The Best Washington Online Nurse Practitioner Programs and Requirements

Table of Contents

• Best Washington Online Nurse Practitioner Program
• Requirements to Become a Nurse Practitioner in Washington
• In-Demand Nursing Specialty Eligibility Requirements in Washington
• Salary and Career Information

Nurse practitioners (NPs) continue to play an increasingly important role in healthcare, especially in locations experiencing a shortage of primary care physicians. NPs can issue prescriptions, conduct patient examinations, diagnose conditions, and provide treatment just like a doctor. For many patients, an NP serves as their primary care provider.

As a “full practice” state, Washington allows NPs to work independently and without physician supervision. They often take on leadership roles within healthcare organizations to drive policy and administrative issues.

For many patients, an NP serves as their primary care provider.

Compared to registered nurses (RNs), NPs assume more responsibility and usually work in private practice settings and often specialize in specific areas of medicine. On average, they earn considerably larger salaries, with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) finding that NPs earned a median pay of $113,930 in 2018. The median annual salary for an RN sits at $71,730.

This guide features useful information on the best nurse practitioner programs in Washington to help you secure the education and training needed to find success in this growing field. You can also find information on advanced registered nurse practitioner (ARNP) certification requirements, renewing an ARNP license, and specialization areas, along with salary and job outlook data.

Best Washington Online Nurse Practitioner Program

Requirements to Become a Nurse Practitioner in Washington

To serve as a licensed nurse practitioner in Washington state, you must complete the following steps:

In-Demand Nursing Specialty Eligibility Requirements in Washington

Salary and Career Information

At about $117,000 per year, graduates of nurse practitioner programs in Washington earn mean salaries about 7% higher than the national average. Projected job growth over the next decade comes in slightly lower than the national average for the profession but still sits at a healthy 30.4%. That number far outpaces most other career fields statewide.

Washington’s larger metro areas, including Seattle, Spokane, and Longview, provide more opportunities for NPs to bring in higher salaries. Metro regions also come with more job opportunities due to their larger populations. Prospective NPs can also help address a critical shortage of primary care providers that have hit these rural areas in recent years.

No matter where they choose to live and work, Washington NPs continue to enjoy numerous career options and flexibility for the foreseeable future.

Source: BLS, Projections Central

Source: BLS