Registered Nurses
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- Typical on-the-job training
- None
Approved comparison
Registered Nurses vs. Nurse Practitioners
A structured comparison of two occupations. The data makes differences visible; it does not select a universal winner.
Registered Nurses median wage, 2025
$97,550
Nurse Practitioners median wage, 2025
$132,300
Separate signals
What the evidence says
Projected change and relative AI exposure describe different dimensions of work. Read them together without turning either into a personal forecast.
Labor market
- Projected employment change, 2025–2035
- 5.6% vs. 41%
- Annual average openings, 2025–2035
- 180,800 vs. 29,400
Relative AI exposure
Registered Nurses: High
Nurse Practitioners: High
These are BLS relative categories, not automation probabilities or employment forecasts.
Preparation
What entry may require
These source fields describe typical entry preparation for an occupation, not a guarantee or a complete list of local requirements.
Nurse Practitioners
- Typical entry education
- Master's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- Typical on-the-job training
- None
Where they overlap
Shared O*NET skill names in these records include Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Writing, Speaking, Mathematics, Science.
Shared work activities
Getting Information, Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings, Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events, Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials, Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information, Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People.
Where they differ
Registered Nurses representative tasks
- Record patients' medical information and vital signs.
- Administer medications to patients and monitor patients for reactions or side effects.
- Maintain accurate, detailed reports and records.
Nurse Practitioners representative tasks
- Maintain complete and detailed records of patients' health care plans and prognoses.
- Develop treatment plans, based on scientific rationale, standards of care, and professional practice guidelines.
- Provide patients with information needed to promote health, reduce risk factors, or prevent disease or disability.
Questions to consider
- Which daily tasks fit the kind of work you want to do?
- What education, experience, or licensing gaps need verification?
- How do pay and projected change compare in the same source period?
- What does relative AI exposure leave unanswered about each role?
Ask JobShift
Ask Dr. Morgan Reed about this evidence
Morgan is the JobShift Atlas analyst powered by AI. Answers draw from the evidence on this page and explain what it can tell you.
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