 6,190 | 1.79 | 1.67 | $56.66 | $117,860 |
| Vermont | 530 | 1.75 | 1.64 | (8) | (8) |
Top paying States for this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 12,740 | 0.80 | 0.75 | $59.78 | $124,330 |
| Alaska | 450 | 1.38 | 1.29 | $58.29 | $121,250 |
| Massachusetts | 6,190 | 1.79 | 1.67 | $56.66 | $117,860 |
| Hawaii | 330 | 0.52 | 0.48 | $56.34 | $117,180 |
| New Jersey | 3,840 | 0.97 | 0.91 | $55.40 | $115,230 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division | 8,460 | 1.28 | 1.20 | $58.18 | $121,010 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA NECTA Division | 3,520 | 1.95 | 1.83 | $58.43 | $121,530 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division | 2,830 | 0.67 | 0.63 | $62.64 | $130,290 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division | 2,480 | 1.00 | 0.93 | $51.55 | $107,220 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 2,120 | 0.83 | 0.78 | $49.91 | $103,810 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | 2,050 | 0.70 | 0.65 | $61.25 | $127,390 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 2,020 | 1.50 | 1.40 | $44.31 | $92,160 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 1,960 | 1.46 | 1.36 | $52.21 | $108,590 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metropolitan Division | 1,930 | 0.53 | 0.49 | $49.00 | $101,930 |
| Nassau County-Suffolk County, NY Metropolitan Division | 1,900 | 1.47 | 1.38 | $55.18 | $114,770 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, MN | 920 | 7.99 | 7.47 | $50.64 | $105,330 |
| Hattiesburg, MS | 210 | 3.55 | 3.32 | $52.67 | $109,560 |
| Beckley, WV | 150 | 3.53 | 3.30 | $44.18 | $91,890 |
| Joplin, MO | 240 | 3.07 | 2.87 | $43.28 | $90,030 |
| Danbury, CT | 240 | 3.03 | 2.83 | $47.62 | $99,040 |
| Bangor, ME | 190 | 2.99 | 2.80 | $47.08 | $97,930 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 850 | 2.92 | 2.73 | $56.22 | $116,930 |
| Pueblo, CO | 160 | 2.83 | 2.64 | $47.74 | $99,300 |
| Johnson City, TN | 210 | 2.64 | 2.47 | $41.09 | $85,480 |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | 420 | 2.56 | 2.39 | $44.52 | $92,610 |
Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altoona, PA | 50 | 0.81 | 0.76 | $86.79 | $180,520 |
| San Francisco-Redwood City-South San Francisco, CA Metropolitan Division | 880 | 0.82 | 0.77 | $75.99 | $158,050 |
| Peabody-Salem-Beverly, MA NECTA Division | 190 | 1.95 | 1.82 | $74.67 | $155,320 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 780 | 0.75 | 0.70 | $69.94 | $145,480 |
| Vallejo-Fairfield, CA | 210 | 1.65 | 1.54 | $68.37 | $142,210 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT | 490 | 1.17 | 1.09 | $65.65 | $136,540 |
| Panama City, FL | 80 | 0.92 | 0.86 | $65.39 | $136,020 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | 210 | 0.84 | 0.79 | $64.23 | $133,600 |
| Madera, CA | 70 | 1.71 | 1.60 | $63.86 | $132,820 |
| Oakland-Hayward-Berkeley, CA Metropolitan Division | 910 | 0.84 | 0.78 | $63.64 | $132,380 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | 510 | 2.20 | 2.06 | $47.20 | $98,180 |
| Southeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | 310 | 2.02 | 1.89 | $48.12 | $100,100 |
| Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area | 300 | 1.60 | 1.49 | $48.79 | $101,490 |
| North Northeastern Ohio non-metropolitan area (non-contiguous) | 300 | 0.90 | 0.84 | $47.83 | $99,490 |
| East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | 290 | 2.85 | 2.66 | $40.53 | $84,300 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | 230 | 3.26 | 3.05 | $48.57 | $101,020 |
| East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | 290 | 2.85 | 2.66 | $40.53 | $84,300 |
| Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | 190 | 2.78 | 2.59 | (8) | (8) |
| West Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | 180 | 2.73 | 2.56 | $48.44 | $100,750 |
| South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | 260 | 2.42 | 2.26 | $41.59 | $86,510 |
Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Border Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | 30 | 0.53 | 0.49 | $77.81 | $161,840 |
| Northern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | 70 | 2.01 | 1.88 | $66.07 | $137,430 |
| North and West Central New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | 60 | 0.87 | 0.82 | $65.45 | $136,130 |
| Southeast Alaska nonmetropolitan area | 50 | 1.32 | 1.24 | $64.60 | $134,370 |
| Balance of Alaska nonmetropolitan area | 140 | 1.90 | 1.78 | $63.50 | $132,080 |
These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.
The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.
(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.
(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.
(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.
(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.
(8) Estimate not released.
(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.
Other OES estimates and related information:
May 2016 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2016 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2016 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2016 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
Last Modified Date: March 31, 2017