North Carolina leads the regional peer group with a mean of $130,870, placing it above Florida ($130,410), Virginia ($129,060), Georgia ($128,800), South Carolina ($124,170), and Tennessee ($115,510). For employers, this means your compensation budget needs to be calibrated to a market that sits near the top of the Southeast, not the middle. Candidates in North Carolina will generally have higher salary expectations than those coming from Tennessee or South Carolina.
Nurse practitioner salary in North Carolina (2026)
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The average nurse practitioner salary in North Carolina is $130,870 per year. A small pool of very high earners pulls that average upward, so the median of $128,990 gives you a more reliable starting point for most hiring decisions. North Carolina employs 9,800 nurse practitioners, and the $1,880 gap between the mean and median reflects real variation in the candidate pool you will be evaluating. Junior nurse practitioners in North Carolina typically earn around $103,530, while senior specialists reach and exceed the $164,320 level at the 90th percentile. Plan for a range rather than a single number when budgeting for a nurse practitioner hire in North Carolina, and anchor that range to the seniority and specialization of the role you are filling.
Metric / Value
Metric | Value |
Median Annual Salary | $128,990 |
Average Annual Salary | $130,870 |
vs. National Average | 4.7% below the national mean of $137,300 |
Data comes from the BLS OEWS and covers 9,800 employed nurse practitioners across North Carolina.
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Nurse practitioner salary percentiles in North Carolina
Percentile | Annual Salary |
10th Percentile | $103,530 |
25th Percentile | $114,260 |
75th Percentile | $142,180 |
90th Percentile | $164,320 |
When setting an offer for a nurse practitioner in North Carolina, the 25th percentile of $114,260 gives you a defensible floor for early-career candidates, while experienced specialists typically command salaries approaching $164,320 at the 90th percentile. Offers below $114,260 will likely struggle to attract candidates with more than entry-level experience in this market.
Nurse practitioner salary by city in North Carolina
City | Average Annual Salary |
Greensboro | $136,110 |
Durham | $134,390 |
Winston-Salem | $133,740 |
Raleigh | $133,570 |
Charlotte | $133,530 |
Employers hiring across multiple North Carolina markets can expect relatively consistent compensation requirements, but Greensboro carries the highest average at $136,110 compared to $133,530 in Charlotte. That $2,580 spread is narrow enough that role seniority and specialty will drive offer differences more than geography in most cases.
How North Carolina compares to other states
State | Average Annual Salary | Median Annual Salary |
North Carolina | $130,870 | $128,990 |
Florida | $130,410 | $129,510 |
Virginia | $129,060 | $127,810 |
Georgia | $128,800 | $129,430 |
South Carolina | $124,170 | $123,290 |
Tennessee | $115,510 | $117,590 |
North Carolina sits at the top of this regional peer group, which means employers here face compensation expectations that are broadly in line with Florida and Virginia but meaningfully above Tennessee. Budgeting at the North Carolina mean of $130,870 will keep your offers competitive against candidates who could cross state lines to Florida at $130,410 or Virginia at $129,060. Tennessee's lower mean of $115,510 signals that candidates relocating from that market may have lower salary anchors, which is worth factoring into your offer strategy.
Frequently asked questions about nurse practitioner salary in North Carolina
How does North Carolina compare to other states for nurse practitioner salary?
What do the top-earning nurse practitioners make in North Carolina?
Nurse practitioners at the 90th percentile in North Carolina earn $164,320 per year. If you are recruiting for a senior or specialized role, plan for offers in this range to remain competitive for the most experienced candidates. The gap between the 75th percentile ($142,180) and the 90th percentile ($164,320) is wide enough that specialty and scope of practice will significantly influence where a top candidate lands.
What is the salary range for a nurse practitioner in North Carolina?
The salary range for a nurse practitioner in North Carolina runs from $103,530 at the 10th percentile to $164,320 at the 90th percentile. For most hiring decisions, the more actionable range sits between the 25th percentile of $114,260 and the 75th percentile of $142,180. Use the seniority and clinical specialization of the role you are filling to determine where within that band your offer should land.
What is the average nurse practitioner salary in North Carolina?
The average nurse practitioner salary in North Carolina is $130,870 per year, with a median of $128,990. The $1,880 difference between the two figures tells you that a modest number of higher-compensated roles are pulling the average slightly above the midpoint. For most open positions, anchoring your initial offer to the median of $128,990 will reflect what the majority of employed nurse practitioners in the state actually earn.
Nurse Practitioner salary by state
Data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2025, SOC code 29-1171 (Nurse Practitioners).
Disclaimer
Rippling and its affiliates do not provide tax, accounting, or legal advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide or be relied on for tax, accounting, or legal advice. You should consult your own tax, accounting, and legal advisors before engaging in any related activities or transactions.
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The Rippling Team
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Nurse practitioner salary in South Carolina (2026)
Nurse practitioner salaries in South Carolina average $124,170, ranging from $97,080 to $160,170. See BLS data by city, percentile, and neighboring state.
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Nurse practitioner salary in South Carolina (2026)
Nurse practitioner salaries in South Carolina average $124,170, ranging from $97,080 to $160,170. See BLS data by city, percentile, and neighboring state.
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Nurse practitioner salary in Georgia (2026)
Georgia nurse practitioners earn a median $129,430 per year. See salary percentiles, city breakdowns, and state comparisons to budget competitive offers.
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Nurse practitioner salary in Virginia (2026)
Nurse practitioner salaries in Virginia average $129,060, with pay ranging from $99,990 to $161,470. See city breakdowns and state comparisons.
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Nurse practitioner salary in Tennessee (2026)
Tennessee nurse practitioners earn a median $117,590 annually. Compare salaries by city, percentile, and neighboring states to budget competitive offers.
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Nurse practitioner salary in Florida (2026)
Florida nurse practitioners earn $129,510 median annually. Compare salaries by city, percentile, and state to build competitive compensation offers.
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Nurse practitioner salary in Alabama (2026)
Nurse practitioner salaries in Alabama average $110,970, with pay ranging from $86,300 to $134,650. See how Alabama compares to neighboring states.
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Nurse practitioner salary in Louisiana (2026)
Louisiana nurse practitioners earn $126,630 on average. See salary percentiles, city breakdowns, and how Louisiana compares to neighboring states.
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