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What to Pay a Nurse Practitioner in Seattle, WA (2026)

Last updated: May 15, 2026 Built for: Total Rewards, Comp, HR Sample: BLS OEWS + disclosed-range postings
Market Median
$158,000
base, annual
Competitive Range
$142K–$180K
25th–75th percentile
YoY Movement
+4.1%
trailing 12 months
Days to Fill
~40
Seattle metro average
To hire a Nurse Practitioner in Seattle at market, plan on a base salary range of $142,000 to $180,000, with $158,000 as the midpoint. To attract candidates in a market where average time-to-fill runs 40 days, expect to lead at $180K–$205K plus a sign-on bonus, common in skilled nursing settings. Washington REQUIRES pay scale disclosure under the WA Equal Pay and Opportunities Act.

How to set your NP pay range in Seattle

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

Lag Market
Pay Below Median
$128K–$142K
Workable in non-acute settings with strong non-cash differentiation. Expect longer fill times and turnover ~1.4× the Seattle average.
Match Market — recommended
Pay at Median
$151.6K–$166.8K
Default for most Seattle employers. Competitive enough to fill in ~40 days. A range width of ~30% (min $142,000 to max $180,000) keeps compa-ratio movement smooth across a NP's typical 8–12 year tenure.
Lead Market
Pay Above Median
$171.2K–$205K
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 Seattle, WA

Where the Seattle market actually sits for NP base pay.

10th $128K
25th $142K
Median $158K
75th $180K
90th $205K

Most Seattle employers building a range for this role anchor the midpoint to the market median ($158,000) and set range width at 30–35% — a min of $142,000 and a max of $180,000. This keeps the band wide enough for experience-based progression without concentrating range penetration at the cap.

Washington pay transparency compliance for NP job postings

What you must post when hiring a NP in Washington.

Required. Washington requires employers with 15+ employees to include the wage scale or salary range and a general description of benefits in every posting.
Requirement Applies When Penalty for Non-Compliance
Wage scale or salary range in posting 15+ employees; role in WA Up to $1,000 per violation; escalates for repeat
General benefits description All covered postings Same schedule

For a NP role in Seattle, a compliant good-faith range looks like $142,000 to $180,000. A compliant good-faith range for this role in Seattle is $142,000–$180,000.

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

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

Employer Type Disclosed Range Sign-on Bonus
Providence Swedish Health system $155K–$195K Very common ($12K–$22K)
UW Medicine Academic medical center $155K–$195K Common ($8K–$15K)
Virginia Mason Franciscan Health Health system $150K–$188K Very common ($12K–$20K)
MultiCare Health System Health system $148K–$185K Very common ($15K–$25K)
Kaiser Permanente WA Integrated health system $150K–$188K Common ($8K–$15K)

NP talent supply and hiring difficulty in Seattle

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

~40
Avg Days to Fill
~1,100
Active Postings
~6,200
Seattle NP Workforce
Tight
Supply : Demand

Seattle NP demand growing fast — Providence Swedish, UW Medicine, and Virginia Mason Franciscan drive hospital-based NP roles. WA pay transparency law forces clean employer comparisons.

Skill premiums NP candidates command in Seattle, WA

Skill / Credential Pay Premium Demand Signal
PMHNP +10–16% Very high
AGACNP +9–14% Very high
Pediatric NP (Seattle Children's) +8–12% Very high
Bilingual (Spanish, Mandarin, Vietnamese) +4–7% Moderate

NP total compensation in Seattle — what candidates expect beyond base

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

Component Typical Value Prevalence in Seattle Postings
Base salary $158,000 (median) 100%
Productivity bonus (RVU) $16K–$42K ~62%
Sign-on bonus $12,000–$25,000 ~72%
Loan repayment $28K–$52K total ~24%
CME allowance $3,500–$6,000/yr ~92%
Estimated total comp benchmark ~$185K–$220K

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 Seattle — SNF, hospital, clinic, home health

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

Setting Median Competitive Range Hiring Difficulty
Primary care $142,000 $128K–$160K Above national avg
Hospital (acute care) $172,000 $155K–$195K Very high
Specialty clinic $165,000 $148K–$185K High
Urgent care $148,000 $132K–$168K Moderate
Psychiatric / PMHNP $182,000 $162K–$205K Very high

NP salary in Seattle vs. other Washington and nearby metros

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

Location Median Base vs. Seattle Hiring Difficulty
Seattle–Tacoma–Bellevue, WA $158,000 Tight
Portland–Vancouver–Hillsboro, OR-WA $135,000 −14.6% Above national avg
San Francisco–Oakland–Hayward, CA $192,000 +21.5% Very tight
Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO $138,000 −12.7% Above national avg
Washington statewide $148,000 −6.3%
U.S. national $129,210

FAQ: hiring a Nurse Practitioner in Seattle, WA

Market median is $158,000 for base pay. To match market, set a range with the midpoint at $158,000 — typically $142,000 to $180,000. To lead the market, plan on $180K–$205K base plus a sign-on bonus.
Yes. Washington's EPOA requires a wage scale or salary range plus a general benefits description in every posting if you have 15+ employees.
$142,000 falls below the Seattle market median of $158,000 — 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 72% of Seattle NP postings include a sign-on bonus — among the highest in the country. Providence Swedish and MultiCare lead with $12K–$25K offers.
Average fill time is approximately 40 days in the Seattle metro. Roles paid above the 75th percentile ($180K+) fill in roughly 18–22 days. Roles below the 25th percentile ($142K) commonly take 45+ days and have elevated turnover within the first 90 days.
By Seattle-metro posting volume: Providence Swedish, UW Medicine, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, MultiCare Health System, Kaiser Permanente WA lead the pack.
A 30–35% range width (min to max) is standard for NP in Seattle — for example, $142,000 to $180,000. Narrower than 25% compresses progression and creates compa-ratio pressure within 18 months. Washington does not cap range width but requires the range to reflect the wage scale or salary range set by the employer.
Yes. Washington's law covers all postings — internal and external.

Related NP pay benchmarks — Washington metros and nearby nursing roles

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