The 2022 outlook for nurse practitioners is bright! Both supply and demand for NPs continues to grow. Here’s a look at numbers compiled from BLS, AANP, U.S. News and more.

<p>
  Whether you&rsquo;re a nurse practitioner seeking a new opportunity or a
  healthcare leader aiming to fortify your team with NPs, the outlook headed
  into 2022 is bright. Both supply and demand for NPs continue to expand.
</p>

<p>
  Demand for nurse practitioners is driven by their scope of practice,
  versatility, expertise, autonomy, quality, cost-effectiveness and much more.
  As for supply, increasing numbers of NPs graduate each year, keeping the
  workforce strong enough to meet the growing demand. Here&rsquo;s a look at
  current data for nurse practitioner jobs followed by projections and career
  outlook for 2022.
</p>

<h2>Current Nurse Practitioner Data</h2>

<h3>How Many Nurse Practitioners Are Currently Licensed in the U.S.?</h3>

<p>
  More than 325,000 NPs are licensed to practice in the U.S. as of 2021, up from
  290,000 in 2019 (<a
    href="https://www.aanp.org/about/all-about-nps/np-fact-sheet"
    target="_blank"
    >American Association of Nurse Practitioners</a
  >). Further, more than 36,000 new NPs completed their programs in 2020 (<a
    href="https://www.aanp.org/about/all-about-nps/np-fact-sheet"
    target="_blank"
    >AANP</a
  >). The majority are certified in primary care, and NPs now have prescriptive
  privileges in all states. This means NPs are particularly valuable across the
  spectrum of healthcare and are in demand in all types of facilities.
</p>

<h3>Where Are NPs Currently Practicing?</h3>

<p>
  Top work environments for nurse practitioners are physicians&rsquo; offices
  (101,220), hospitals (49,920), outpatient care centers (18,920), colleges and
  universities (6,970) and other health practitioners&rsquo; offices (6,170)
  according to the
  <a href="https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes291171.htm" target="_blank"
    >U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</a
  >.
</p>

<h3>
  Which States Have the Most Nurse Practitioners Employed and How Much Do They
  Earn?
</h3>

<p>
  According to the most recent
  <a href="https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes291171.htm" target="_blank"
    >BLS</a
  >
  data, as of May 2020, states with the highest employment level of nurse
  practitioners were California (15,100), New York (14,850), Texas (14,680),
  Florida (13,010) and Ohio (9,430). In those states, the annual mean wage
  ranged from $145,970 in California to $101,060 in Florida.
</p>

<h2>2022 Outlook for Nurse Practitioners</h2>

<h3>
  What Is the Projected Job Growth for Nurse Practitioners Over the Next Decade?
</h3>

<p>
  The
  <a
    href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/nurse-anesthetists-nurse-midwives-and-nurse-practitioners.htm#tab-6"
    target="_blank"
    >BLS</a
  >
  has predicted jobs for nurse practitioners will grow by 52% from 2020-2030,
  from 220,300 jobs to 335,2000 jobs. The growing demand is attributed to
  increased need for healthcare for aging Americans and a greater emphasis on
  primary and preventive care. Further, as regulations evolve and states allow
  NPs greater autonomy of practice, nurse practitioners add increasing value and
  expanded access to care.
</p>

<h3>
  What Are the Short-Term Projections for Nurse Practitioners in Top States?
</h3>

<p>
  The
  <a
    href="https://projectionscentral.org/Projections/ShortTerm?AreaName=&amp;AreaNameSelect%5B0%5D=1&amp;Name=%22nurse%20practitioner%22&amp;items_per_page=10&amp;order=AvgAnnualOpenings&amp;sort=desc"
    target="_blank"
    >Projections Central State Employment Projections Managing Partnership</a
  >
  (PMP) compiles information from individual state entities for the U.S.
  Department of Labor. According to PMP data, over the short term (2020-2022),
  states with the most NPs employed are expected to be New York (17,090),
  California (16,100), Texas (15,540), Florida (15,130) and Ohio (9,810).
</p>

<h3>
  What Are the Long-Term Projections for Nurse Practitioners Across Top States?
</h3>

<p>
  As for the long term (2018-2028), state-aggregated data from
  <a
    href="https://projectionscentral.org/index.php/Projections/LongTerm?AreaName=&amp;AreaNameSelect%5B%5D=1&amp;Name=%22nurse+practitioner%22&amp;items_per_page=10"
    target="_blank"
    >PMP</a
  >
  suggest states with the most NP positions will be New York (21,870),
  California (19,700), Texas (16,430), Florida (15,200) and Illinois (10,700).
</p>

<p>
  For nurse practitioners and the healthcare facilities seeking them, the future
  is promising. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, the field
  continues to grow. After all, there&rsquo;s a reason the career was ranked #2
  in Best Health Care Jobs and #3 for 100 Best Jobs (<a
    href="https://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/nurse-practitioner"
    target="_blank"
    >U.S. News</a
  >).
</p>

<p>
  If you&rsquo;re a nurse practitioner, and you&rsquo;re ready to embark on your
  next career adventure, explore our exciting
  <a
    href="https://www.crosscountrylocums.com/job-search-results?what=nurse+practitioner&amp;where="
    >opportunities for NPs</a
  >.
</p>

<p>
  If you&rsquo;re in need of locum tenens nurse practitioners to strengthen your
  care team, connect with one of our
  <a href="https://www.crosscountrylocums.com/request-coverage"
    >staffing experts today</a
  >.
</p>


Demand for Nurse Practitioners in 2022