The U.S. News & World Report announced nurse practitioners are the “Best Job of 2025,” and I disagree!
Sure, working as a nurse practitioner looks good on paper—high demand, promising salaries, and opportunities to make a real difference in patient care. But nurse practitioners face far too many challenges to be labeled “Best Job of 2025.”
Don’t get me wrong—I love being a nurse practitioner, and I’m proud of the role we play in healthcare.
But calling it the best job of 2025? I’m not so sure.
Many nurse practitioners are struggling with serious challenges that make this career far from the dream it appears to be on paper.
How the Best Job of 2025 was Calculated
The U.S. News & World Report’s Best Job of 2025 ranking was calculated by evaluating professions across several key factors: income potential, employment rates, job growth, job stability, and work-life balance.
Income reflects earning potential in the role, while employment rates and job growth measure how in-demand the profession is and whether it offers strong career opportunities in the future. Job stability takes into account how secure the position is, even during economic uncertainty, and work-life balance evaluates how well professionals in the role can balance their career responsibilities with their personal lives.
These criteria combined paint a picture of what the best job of 2025 should look like on paper. Nurse practitioners ranked the highest for job growth (a 9.9). Some of the other rankings, such as work-life balance and job stability were not so high. Plus some of these metrics—like work-life balance—may not fully reflect the day-to-day realities that many nurse practitioners face.
Let’s dive into the reasons why being a nurse practitioner might not deserve the title of “best job of 2025,” and what needs to change to better support the professionals in this role.
Challenges Nurse Practitioners Face
1. Nurse Practitioner Burnout Is Real
Burnout isn’t just a buzzword—it’s an epidemic among nurse practitioners. Many APRNs find themselves emotionally and physically drained from the constant demands of their work. Whether you’re in primary care or a specialty clinic, the combination of high patient loads, administrative responsibilities, and endless charting can feel like too much.
What makes this even worse is that so many of us entered this field with the hope of making a meaningful impact on our patients’ lives. But when you’re running from one patient to the next with barely enough time to take care of yourself, it’s hard to feel like you’re giving anyone your best.
Add to that the emotional toll of decision fatigue and compassion fatigue, and it’s no wonder so many nurse practitioners experience burnout and are leaving the profession. This is why nurse practitioners should NOT be named Best Job of 2025.
2. Work-Life Balance is Nonexistent
Ask any nurse practitioner about their biggest struggle, and you’ll hear the same thing over and over: there’s just not enough time in the day. Between managing a full clinic schedule, handling documentation, and dealing with follow-up calls or patient messages, the work often spills into evenings, weekends, and even vacations.
How many times have you promised yourself you wouldn’t bring your laptop home—only to spend your Friday night finishing up charts? Or maybe you’ve skipped out on family time because your to-do list felt too overwhelming.
The truth is, the nurse practitioner job often demands so much of us that it leaves little room for anything else. And with the never ending charting and administrative tasks, that lack of balance can quickly lead to exhaustion and resentment.
One of the factors the U.S. World and News used to rank nurse practitioners was work-life balance. And per the report, per the report, nurse practitioners were given the score 5.3 (I believe this should be even lower). Which is hardly a reason to be named Best Job of 2025.
3. Never-ending Charting
Speaking of charting, let’s talk about how it’s one of the biggest reasons NPs are struggling to keep their heads above water. Electronic health records (EHRs) are supposed to make things easier, but for many of us, they’ve become a never-ending time suck.
The problem is that we’re not just documenting for our own benefit—we’re charting to meet compliance standards, justify billing codes, and cover our backs legally. And because many clinics don’t provide adequate support (or time), nurse practitioner often shoulder these tasks alone. That means finishing up notes late at night or on weekends, sacrificing precious time with family and friends.
The pressure to chart “perfectly” while maintaining efficiency is exhausting, and it’s one of the reasons so many nurse practitioners feel like they’re constantly falling behind. And another reason why APRNs should not be named Best Job of 2025.
4. Low Salaries for High Levels of Responsibility
Here’s a reality check that often surprises people outside the profession: not all nurse practitioners jobs pay well. In fact, some nurse practitioners are making less than experienced registered nurses (RNs)—despite carrying significantly more responsibility, liability, and stress.
While certain specialties or regions may offer competitive salaries, many nurse practitioners are earning less than what they deserve. And when you factor in the cost of education (including student loan debt), required continuing education, licensing fees, and malpractice insurance, the financial tradeoff doesn’t always feel worth it.
Not to mention, nurse practitioners salaries are about half of a physician’s salary in the same field. Yes there are other factors such as education level, insurance reimbursement, and ability to perform certain procedures. But the day to day tasks of most physicians are the same as nurse practitioners. And yet the pay is a staggering difference.
It’s frustrating to see so many nurse practitioners undervalued, especially when we’re taking on complex patient care tasks that require a high level of skill and expertise. Not to mention, nurse practitioners are known for their excellent bedside manner and patient-centered care. This disparity is a major reason why nurse practitioners should not be named Best Job of 2025.
5. Lack of Respect in the Workplace
Another tough reality? Many APRNs face a lack of respect from patients, coworkers, and even colleagues within the healthcare system.
Some patients still don’t understand what nurse practitioners do—or they assume we’re “less qualified” than physicians. Others may question our recommendations or insist on seeing a doctor instead.
Within the workplace, nurse practitioners sometimes face dismissive attitudes from colleagues or administrators who don’t fully appreciate the scope of our practice. This can lead to feelings of isolation and frustration, especially when we’re trying to advocate for our patients or collaborate with a healthcare team.
Respect is a critical piece of job satisfaction, and when it’s missing, it can make an already demanding job feel even harder. Lack of respect within the healthcare community was not taken into account when nurse practitioners were named Best Job of 2025.
What Needs to Change for Nurse Practitioners
I am dang proud to be a nurse practitioner and know we provide exceptional, patient centered care. Nurse practitioners have a unique ability to connect with patients, the opportunity to make a meaningful impact, and the flexibility to work in a variety of specialties. Many nurse practitioners love their jobs and find fulfillment in the work they do.
But to truly make this the “Best Job of 2025,” APRNs need systemic changes that address the challenges outlined above. Here’s what could help:
- Better support for charting: Clinics need to invest in resources like implementation of AI medical scribes (for example, I use Freed: The AI Medical Scribe (affiliate link) in my own practice), improved EHR systems, or dedicated time for documentation.
- Improved work-life balance: Employers should prioritize manageable patient loads and encourage nurse practitioners to set boundaries around their work hours.
- Fair compensation: Nurse practitioners deserve salaries that reflect their education, expertise, and responsibilities.
- Respect and recognition: Educating patients and colleagues about the APRN role can help foster greater understanding and appreciation for what we do.
If these changes were implemented, the nurse practitioner career could live up to the hype and truly be the Best Job of 2025 and beyond.
If you’re an NP struggling with these issues, know that you’re not alone. And if you’re ready to take control of your time and your charting, check out The Nurse Practitioner Charting School.
Our courses are designed to help you streamline your workflows, improve efficiency, and reclaim your evenings and weekends.
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Erica D the NP is a family nurse practitioner and The Nurse Practitioner Charting Coach. Erica helps nurse practitioners STOP charting at home! Erica created The Nurse Practitioner Charting School to be the one stop for all documentation resources created specifically for nurse practitioners. Learn more at www.npchartingschool.com
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