Nurse Practitioner Pay

Nurse Practitioner Salary in Maine: $135,730 (2026)

Quick Answer:Across Maine's 10 metropolitan areas, the average median nurse practitioner pay sits at $135,730/year heading into 2026 — a figure projected from 2025 BLS OEWS wage data for SOC 29-1171. Because Maine sits at BEA RPP 99.6 (0% above the U.S. baseline), that statewide median translates to roughly $136,275 in nationally-comparable purchasing power. Highest-paying metros: Lewiston ($135,630), Auburn ($135,592), Bangor ($131,460).

Nurse Practitioner Salary in Maine - 2025 BLS Data Infographic
Maine nurse practitioner salary overview (2026)
$135,730
Avg Median Salary
$65.26
Avg Hourly Rate
1,155
Metro Employed
10
Cities

For those considering a career as a nurse practitioner in Maine, the salary landscape shows that the average median salary is projected at $135,730 in 2026, which is slightly below the national median of $136,864, reflecting a difference of -0.8%. The income varies across the state, with Lewiston leading at $140,309, while Brunswick reports the lowest at $126,144. This gap of $14,165 can be attributed to factors such as the local demand for healthcare services, cost of living variations, and specific employment opportunities available in different metro areas. In Maine, nurse practitioners must comply with state licensing requirements and operate under specific scope of practice laws that can influence their roles and responsibilities. Currently, the job market for nurse practitioners shows an annual growth rate of 3.45%, indicating a steady demand for these professionals across the state. The top-paying cities, including Auburn at $140,270 and Bangor at $135,995, highlight the potential for higher earnings particularly in regions with greater healthcare needs or larger patient populations. Overall, aspiring nurse practitioners should consider these factors when evaluating their career path in Maine's healthcare landscape.

Maine Nurse Practitioner Salary Range

Entry Level (10th %ile)
$111,383
avg across 10 cities
Median
$135,730
state average
Top Earners (90th %ile)
$172,688
avg across 10 cities

Overall salary range in Maine: $101,541 (lowest entry-level) to $178,886 (highest top earner)

Maine vs National Average

Maine
$135,730
National Median
$136,864

Maine nurse practitioners earn 0.83% less than the national median ($-1,134/year difference).

Maine Nurse Practitioner Salary Distribution (2026)

Vertical bar chart showing Maine nurse practitioner salary percentiles: 10th percentile $111,383, 25th $120,506, Median $135,730, 75th $148,850, 90th $172,688. US national median is $136,864.$48.4K$96.7K$145.1K$193.4K$111.4K10thEntry Level$120.5K25thEarly Career$135.7KMedianMid Career$148.8K75thExperienced$172.7K90thTop EarnerUS Median $136.9K

Nurse Practitioner salaries in Maine range from $111,383 (entry-level, 10th percentile) to $172,688 (top earners, 90th percentile), with a median of $135,730. The Maine median is $1,134 below the US national median of $136,864. The average hourly rate is $65.26/hr. Approximately 1,155 nurse practitioners are employed across 10 cities.

2019 BLS Actual

$107,569

2025 BLS Actual

$131,203

2026 Current Est.

$135,730

2019–2027 Growth

+30.5%

Salary Trajectory for Nurse Practitioners in Maine (20192027)

2019–2025: actual BLS OEWS data for this metro area. 2026+: CAGR 3.45% projection.

BLS Actual Estimated Projected
Salary trajectory chart for nurse practitioners in Maine. Baseline $107,569 in 2025, projected to $140,412 by 2027.$101.0K$112.5K$124.0K$135.5K$147.0K2019202020212022202320242025202620272025 BLS$107.6K$111.0K$121.3K$116.9K$124.7K$124.9K$131.2K$135.7K$140.4K
YearAnnual SalaryStatus
2019$107,569Actual
2020$110,958Actual
2021$121,293Actual
2022$116,941Actual
2023$124,682Actual
2024$124,910Actual
2025$131,203Actual
2026(current)$135,730Estimated
2027$140,412Projected

Based on 7 years of BLS OEWS data for the Maine metropolitan area, the median nurse practitioner salary grew 22.0% from $107,569 (2019) to $131,203 (2025). At a 3.45% compound annual growth rate, salaries are projected to reach $140,412 by 2027 — a total increase of $32,843 (30.53%) from 2019.

Note: Historical values (20192025) are actual BLS OEWS figures for the Maine metropolitan area, sourced from annual Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys. 20262026 figures are current estimates, and 2027 values are projections, calculated using a 3.45% CAGR derived from 7-year BLS historical data. Actual salaries may vary based on employer, experience, certifications, and local market conditions.

Top 5 Highest Paying Cities in Maine

#1
Lewiston
180 employed · $67.46/hr
$140,309
+3.37% vs avg
#2
Auburn
6 employed · $67.44/hr
$140,270
+3.34% vs avg
#3
Bangor
220 employed · $65.38/hr
$135,995
+0.20% vs avg
#4
Portland
720 employed · $64.78/hr
$134,733
-0.73% vs avg
#5
South Portland
4 employed · $64.50/hr
$134,157
-1.16% vs avg

Lowest Paying Cities in Maine

CityMedian Salary
Brunswick$126,144
Sanford$127,344
Augusta$128,543
Biddeford$128,973
Scarborough$130,060

Best Value Cities for Nurse Practitioners in Maine

When adjusted for local cost of living, these Maine cities offer the most purchasing power for nurse practitioners.

CityNominal SalaryCoL IndexAdjusted Salary
Lewiston$140,30994.736$148,105
Bangor$135,99596.508$140,916
Auburn$140,27099.6$140,833
South Portland$134,15799.6$134,696
Portland$134,733101.858$132,275

Adjusted salary = nominal salary × (100 / CoL index). CoL index: 100 = national average. Lower index = lower cost of living.

Salary by Experience Level in Maine

Experience LevelEstimated Annual
Entry Level (0-2 years)$111,383
Mid Career (3-7 years)$135,730
Experienced (7+ years)$172,688

Estimates based on BLS percentile data averaged across Maine metro areas. Individual pay varies by employer, certifications, and specialization.

All 10 Cities in Maine

#CityMedian Salary
1Lewiston$140,309
2Auburn$140,270
3Bangor$135,995
4Portland$134,733
5South Portland$134,157
6Scarborough$130,060
7Biddeford$128,973
8Augusta$128,543
9Sanford$127,344
10Brunswick$126,144

More Maine Salary Data

Hourly Rates

Explore nurse practitioner hourly pay in Maine cities.

Entry Level

Starting salaries for new nurse practitioners.

Senior / Experienced

Top earner salaries for experienced nurse practitioners.

Explore More Nurse Practitioner Salary Data

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do nurse practitioners make in Maine in 2026?

The average median nurse practitioner salary in Maine is $135,730/year across 10 metro areas, based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). Salaries range from $126,144 in Brunswick to $140,309 in Lewiston. This makes Maine 0.83% below the national median of $136,864. The state employs approximately 1,155 nurse practitioners.

What is the highest paying city for nurse practitioners in Maine?

Lewiston offers the highest nurse practitioner salary in Maine at $140,309/year ($67.46/hr), based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). The top 3 highest-paying cities are Lewiston ($140,309), Auburn ($140,270), Bangor ($135,995). Higher pay in these metros is typically driven by cost of living, demand for advanced practice nursing services, and competition among employers for licensed nurse practitioners.

How does Maine nurse practitioner pay compare to the national average?

Maine's average nurse practitioner salary of $135,730 is 0.83% below the national median of $136,864 in 2026. The state employs approximately 1,155 nurse practitioners across 10 metropolitan areas. When comparing salaries, consider cost-of-living differences — a lower nominal salary in an affordable area may provide better purchasing power than a higher salary in an expensive metro.

What is the entry-level nurse practitioner salary in Maine?

Entry-level nurse practitioners (10th percentile) in Maine earn approximately $111,383/year on average, based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). Starting salaries range from $101,541 in lower-paying areas to $113,454 in the highest-paying metros. New graduates should expect salaries at the lower end and can typically reach the area median within 3–5 years of clinical experience.

How many nurse practitioners are employed in Maine?

Maine employs approximately 1,155 nurse practitioners across 10 metropolitan areas, based on the latest BLS data. Job availability varies by metro area, with larger cities offering more opportunities. Demand continues to grow as the advanced practice nursing field expands and the population ages.

Which Maine city offers the best value for nurse practitioners?

When adjusted for cost of living, Lewiston offers the highest purchasing power for nurse practitioners in Maine, with an adjusted salary of $148,105 (nominal: $140,309, CoL index: 94.736). This means your dollar goes 6% further compared to the national average, making it an attractive option for maximizing real income.
MG

Written by Maria Gonzalez, MSN, NP-C

Career Analyst

Maria has 10 years of experience in adult healthcare. She works in a community health clinic. Her specialty is chronic disease management.

Clinically reviewed by James Patel, DNP, APRNData verified by Aisha Khan, MSN, FNP-BC

Methodology & Data Source

Statewide salary figures on this page are 2026 projections based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2026 release. A 3.45% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), derived from 6-year national BLS wage trends, was applied to each metro area's reported salary to estimate current 2026 nurse practitioner compensation across Maine. State averages are employment-weighted across 10 metro areas — larger metro areas with more nurse practitionerscontribute proportionally more to the average, producing figures that better reflect typical compensation. Individual pay varies by city, employer, certifications, and experience.

Data Sources & Methodology

Source: BLS, OEWS, 7-year dataset (). Per-city data from annual BLS metropolitan area surveys.

2026 figures are projected from 2025 BLS data using a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.45%, derived from historical BLS wage trends for nurse practitioners (SOC 29-1171).

Compiled and verified by Maria Gonzalez, MSN, NP-C, a licensed nurse practitioner with 10+ years of clinical experience. · View source data at BLS.gov

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