How Much Does an NP Make in District of Columbia in 2026?

A typical NP in the District of Columbia earns about $65.33 per hour, or $135,880 per year, according to the latest government wage data (May 2025). Calculated from that annual figure, pay works out to roughly $11,323 a month and $2,613 a week. Those figures describe the typical NP salary in the district, not the full range from entry-level to experienced practitioners.

That figure runs 3% above the national typical annual pay of $132,300 a year (the national typical hourly rate is $63.61), putting the District of Columbia 14th out of 51 states and jurisdictions. About 680 NPs work in the district, a small workforce next to the 323,040 counted nationwide. Higher pay in the district lines up with its higher cost of living compared with much of the country.

Entry-level positions in the District of Columbia typically offer around $55.39 an hour, or about $115,200 a year, for NPs just starting out. Pay tends to move toward the district's typical $135,880 a year within the first several years on the job. Setting and specialty both play a role in how quickly that happens.

Experienced NPs in the district often earn upwards of $77.38 an hour, or around $160,950 a year, while the top 10% of earners make over $86.68 an hour, or $180,300 a year. The gap between entry-level and top pay comes to $65,100 a year. That spread mostly reflects years of experience, practice setting, and whether the role sits within a hospital system or a smaller outpatient practice.

Nurse practitioner pay in the District of Columbia has climbed steadily over the past decade. In 2015, the typical NP earned $100,910 a year; by 2025, that figure reached $135,880, a gain of $34,970. That amounts to a 35% rise over ten years, according to the same government wage data.

Nationwide, NP pay rose by the same 35% over the decade, so the district's growth kept pace with the rest of the country rather than pulling ahead. Pay in DC moved from $100,910 to $135,880 during a period covering both economic expansion and disruption. For someone starting an NP career in the district now, that record shows pay has moved up steadily, though it offers no guarantee about future years.

Washington, D.C., is both the district's only major metro area, so NP pay is fairly uniform across the District of Columbia. There, the typical NP earns $134,840 a year, or $64.83 an hour, running slightly below the district's overall figure of $135,880. That figure covers the full Washington metro area, not just the city center.

Because Washington is the only city tracked, it's also both the lowest-paying and the highest-paying location in the data, and the one with the largest NP workforce at 4,050 positions. With no meaningful city-to-city spread to report, pay differences within the district come down more to individual employer and practice setting rather than to geography. That leaves DC's citywide figure as the clearest benchmark for NPs anywhere in the district.

Compared with its neighbors, DC pays NPs more than both nearby states. Maryland's typical NP salary runs $131,110 a year, about 4% below the district's figure, while Virginia's comes in at $127,810 a year, about 6% lower. For NPs weighing a move across the Potomac or up into Maryland, licensure earned in one jurisdiction can often be transferred or endorsed into a neighboring one, though requirements vary by board.

NPs in the District of Columbia typically earn $135,880 a year, a figure that has climbed 35% over the past decade and currently runs slightly above the national typical pay. Anyone considering NP work in the district should check the DC Board of Nursing for current licensing and certification requirements, and review city-level pages for how pay compares in nearby Maryland and Virginia markets before making a decision.