NC · Durham · Updated October 15, 2026

Nurse Practitioner jobs in Durham, NC

Pay for nurse practitioners in the Durham area centers on $61.32 per hour, or about $127,540 a year. The lower quarter earns under $54.34 and the upper quarter over $62.88. That ranks 162nd of 372 U.S. metro areas for nurse practitioner pay, and 221st of 336 once local prices are factored in. The CMS hospital directory lists 4 hospitals in Durham. Your free pay report adds named employers and the roles open near Durham.

More open Nurse Practitioner roles in Durham

3 more open roles from employers in Durham. Each employer’s range arrives with your free pay report.

Nurse Practitioner pay in Durham, NC

The metro median is 2% above the North Carolina statewide median of $60.11 per hour. Nationally the median is $62.12 per hour. BLS counts about 1,400 nurse practitioners employed in the Durham-Chapel Hill metro area, 4.1 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 2.05).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$50.09$104,19019% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$54.34$113,03013% below U.S. median
Median$61.32$127,5401% below U.S. median
Upper quartile$62.88$130,7901% above U.S. median
Top 10%$77.43$161,05025% above U.S. median

How Durham ranks

  • 162nd of 372 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 221st of 336 after adjusting for local prices
  • 5th of 13 North Carolina metro areas

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024, Nurse Practitioners (SOC 29-1171), all industries. This is what employers report paying, not an offer for a specific role.

Get the Durham Nurse Practitioner pay report

Named employers near Durham, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.

Get my free pay report

What your pay buys in Durham

  • Overall prices in Durham-Chapel Hill run 2% below the U.S. average (index 97.6, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 1% below the U.S. average (index 98.9).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $61.32 median hour buys what $62.85 buys at the national price level, 1% above the national median.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024. Prices are for the metro area, not for a single neighborhood.

Estimate your Durham paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$2,208
  • Per year: $110,376
  • Per month: $9,198

Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Durham-Chapel Hill metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.

Travel assignment per diem in Durham

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$121
Meals and incidentals per day$74
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$1,365
13-week assignment$17,745

Travel nurse practitioner assignments commonly pay housing and meals stipends. The GSA per diem is the federal benchmark for what those stipends can be tax-free. Whether a stipend is tax-free for you depends on keeping a valid tax home, so confirm with your recruiter and a tax professional. Compare with your offer in the travel pay calculator.

Source: U.S. General Services Administration per diem rates, fiscal year 2026 (average across months).

Open Nurse Practitioner roles in North Carolina

Nearest open roles with published pay. Your free report adds roles in Durham as they open.

All Nurse Practitioner jobs in North Carolina

Hospitals in Durham

CMS lists 4 hospitals in Durham, 3 of the 3 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of nurse practitioners.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Duke Regional Hospital
Durham, NC
Acute careGovernment and federal5 of 5Yes
Duke University Hospital
Durham, NC
Acute careFor-profit5 of 5Yes
Durham Va Medical Center
Durham, NC
Acute Care - Veterans AdministrationGovernment and federal4 of 5Yes
North Carolina Specialty Hospital
Durham, NC
Acute careFor-profitNot ratedNo

Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.

Primary care shortage areas in Durham County

HRSA lists 3 active primary care shortage designations that include Durham County (3 facility). The highest-scoring one rates 16 on a 0 to 25 scale, where a higher score means a greater shortage.

Shortage areas are where demand for nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other clinicians is greatest. Federal loan repayment programs such as the NHSC and Nurse Corps cover some clinicians who work at eligible shortage-area sites. Eligibility is set by each program and by the site, so ask your recruiter before you plan around it.

Source: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas data warehouse, designated areas only. A designation can cover part of a county.

Nurse Practitioner pay in nearby cities

CityDistanceMedian payPopulation
Chapel Hill, NC9 mi$61.32/hr64,028
Cary, NC14 mi$63.14/hr182,659
Apex, NC17 mi$63.14/hr75,977
Raleigh, NC18 mi$63.14/hr499,825
Wake Forest, NC22 mi$63.14/hr56,764
Burlington, NC33 mi$62.93/hr61,365

Nurse Practitioner jobs in North Carolina · Nurse Practitioner jobs nationwide

License and tax basics in North Carolina

North Carolina is in the Nurse Licensure Compact, so an RN or LPN/LVN with a multistate license from another compact state can work here without a new license. Nurses whose home state is not in the compact apply for a North Carolina license by endorsement.

North Carolina taxes wage income. Use your own rates in the take-home pay calculator.

North Carolina state guide · Nurse Licensure Compact guide

Other healthcare roles in Durham

Durham city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do nurse practitioners make in Durham, NC?

Nurse Practitioners in the Durham-Chapel Hill metro area have a median pay of $61.32 per hour, about $127,540 a year. The middle half earn between $54.34 and $62.88 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

Is Durham a good place for nurse practitioners once cost of living is counted?

Durham-Chapel Hill ranks 221st of 336 metro areas for nurse practitioner pay after adjusting for local prices, and 162nd of 372 before adjusting. Overall prices run 2% below the U.S. average.

Where do nurse practitioners work in Durham?

CMS lists 4 hospitals in Durham, led by Duke Regional Hospital. Ask for the free report to see current openings and pay.

Do I need a North Carolina license to work in Durham as a nurse practitioner?

North Carolina is in the Nurse Licensure Compact, so an RN or LPN/LVN with a multistate license from another compact state can work here without a new license. Nurses whose home state is not in the compact apply for a North Carolina license by endorsement. Confirm with the board before you accept a role.

Is Durham in a shortage area?

HRSA lists 3 active primary care shortage designations that include Durham County. Shortage areas often have more openings, and some loan repayment programs cover clinicians who work at eligible sites.

What is the per diem for a travel assignment in Durham?

The federal per diem benchmark in Durham is $121 a night for lodging and $74 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,365 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.

Does Valorem Health place nurse practitioners in Durham?

Yes. We place healthcare staff in Durham and across North Carolina. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Durham.

Free for every candidate

What do employers near Durham pay nurse practitioners? Get the report.

Tell us your role and city. Within 24 hours you get an email with three things, by employer name. It costs you nothing, because employers pay us.

  1. 1
    Pay for your role at other hospitals

    The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.

  2. 2
    What they are offering now

    The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.

  3. 3
    Roles open for you right now

    Every current opening near you with pay, shift and start date. Reply with one click.

Get your free pay report

110+ Nurse Practitioner roles in North Carolina, sent free by email

Tell us who you are and what you do. We email the report within 24 hours on business days.

Please enter your first name.
Please enter your last name.
That email doesn't look quite right.
Please choose your role.
Please enter your city or ZIP.

Free for candidates. No phone number, no cold calls. One-click unsubscribe.

The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval: Health Care Staffing Services Certification, since 2022American Staffing Association memberNATHO member: National Association of Travel Healthcare OrganizationsNALTO member: National Association of Locum Tenens Organizations

Pay report · NP near Durham, NC
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

Your NP pay reportDurham, NC · pay published by employers and employer-reported wage offers in federal filings

1Pay for your role at other employers

  • Advocate HealthCharlotte, NC · 46 postings$63.82/ hr$48–$95
  • Genesis HealthcareMount Olive, NC · 3 postings$57.19/ hr$50–$61
  • Eden Internal Medicine PLLCEden, NC · 1 wage offer$53.81/ hr$54–$54

Median pay per hour, with the range each employer published or reported in federal filings.

2What they are offering now

Low$51Median$63.82High$88

51 NP postings with published pay in North Carolina, 50 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.

3Open now: 51 NP roles

  1. Advanced Practice Nurse (NP) PodiatryPermanent
    $136k–$197k/ year
    Veterans Health Administration · Salisbury, NC · posted today
  2. Behavioral Health Full-Time NP/PAPermanent
    $59.00–$88.50/ hour
    Advocate Health · North Carolina · posted today

+ 49 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.

I'm interestedOne click. A recruiter writes only after you reply.
Check my pay