Nurse practitioners perform many of the same functions as general practitioner physicians.
The health care industry is one of the fastest growing sectors in the U.S. economy. The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics expects new job opportunities for both registered nurses and physicians to grow by about 22 percent between 2008 and 2018. Doctors have traditionally earned more than nurses, but the pay gap between nurse practitioners and general practitioners is narrowing.
Income
Wage and salaries for medical professionals such as general practitioner physicians and nurse practitioners can vary widely based on such factors as geographic location of their practice, experience and type of employers. The median annual income for general practitioner physicians was $160,530 as of May 2009, according to the BLS. The salary range for all registered nurses during the same time frame extended from less than $43,970 to more than $93,700. The median annual salary for a nurse practitioner was $92,100 in 2008, according to the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.
Geographic Location
General practitioner physicians who practiced in Arkansas had the highest mean annual wages in the country at $206,030 as of May 2009, according to the BLS. General practitioners in Wisconsin also made more than $200,000 per year. The median annual income for general practitioners in New Mexico, Oklahoma, Georgia, Utah and Wyoming exceeded the national average. Nurse practitioners in California earned the highest mean annual wages among their profession in the country.
Employment Type
The greatest number of employment opportunities for general practitioner physicians are found in private doctors offices, in hospital environments and in outpatient care centers. The best paying jobs for general practitioner physicians are offered by office administrative services, medical and diagnostic laboratories and employment services, according to the BLS. Nurse practitioners who worked for the federal government earned the highest wages among their profession as of February 2011, according to PayScale.com. State and local government agencies, hospitals and private companies also offered above average income opportunities for nurse practitioners.
Considerations
Educational requirements for general practitioner physicians typically include a four-year college degree followed by four years of medical school. Graduates of medical school must then undergo a residency program which may last three to eight years. Nurse practitioners must typically hold a bachelor's degree which is usually, but not necessarily, a Bachelor of Science in nursing (BSN) degree. They typically are required to obtain an advanced degree which may be at the masters or doctorate level. Both general practitioner physicians and nurse practitioners provide basic health care services to families including physical examinations, preventive health advice, diagnosis and treatment of illnesses and medical conditions and the ability to write prescriptions.
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