Nurse Practitioner Salary in Washington (2026)

Worth knowing: Washington has been a Full Practice Authority (FPA) state since 1994 — Washington was among the first 5 US states to grant nurse practitioners full independent practice authority (no physician supervision required for diagnosis + treatment + prescribing). WA's FPA status creates substantial practice ownership opportunity unavailable to NPs in restricted-practice states (CA, FL, TX where NPs require physician collaboration). Senior WA NPs operating independent solo + small-group practices routinely clear $135-285K TC including practice income + ancillary services. UW Medicine (~28K employees including substantial NP-staffed primary care + specialty clinics across UW Medical Center + Harborview + UW Medical Center Northwest + Valley Medical Center) plus Virginia Mason Franciscan Health post-2021 merger create one of the country's larger NP employer concentrations. WA has substantial federal HPSA-designated shortage areas — particularly Eastern WA + Olympic Peninsula + rural counties — driving sustained NP demand at premium rural-practice wages. WA's 0% state income tax (no income tax) + no city earnings tax means a senior $175K NP takes home substantially more than peer-state CA or NY equivalents at similar comp. WA Cares Fund 0.58% capped at $870/year on W-2 wages is the only WA state-level wage tax. WA Capital Gains Tax 7% applies above $270K LTCG threshold — most NP W-2 income fully exempt.