U.S. News & World Report has named the role of nurse practitioner as the best job in the U.S. for 2025 for the second year in a row.
Ranking as both the best job in healthcare and the best job overall, NPs earn an average of $126,260 annually. The best-paid 25% earn around $140,610, while the lowest-paid 25% earn $106,960.
The unemployment rate for NPs is just 0.6%, with 135,500 total jobs nationally.
The publication ranked jobs based on a number of factors, including salary, job market, future growth, stress and work-life balance.
On a scale of 0 to 10, nurse practitioners scored a 7.4, with a 7 in salary, 6.2 in employment, 9.9 in future growth, 5.8 in comfort and 5.3 in work-life balance.
While stress levels for NPs rank above average, flexibility is rated fairly and upward mobility is high within the profession.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 46.3% employment growth for nurse practitioners, with 135,500 jobs opening up between 2023 and 2033.