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What to Pay a Nurse Practitioner in Houston, TX (2026)

Last updated: May 15, 2026 Built for: Total Rewards, Comp, HR Sample: BLS OEWS + disclosed-range postings
Market Median
$132,000
base, annual
Competitive Range
$118K–$150K
25th–75th percentile
YoY Movement
+4.2%
trailing 12 months
Days to Fill
~32
Houston metro average
To hire a Nurse Practitioner in Houston at market, plan on a base salary range of $118,000 to $150,000, with $132,000 as the midpoint. To attract candidates in a market where average time-to-fill runs 32 days, expect to lead at $150K–$170K plus a sign-on bonus, common in skilled nursing settings. Texas does not currently require pay range disclosure in job postings.

How to set your NP pay range in Houston

Three pay positions, modeled against current Houston market data. Pick the one that matches your comp philosophy and the role's strategic value.

Lag Market
Pay Below Median
$105K–$118K
Workable in non-acute settings with strong non-cash differentiation. Expect longer fill times and turnover ~1.4× the Houston average.
Match Market — recommended
Pay at Median
$126.4K–$139.2K
Default for most Houston employers. Competitive enough to fill in ~32 days. A range width of ~30% (min $118,000 to max $150,000) keeps compa-ratio movement smooth across a NP's typical 8–12 year tenure.
Lead Market
Pay Above Median
$142.8K–$170K
Use for hard-to-fill specialties (wound care, IV therapy, bilingual), 24/7 SNF roles, or when speed-to-hire trumps budget. Reduces fill time by 35–45% on average.

NP salary percentile distribution in Houston, TX

Where the Houston market actually sits for NP base pay.

10th $105K
25th $118K
Median $132K
75th $150K
90th $170K

Most Houston employers building a range for this role anchor the midpoint to the market median ($132,000) and set range width at 30–35% — a min of $118,000 and a max of $150,000. This keeps the band wide enough for experience-based progression without concentrating range penetration at the cap.

Texas pay transparency compliance for NP job postings

What you must post when hiring a NP in Texas.

Not required statewide. Texas has no statewide pay transparency law. Posting a range is optional — but roughly half of healthcare employers in the market now disclose ranges voluntarily, and candidates increasingly skip postings without one.

For a NP role in Houston, a compliant good-faith range looks like $118,000 to $150,000. No statutory requirement applies, but if you disclose voluntarily, post a good-faith range of $118,000–$150,000 rather than a single number — it screens out misaligned candidates and reduces offer-stage fallout.

Top NP employers in Houston — who you're competing against

Top healthcare employers hiring NPs in the Houston metro and what they're posting.

Employer Type Disclosed Range Sign-on Bonus
Houston Methodist Academic medical center $128K–$160K Very common ($12K–$22K)
Memorial Hermann Health system $125K–$155K Very common ($12K–$20K)
MD Anderson Cancer Center Specialty academic $135K–$168K Common ($8K–$15K)
Texas Children's Hospital Pediatric specialty $128K–$160K Common ($8K–$15K)
Harris Health System Public health system $118K–$148K Loan repayment programs

NP talent supply and hiring difficulty in Houston

How hard is it to fill a NP role in Houston.

~32
Avg Days to Fill
~1,800
Active Postings
~8,400
Houston NP Workforce
Tight
Supply : Demand

Skill premiums NP candidates command in Houston, TX

Skill / Credential Pay Premium Demand Signal
PMHNP +10–16% Very high
AGACNP +8–13% Very high — TMC demand
Oncology specialty (MD Anderson) +7–11% Very high
Bilingual Spanish +5–8% Very high

NP total compensation in Houston — what candidates expect beyond base

Total rewards mix for NPs in Houston. "Prevalence" reflects share of Houston disclosed-range postings including each element.

Component Typical Value Prevalence in Houston Postings
Base salary $132,000 (median) 100%
Productivity bonus (RVU) $15K–$38K ~62%
Sign-on bonus $10,000–$22,000 ~64%
Loan repayment $25K–$45K total ~24%
CME allowance $3,000–$5,000/yr ~88%
Estimated total comp benchmark ~$155,000–$185,000 —

Shift differentials and sign-on bonuses are typically table stakes rather than differentiators. Tuition reimbursement for LPN-to-RN bridge programs is increasingly the lever that wins competitive offers, particularly for early-career candidates.

NP pay by setting in Houston — SNF, hospital, clinic, home health

Where the NP range splits by employer type in the Houston metro.

Setting Median Competitive Range Hiring Difficulty
Primary care / FQHC $118,000 $108K–$132K Moderate
Hospital (acute care) $144,000 $128K–$162K Very high
Oncology (MD Anderson) $148,000 $132K–$165K High
Pediatric specialty $140,000 $125K–$160K High
Psychiatric / PMHNP $158,000 $142K–$180K Very high

NP salary in Houston vs. other Texas and nearby metros

What you'd pay if you hired in a nearby metro instead.

Location Median Base vs. Houston Hiring Difficulty
Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land, TX $132,000 — Above national avg
Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington, TX $128,000 −3.0% Above national avg
Austin–Round Rock, TX $130,000 −1.5% Above national avg
San Antonio, TX $118,000 −10.6% Moderate
Texas statewide $122,000 −7.6% —
U.S. national $129,210 — —

FAQ: hiring a Nurse Practitioner in Houston, TX

Market median is $132,000 for base pay. To match market, set a range with the midpoint at $132,000 — typically $118,000 to $150,000. To lead the market, plan on $150K–$170K base plus a sign-on bonus.
No statewide law requires a posted range in Texas. Disclosing one voluntarily — a good-faith range such as $118,000–$150,000 — is increasingly the market norm and improves application rates.
$118,000 falls below the Houston market median of $132,000 — roughly at the 25th–50th percentile locally. Acceptable in SNF or physician office settings where the candidate pool is deeper; below-market for hospital or specialty roles.
Roughly 64% of Houston NP postings include a sign-on bonus — the highest prevalence in Texas. Houston Methodist and Memorial Hermann lead with $12K–$22K offers, particularly for AGACNP and oncology specialties.
Average fill time is approximately 32 days in the Houston metro. Roles paid above the 75th percentile ($150K+) fill in roughly 18–22 days. Roles below the 25th percentile ($118K) commonly take 45+ days and have elevated turnover within the first 90 days.
By Houston-metro posting volume: Houston Methodist, Memorial Hermann, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Texas Children's Hospital, Harris Health System lead the pack.
A 30–35% range width (min to max) is standard for NP in Houston — for example, $118,000 to $150,000. Narrower than 25% compresses progression and creates compa-ratio pressure within 18 months.
No. Texas has no pay transparency law covering internal or external postings. Note that remote roles open to candidates in states like Colorado or California may still trigger those states' disclosure requirements.

Related NP pay benchmarks — Texas metros and nearby nursing roles

Same role, nearby metros
NP pay benchmark — Los Angeles, CA → NP pay benchmark — Chicago, IL → NP pay benchmark — Phoenix, AZ → All NP pay benchmarks →
Related roles in Houston
Certified Nursing Assistant pay benchmark — Houston → Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist pay benchmark — Houston → Licensed Practical Nurse pay benchmark — Houston → Registered Nurse pay benchmark — Houston → Travel Nurse pay benchmark — Houston → Emergency Room Registered Nurse pay benchmark — Houston → ICU Registered Nurse pay benchmark — Houston → Operating Room Registered Nurse pay benchmark — Houston → All roles' pay benchmarks →

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Data refreshed May 15, 2026. Next scheduled update: August 15, 2026.
© 2026 BetterComp. Market data informational only — not legal advice.