Want to Be a Nurse Practitioner?

Sup nurses!

After analyzing data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, home and rental prices from Zillow, and crime statistics, I've uncovered something fascinating about Nurse Practitioner salaries in California.

While many of us already know that nurses earn great money in Northern California, what's truly eye-opening isn't just the high salaries - it's what these numbers actually mean for real life. Sure, making $210,000 in San Jose sounds impressive, but the story changes dramatically when you start digging into the data.

It wasn't until I started cross-referencing salary data with housing costs that the true picture emerged. Take San Jose, for example: that $210,970 salary looks fantastic until you realize a typical house costs $1.4 million, with a monthly mortgage over $10,500! Or San Francisco, where the salary is $192,720, but after housing costs, some NPs are actually going into debt each year.

The real insights came from piecing together all these different data sources - looking at not just what NPs earn, but what they keep after expenses, how safe their neighborhoods are, and whether renting might actually leave them better off than buying.

What I discovered might change how you think about those "high-paying" cities...

Let's break down what Nurse Practitioners actually take home after paying for basic living expenses.

💰 The Top 10 Highest-Paying Cities:

1. San Jose area, CA: $210,970

   • If you own a house: $28,997 left per year

   • If you rent: $118,217 left per year

   • Crime rate: 25.0 (pretty safe!)

2. Napa, CA: $206,130

   • If you own: $72,476 left per year

   • If you rent: $113,192 left per year

   • Crime rate: 25.2 (also very safe!)

3. San Francisco area, CA: $192,720

   • If you own: MINUS $40,246 (you'd be in debt!)

   • If you rent: $31,718 left per year

   • Crime rate: 26.6 (still pretty safe)

4. Vallejo-Fairfield, CA: $172,840

   • If you own: $72,588 left per year

   • If you rent: $97,644 left per year

   • Crime rate: 40.2 (getting a bit risky)

5. El Centro, CA: $159,220

   • If you own: $85,607 left per year

   • If you rent: $96,095 left per year

   • Crime rate: 49.2 (medium risk)

🌎 What About New York City? Comes in at #31, paying $146,020

• If you own: $8,466 left per year

• If you rent: $30,330 left per year

• Crime rate: 42.0 (medium risk)

💡 The Big Lesson Check this out: Even though San Jose pays the most ($210,970), look what happens:

• San Jose renter has: $118,217 left

• El Centro renter has: $96,095 left

• Only about a $22,000 difference despite a $51,750 salary gap!

🏆 The Real Winners (After Mortgage & Taxes):

1. El Centro, CA

   • $85,607 left annually after mortgage & taxes

   • Median salary: $159,220

   • Affordable housing ($359,731)

   • Only $2,762 monthly mortgage

   • Moderate crime rate (49.2)

   • Growing community with decent balance of pros/cons

2. Corcoran, CA

   • $84,681 left annually

   • Lower salary ($143,890)

   • Very affordable housing ($258,871)

   • $1,966 monthly mortgage

   • IMPORTANT NOTE: Housing is cheap for a reason

   • Known for having one of California's largest prisons

   • The high crime rate makes it less desirable despite the numbers

3. Wichita Falls, TX

   • $82,710 left annually

   • First non-CA city on the list!

   • Salary: $133,440

   • Very affordable housing ($168,224)

   • $1,535 monthly mortgage

   • Moderate crime rate (42.8)

   • Good balance of affordability and livability

4. Madera, CA

   • $81,020 left annually

   • Salary: $158,110

   • Reasonable housing ($403,522)

   • LOWEST crime rate (12.4)

   • Best safety rating on this list

   • Great for families

   • The most well-rounded option when considering all factors

5. Flint, MI

   • $80,389 left annually

   • Lower salary ($110,960)

   • Extremely affordable housing ($60,596)

   • $448 monthly mortgage

   • IMPORTANT NOTE: Extremely high crime rate (85.6)

   • Known for serious infrastructure issues

   • Housing prices reflect ongoing city-wide challenges

   • Numbers look good on paper but quality of life concerns are significant

💡 Key Insight: This analysis reveals why it's crucial to look beyond just the numbers. While cities like Corcoran and Flint show high take-home pay potential, their low housing costs reflect serious livability challenges. Madera stands out as perhaps the most balanced option, offering good take-home pay AND a safe environment.

In real estate, they say "location, location, location" - sometimes a higher mortgage payment in a safer, more desirable area is worth the investment in your quality of life!

If you want access to the spreadsheet, see how it works:

Why You Should Get This Spreadsheet

This isn’t just a list of cities—it’s a tool made for nurses like you. It doesn’t matter if you’re thinking of staying in your home state or moving out of state, this spreadsheet will help you find different cities and make better financial decisions for you, or your family, based on real data.

What You Can Filter By:

• Median Salaries: See how much you can make as a nurse in different cities and states.

• Home Prices: Compare median home prices to find out where you can afford to buy.

• Monthly Mortgage Payments: Understand what your monthly mortgage would look like.

• Money Left Over (If Owning): See how much you’ll have left each month after taxes and mortgage payments.

• Money Left Over (Annually, If Owning): Get a clear picture of your true annual take-home pay after owning a home.

• Rent Prices: Compare average rent prices across different cities.

• Money Left Over (If Renting): Find out how much you’ll have left each month after rent and taxes.

• Money Left Over (Annually, If Renting): Estimate your yearly savings while renting.

• Compare Professions: See how nursing salaries stack up against other healthcare jobs.

• State Comparisons: Look at the same data across different states to help make the best financial and lifestyle decisions.

Professions covered in the spreadsheet

• Nursing Assistants

• Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs)

• Nursing Instructors

• Registered Nurses (RNs)

• Nurse Midwives

• Nurse Practitioners (NPs)

• Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs)

Here's the best part: Monica and I used this same type of data when we made our move to Sacramento, and it’s one of the reasons we now work fewer than 20 hours a week and still earn around $300k a year (check out our course to find out how).

If you’re serious about seeing how much you could take home and are planning your move because you just aren’t making enough to survive where you currently live, this spreadsheet will change your life.

Get Your Spreadsheet Now

👉 Click here to access the full spreadsheet and start planning.

P.S. Whether you’re thinking of renting or buying, this spreadsheet will give you the full picture of the best cities for nurses like you!

Special Offer for Course Buyers Until Black Friday

If you decide to purchase our Nurses to Riches Accelerator course, this spreadsheet, along with all of our other spreadsheets and thousands of dollars worth of materials and bonuses, will be included at no additional cost. Plus, as a thank you for being a loyal newsletter subscriber, use coupon code “LOYAL5” to get an extra 5% off your course purchase!