Nurse Practitioner Job Outlook: The Demand for NPs Continues to Climb
Nurse practitioners are experiencing higher-than-average job growth and are one of the fastest-growing occupations in the nation.
In the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) most recent report on the 20 fastest-growing occupations in the nation, nurse practitioners (NPs) rank number three (right under wind turbine service technicians and solar photovoltaic installers). The BLS reports that employment of nurse practitioners is projected to grow 40% from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the average for all occupations.
We sat down with Purdue Global’s Michele McMahon, DNP, associate dean in the School of Nursing, to learn about the factors influencing the nurse practitioner job outlook.
What Is a Nurse Practitioner?
A nurse practitioner is an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) who has earned at least a Master of Science in Nursing, completed advanced clinical training, and passed a certification exam. The opportunities for practice are extensive.
NPs have a range of clinical skills that include diagnosing and managing acute and chronic conditions, ordering and interpreting laboratory and imaging studies, prescribing medication, and educating and making appropriate referrals for patients and families.
“Nurse practitioners are increasingly practicing to the full extent of their education and clinical training, often serving as the primary point of care in autonomous roles. From managing family and internal medicine practices to specialized work in pediatrics and women's health, NPs are essential,” McMahon says. “We also see a growing footprint in high-acuity environments, where NPs lead teams in emergency departments, urgent care centers, and geriatric acute care settings.”
What’s Driving the Demand for Nurse Practitioners?
Four main factors behind the high demand for nurse practitioners are:
- The physician shortage and reduced access to care
- The aging baby boomer population
- The high number of baby boomer NPs who are retiring in the next decade
- The prevalence of chronic diseases
1. The Physician Shortage and Reduced Access to Care
About 75 million Americans live in areas with inadequate numbers of primary care providers, according to the Health Resources and Services Administration. The U.S. faces a projected shortage of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036, according to a report released by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).
Specific AAMC projections by 2036 include:
- A shortage of between 20,200 and 40,400 primary care physicians
- A shortage of most non-primary care specialties, including a shortage of between 10,100 and 19,900 physicians in surgical specialties
“While the physician shortage is a national crisis, it is felt most acutely in our rural and underserved communities, where geographic barriers compound the lack of providers,” McMahon says. “Nurse practitioners are not just a supplemental resource; they are the frontline solution. By practicing at the top of their license, NPs are closing these coverage gaps, ensuring that a person's zip code doesn’t determine their access to high-quality, life-saving care.”
Nurse practitioners with full practice authority (this varies by state) have a positive impact on health outcomes and health care utilization. Nurse practitioners increase access to care, thereby increasing the incidence of routine wellness visits and decreasing the need for urgent and emergency care services for conditions that may be treated and managed in the clinic.
“Addressing the physician shortage requires us to be pragmatic about training timelines. Because NPs can be prepared for advanced practice with rigorous clinical outcomes in a more streamlined timeframe, they represent our most effective tool for scaling the workforce,” says McMahon.
2. The Aging Baby Boomer Population
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there were 73 million baby boomers in the nation in 2019 (the latest year for which Census data is available). As people age, they require more medical care, which drives the need for nurse practitioners.
“Historically, the vast majority of health care dollars are spent in the final decades of life. As our population ages, the challenge isn't just treating illness but coordinating a sophisticated web of specialists and interventions,” McMahon says. “Nurse practitioners serve as a vital link in this chain.”
3. High Numbers of Baby Boomer NPs Who Are Retiring in the Next Decade
There’s a second relevant aspect of the aging boomer population: baby boomer nurses are also aging and therefore retiring in large numbers.
Altogether, the median age of the RN workforce was 50 in 2024, increasing from a median of 46 in 2022, according to the 2024 National Nursing Workforce Survey by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN). “Upcoming retirements are creating a huge need for more nurses, including APRNs,” says McMahon.
The same NCSBN study reports that 138,000 nurses have left the workforce since 2022, and almost 40% of nurses intend to leave the workforce by 2029.
“A large percentage of our most experienced providers are heading toward retirement at exactly the same time that patient demand is peaking. This ‘retirement cliff’ makes the role of the NP more vital than ever,” McMahon says.
4. The Prevalence of Chronic Diseases (and the Care Needed)
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 6 in 10 adults in the U.S. currently live with a chronic disease such as cancer, heart disease, or diabetes, and chronic diseases are among the leading causes of death.
Research shows that NPs routinely care for the sickest, most complex Medicare beneficiaries — and more often than physicians do. Among Medicare beneficiaries cared for by NPs in 2017, 25.9% had three or more chronic conditions, compared with only 20.8% of those cared for by physicians.
“As chronic disease becomes more prevalent in our aging population, the role of the nurse practitioner transitions from a specialty to a necessity,” says McMahon. “We are the clinicians managing the intricate balance of chronic care — often for the patients with the most complex needs.”
>>Read: How to Become a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
What Are the Rewards of Becoming an NP?
The rewards of nursing are immense. You help people care for what is arguably the most valuable aspect of their life: their health. You touch people when they are at their most vulnerable, and you can be instrumental in driving positive developments in the health care of our nation.
“Becoming an NP allowed me to take my passion for bedside nursing and expand it into a lifelong mission of service,” says McMahon. “There is something extraordinarily touching about the relationships you build in this role. I’ve had the privilege of seeing families through their darkest hours and their greatest recoveries.”
This is an exciting time to be an APRN. Advanced practice nurses are key players in expanding access to care in this country.
“Being an APRN has been rewarding,” says McMahon. “We aren't just filling gaps in the schedule; we are shattering the barriers to access and proving that high-quality, holistic care is a right, not a geographic privilege.”
Become a Nurse Practitioner With Purdue Global
Purdue Global offers an online master's degree in nursing with four focus areas that can prepare students to become advanced practice nurses in the following:
- Adult-gerontology acute care
- Adult-gerontology primary care
- Family nurse practitioner primary care
- Psychiatric mental health
Three postgraduate certificate programs are available:
- Family Nurse Practitioner, Primary Care Postgraduate Certificate
- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Postgraduate Certificate
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Postgraduate Certificate
For in-depth information about earning an MSN with us, read our guide, How to Become an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse With the Help of Purdue Global.
If you aren't sure which focus area is right for you, learn more about the different NP roles here:
- What's the Difference Between an AGNP and AGAC-NP?
- What Does a Family Nurse Practitioner Do?
- How to Become a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- Career Profile: Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
Request more information about our nursing programs today to get started.
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