Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNP) Salary
ACNPs manage complex, high-acuity patients in ICUs, step-down units, and hospital specialty services, typically on shift-based schedules with differentials. The national median across all NPs is $132,300 per year (BLS OEWS, Nurse Practitioners (29-1171), median annual wage, May 2025). This guide estimates acute care pay at $146K to $159K, an editorial premium of 10 to 20% over that median rather than survey data.
All-NP median (BLS)
$132,300
BLS OEWS, Nurse Practitioners (29-1171), median annual wage, May 2025
Estimated Acute Care range
$146K to $159K
Editorial estimate: the BLS median plus 10 to 20%
Median on NP Hiring
$133K
Median of 13 postings with disclosed pay
Reported range
$70K to $188K
Lowest to highest disclosed figure in the same postings
Source: BLS OEWS, Nurse Practitioners (29-1171), median annual wage, May 2025. Based on 13 active postings with disclosed salary on NP Hiring, updated daily.
Openings
Where Acute Care NPs are hiring
States with open Acute Care NP roles
Current listings span 8 states, led by Illinois (23), Georgia (8) and Tennessee (6).
Practice rules
Practice authority where Acute Care NPs are hiring
Scope of practice across those states
Of the 91 open Acute Care NP roles with a listed state, 18 are in full practice states (New York, Washington, Massachusetts and Arizona), 43 in reduced practice states and 30 in restricted practice states, using the AANP classification.
Listing mix
Who is hiring Acute Care NPs, and how
Employers hiring Acute Care NPs
118 listings nationwide come from 50 employers. Northwestern Memorial Healthcare has the most, with 22.
- Northwestern Memorial Healthcare22 listings
- Wellstar Health System9 listings
- OU Health6 listings
- Ochsner Health5 listings
- ProMedica5 listings
- Vanderbilt UMC5 listings
- Advocate Health4 listings
- Cleveland Clinic4 listings
How these roles are set up
1 of 118 is remote, 16 hybrid and 101 on site.
Full-Time is the most common arrangement (100), followed by Part-Time (14).
Credentials
Certification & Where Acute Care NPs Work
What Acute Care NPs need
ANCC (AGACNP-BC) or AACN (ACNPC-AG). State licensure requirements vary, so check your state board of nursing for specifics.
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Open the salary guideQuestions
Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNP) salary: FAQ
How much does an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNP) make?
The national median across all NPs is $132,300 per year (BLS OEWS, Nurse Practitioners (29-1171), median annual wage, May 2025). This guide applies an editorial premium of 10 to 20% to that median for acute care roles, an estimated $146K to $159K per year that is not survey data. Across 13 active ACNP postings with disclosed pay on NP Hiring, the median is $133K per year (disclosed ranges span $70K to $188K).
What premium does this guide estimate for Acute Care NPs?
This guide's editorial estimate is 10 to 20% over the all-NP median, reflecting AGACNP certification and hospital demand. It is not survey data. Typical practice settings include ICUs, step-down units, hospital specialty services.
What certification does an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNP) need?
ANCC (AGACNP-BC) or AACN (ACNPC-AG). State licensure requirements vary, so check your state board of nursing for specifics.
How can I increase my ACNP salary?
Compare offers across practice settings (ICUs, step-down units, hospital specialty services), consider states that grant full practice authority (27 states + DC per AANP State Practice Environment), and negotiate total compensation (base pay, bonuses, CME allowance, and loan-repayment support) rather than base salary alone.
Where are ACNP jobs open right now?
Current listings span 26 states, led by Illinois (23), Georgia (8) and Tennessee (6).
Do ACNP roles on NP Hiring offer remote work?
1 of 118 open ACNP roles is listed as remote.
Data sources: BLS OEWS, Nurse Practitioners (29-1171), median annual wage, May 2025, plus 13 active acute care postings with disclosed salary on NP Hiring, plus the specialty premium published in the NP Hiring salary guide, applied to that median as an editorial estimate.
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118 Acute Care NP openings are live right now.