5 Best Career Options for Nurse Practitioners in 2023
Nurse practitioners are well-paid, and they can impact the lives of patients on a daily basis.
Researched, written by Amber & The Team
Updated on May 24, 2023

// We recommend helpful products in our articles. Read our full disclosure here.
Nurse practitioners are uniquely qualified to treat patients, and they are allowed to provide the same care that physicians can. This is a specialty niche of healthcare that is essential to the healthcare field, and it offers lots of great opportunities to change the lives of patients on a daily basis. If you have been thinking about becoming a nurse practitioner, you might be wondering what kind of career you can pursue within this field.
Nurse practitioners are able to diagnose, treat, and care for patients in a variety of different treatment environments. This is an exciting choice to make for your healthcare career, and you will not regret making the decision to follow a career as a nurse practitioner. Nurse practitioners can provide the kind of care that doctors provide without having to become a physician.
If you are ready to learn more about the best career options for nurse practitioners in 2023, you need to read on!
The Best Career Options for Nurse Practitioners in 2023
1. ER Nurse Practitioner
If you love a fast-paced work environment and want to be able to take care of people in their time of dire need, you will want to choose to be an ER nurse practitioner. This is one of the essential career paths that a nurse practitioner can select for their future, and you will be paid an average of $117,000 a year in this role.
ER nurse practitioners are on the frontline of the action in the emergency room, and they are able to triage, diagnose, and treat as needed. This is an exciting and important job that is critical to the function of any ER. ER doctors are always in short supply, and you will never struggle to find a place to work if this is the career path that you choose.
2. Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
A primary care doctor provides day-to-day care for families, and they might treat people of all ages. This is a great choice if you want to be able to care for people as they grow from children into adulthood. You will be able to enjoy the process of getting to know your patients and their families over the years that you treat them.
Primary care practitioners are always in high demand, and you will be able to have your choice of places to work when you pick this career path. This job will pay more than $100,000 a year, and you might have the chance to increase your earning power by staying in one clinic for a long time. Promotions and increased responsibility are always a possibility for those that follow this career path.
3. Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Mental health professionals are always in high demand everywhere in the US, and you will be able to help people to live happier and more fulfilling lives when you choose this career path. Mental healthcare professionals can choose to work with various ages of people, and there is a lot of flexibility in the kinds of mental health care that you can choose to focus on.
This is a key position in the process of helping to diagnose, treat, and care for people who are suffering from a variety of mental health struggles. This position might take you into a clinic setting or a long-term care setting. You might also work in the prison environment. This is a very important job and one that you can choose to focus your career on if you have an interest in this kind of healthcare.
4. Travel Nurse Practitioner
This is a really unique and highly-paid kind of nurse practitioner career. You will be able to provide care to patients as you fill in at clinics and hospitals that are struggling with staffing. When the staffing situation is resolved, you will move on to a new temporary position. This is a great choice if you love to travel and want to enjoy a changing work environment from month to month.
Travel nurses are very highly paid, and you might make as much as $200,000 a year in this position. With the help of travel nursing agencies you can secure this job easily. For those who love to travel and want to care for patients in all kinds of settings, this is a really ideal job. You will have many memorable adventures and live in many places around the US when you choose this career path.
5. Telemedicine Nurse Practitioner
As the world has adjusted to the pandemic, the job opportunities for those that are comfortable practicing telemedicine. Telemedicine appointments are becoming an increasingly common way to treat common ailments. As a telemedicine doctor, you will help people with their colds, ear infections, and other simple diagnoses through a virtual medical visit.
Telemedicine is critical to the process of caring for patients that cannot easily access medical care, and you will be able to provide help without having to work face to face with patients. This can be a big benefit for many different reasons, and you might find that this is the perfect fit for your skills as a nurse practitioner.
Nurse Practitioner Careers Are Rewarding and Fulfilling
There are many reasons that you might want to become a nurse practitioner, and you will find that this is one of the best ways to care for patients without having to become a physician. The nurse practitioner role is highly important to the medical community, and you will be a welcome addition to any clinic or hospital. This job is almost always in demand all over the US, and you will enjoy lots of unique job opportunities when you choose this career path.
Nurse practitioners are well-paid, and they can impact the lives of patients on a daily basis in a highly beneficial way. If you want to make a difference and care for patients within a specialty field, you will want to pursue a career as a nurse practitioner. Becoming a nurse practitioner is a great option if you want to change people’s lives and give yourself the chance to enjoy a successful career.
"We love to research, examine, analyze, and present to you the best ideas that make life better. You can learn about our editorial standards here."
This article was proofread by Grammarly