Infectious disease nurse practitioners earn a national median of approximately $115,000–$130,000, with meaningful variation based on work setting, subspecialty, geographic market, and whether the role includes inpatient on-call responsibility. The BLS May 2024 median for all NPs (SOC 29-1171) is $129,210 — ID NPs cluster slightly below this median in nonprofit HIV clinic and public health settings, and above it in hospital ASP programs, academic ID consult services, and pharmaceutical/biotech roles. The ceiling in pharma and clinical research reaches $175,000–$200,000 for experienced ID NPs with research backgrounds.
This guide covers salary by work setting, by subspecialty, and by state, plus the structural factors that move compensation up or down in ID careers. For the full career pathway, see how to become an infectious disease nurse practitioner.
National snapshot (2025 estimates):
- 10th percentile: ~$95,000
- 25th percentile: ~$108,000
- Median: ~$120,000
- 75th percentile: ~$138,000
- 90th percentile: ~$158,000
Note: BLS does not publish infectious disease-specific NP salary data. Figures above are based on BLS SOC 29-1171 NP state and metropolitan data (May 2024), adjusted for ID-specific setting and specialty modifiers derived from IDSA workforce surveys, professional association salary reports, and job market data.
Salary by work setting
Setting is the strongest single predictor of ID NP compensation. Inpatient roles with on-call responsibility pay a premium over ambulatory settings. Pharma and biotech roles carry the highest ceiling but are removed from direct patient care.
| Work setting | Typical salary range | On-call component | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hospital ID consult service (academic) | $125,000–$155,000 | Yes, common | On-call premium adds $5,000–$15,000 to base; AGACNP-BC preferred |
| Hospital ID consult service (community) | $115,000–$140,000 | Sometimes | Smaller consult volume, fewer learner demands |
| Antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) | $120,000–$145,000 | Rarely | Systems-level role; pharmacy-heavy environment; predictable hours |
| Outpatient ID clinic | $108,000–$130,000 | No | Chronic infection management, HCV, Lyme, immunocompromised follow-up |
| HIV/AIDS clinic (academic program) | $120,000–$155,000 | No | SF, NYC, Boston academic HIV programs at upper end |
| Ryan White clinic (nonprofit) | $90,000–$115,000 | No | Federal grant funding constrains pay; NHSC loan repayment often available |
| Travel medicine clinic | $100,000–$125,000 | No | Usually paired with general ID or occupational health; lower volume specialty |
| Public health (state/CDC) | $85,000–$115,000 | Variable | Civil service pay scales; outbreak response positions at upper end |
| Pharmaceutical / biotech (MSL, clinical research) | $150,000–$200,000+ | No | Medical Science Liaison, CRO roles; requires ID clinical expertise + communication skills |
| FQHC / community health center | $95,000–$120,000 | No | NHSC loan repayment available; HIV and HCV volume high in urban FQHCs |
HIV/AIDS subspecialty compensation
HIV medicine is the largest ID subspecialty for NPs by employment volume. Compensation varies substantially by employer type.
Academic HIV programs (UCSF, Weill Cornell, Johns Hopkins, Boston Medical) pay the highest HIV NP salaries — $130,000–$160,000 — driven by cost of living in hub cities and the research-intensive environment, which generates NIH grant funding that supplements clinical revenue. AAHIVS certification and a publication record provide leverage at this level.
Ryan White Part C clinics are the primary safety-net employers in HIV medicine nationally, operating in all 50 states. Federal grant funding through HRSA constrains base salaries ($90,000–$115,000 range in most markets). The offset is National Health Service Corps (NHSC) loan repayment eligibility — most Ryan White sites qualify as NHSC-approved sites, making $50,000–$100,000 in student loan repayment available to NPs committing to 2–3 year service agreements. For NPs carrying significant loan debt, the effective compensation at a Ryan White clinic can exceed a higher-salary commercial practice.
PrEP-only and sexual health clinics have emerged as a distinct employer category, particularly in LGBT health centers. Salaries range $100,000–$125,000; the clinical scope is narrower than full HIV medicine but volume can be high in urban markets.
Antimicrobial stewardship salary detail
ASP is consistently overlooked in NP career guides, but it is a growing formal employment category with distinct compensation characteristics.
Hospital ASP NPs typically earn $120,000–$145,000 nationally, with minimal night/weekend call. The role pairs NPs with ID-trained pharmacists under physician ASP leadership. Hours are predictable and the setting is intellectually demanding — daily work involves culture result review, antibiotic approval decisions, prescriber education, and program metrics. Academic medical center ASP programs at major institutions (Johns Hopkins, Duke, University of Michigan) pay at the upper end and carry prestige for NPs seeking a research-integrated career.
The CMS CoP mandate means ASP positions exist in every Medicare/Medicaid hospital with more than 25 beds. Entry to ASP roles typically requires 2–3 years of ID clinical experience or a strong microbiology and pharmacology background. Some hospitals hire new ID NP graduates directly into junior ASP roles with structured mentorship.
Salary by state
The table below uses BLS SOC 29-1171 (Nurse Practitioners) May 2024 state-level median data as a baseline, adjusted for ID-specific factors where market data supports differentiation. States with large urban academic HIV programs or major hospital systems with expanded ID APP programs tend to pay above the NP median for ID-specific roles.
| State | Estimated ID NP salary range | BLS NP median (SOC 29-1171) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $140,000–$175,000 | $161,020 | UCSF, UCLA, SF DPH HIV programs at upper end; full-practice authority state |
| New York | $130,000–$165,000 | $139,530 | NYC academic HIV programs (Weill Cornell, Columbia, Bellevue); restricted practice |
| Massachusetts | $128,000–$158,000 | $139,690 | Boston academic ID programs (BMC, MGH, Dana-Farber ID); restricted practice |
| Washington | $125,000–$155,000 | $140,030 | UW Medicine, Seattle/King County HIV program; full-practice authority |
| Oregon | $120,000–$148,000 | $134,730 | OHSU ID program; full-practice authority |
| Colorado | $118,000–$145,000 | $123,960 | UCHealth, Denver Health HIV clinic; full-practice authority |
| Minnesota | $118,000–$145,000 | $125,730 | Mayo Clinic, Hennepin Healthcare; full-practice authority |
| Maryland | $120,000–$150,000 | $130,230 | Johns Hopkins ID/ASP programs; federal public health proximity (CDC/NIH) |
| Virginia | $115,000–$140,000 | $122,780 | VCU, UVA ID programs; full-practice authority |
| North Carolina | $112,000–$138,000 | $115,870 | Duke, UNC Chapel Hill ID; reduced-practice authority |
| Georgia | $108,000–$132,000 | $112,940 | Emory ID/HIV programs, Grady Ryan White; restricted practice |
| Texas | $110,000–$138,000 | $118,280 | UT Southwestern, MD Anderson ID; restricted practice; large state variation |
| Florida | $108,000–$135,000 | $114,050 | University of Miami, Broward Ryan White; restricted practice |
| Illinois | $112,000–$138,000 | $118,430 | Northwestern, Rush, University of Chicago ID programs; reduced practice |
| Michigan | $110,000–$136,000 | $117,900 | U Michigan ASP program, Henry Ford ID; full-practice authority (since 2020) |
| Ohio | $108,000–$132,000 | $113,500 | Cleveland Clinic, Ohio State ID; reduced practice |
| Pennsylvania | $110,000–$135,000 | $117,470 | UPMC ID fellowship/APP program, Penn Medicine; restricted practice |
| Tennessee | $105,000–$130,000 | $109,800 | Vanderbilt ID, UT Medical; full-practice authority |
| Arizona | $112,000–$138,000 | $122,350 | Banner Health, Mayo Clinic Arizona; full-practice authority |
| Nevada | $118,000–$145,000 | $133,020 | Las Vegas market; significant ID demand; full-practice authority |
| New Mexico | $110,000–$135,000 | $117,080 | UNM Health Sciences ID; NHSC sites common; full-practice authority |
| Indiana | $105,000–$128,000 | $111,160 | IU Health ID programs; full-practice authority |
| Wisconsin | $108,000–$132,000 | $113,380 | UW Health, Froedtert ID; full-practice authority |
| Iowa | $105,000–$128,000 | $110,560 | UI Health Care; full-practice authority; lower cost of living |
| Missouri | $105,000–$128,000 | $110,900 | WashU/Barnes-Jewish ID, MU Health; restricted practice |
| Kansas | $100,000–$122,000 | $106,050 | KU Medical Center; full-practice authority; NHSC-eligible rural sites |
| Louisiana | $100,000–$125,000 | $107,200 | LSU, Ochsner Health ID; Ryan White programs in New Orleans; restricted practice |
| Alabama | $98,000–$120,000 | $104,700 | UAB ID (major academic ID program); restricted practice; rural NHSC opportunities |
| Mississippi | $95,000–$118,000 | $101,430 | UMMC ID; restricted practice; highest NHSC loan repayment eligibility |
| Montana | $105,000–$128,000 | $110,980 | Full-practice authority; ID services concentrated at Billings Clinic, St. Patrick |
| Alaska | $120,000–$148,000 | $129,590 | Geographic premium; full-practice authority; travel health component common |
Factors that move ID NP salary
Inpatient on-call responsibility Hospital ID consult service positions typically include a night/weekend on-call component, compensated either as a flat annual stipend ($5,000–$15,000) or as hourly call pay. Before accepting a hospital ID role, negotiate call structure explicitly — some institutions expect unpaid “availability” that erodes the effective hourly rate.
Full-practice authority state NPs in full-practice authority states (43+ states as of 2025) can negotiate without a collaborating physician fee structure, which increases take-home compensation and reduces administrative overhead. Restricted-practice states require physician collaborative agreements, which sometimes come with cost-sharing arrangements that reduce NP net pay.
NHSC loan repayment eligibility Ryan White clinics, FQHCs, and public health settings disproportionately qualify as NHSC-approved sites. A 2-year NHSC commitment offers $50,000 in loan repayment (primary care sites) or $100,000 for practices in Tier 1 Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs). For NPs with $100,000–$200,000 in student debt, NHSC-eligible ID positions dramatically improve total compensation versus face value salary.
HIV vs. general ID focus HIV medicine subspecialization adds compensation leverage in urban markets with competitive academic HIV programs. AAHIVS certification and a PrEP/HIV panel building track record both support higher compensation in HIV-focused negotiations.
ASP credentialing and program scope ASP NPs with SIDP (Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists) educational credentials or formal ID pharmacology training command higher compensation. Health system-wide ASP roles (managing stewardship across multiple facilities) pay more than single-hospital ASP positions.
Academic vs. community setting Academic ID programs pay above community hospitals for NPs willing to accept teaching and research responsibilities. The gap is $10,000–$20,000 on average. Academic roles also provide access to malpractice coverage, CME funding, and career advancement tracks not available at community sites.
Pharmaceutical / biotech ceiling ID NPs who transition into pharma as Medical Science Liaisons (MSLs) or clinical researchers often see immediate $30,000–$50,000 compensation increases. The trade-off is distance from direct patient care. Antimicrobial, HIV, and hepatitis C drug portfolios represent the most ID-relevant MSL territories.
Specialty comparison
| Specialty | Estimated median salary | On-call common? | Procedures? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infectious disease NP | $120,000 | Yes (inpatient) | Rare |
| Oncology NP | $122,000 | Occasionally | Port access, biopsy assist |
| Cardiology NP | $126,000 | Yes (interventional) | Device interrogation, stress test supervision |
| Pulmonology NP | $120,000 | Yes (critical care) | Bronchoscopy assist |
| Endocrinology NP | $115,000 | Rarely | Rare |
| Dermatology NP | $118,000 | No | Biopsies, excisions, Mohs assist |
| Emergency NP | $130,000 | Built into shift structure | Laceration repair, procedural sedation |
| Neurology NP | $120,000 | Sometimes | LP assist |
ID NPs sit at the median of the specialist NP range. The salary profile rewards NPs who value intellectual complexity, cross-departmental influence, and public health scope over procedural volume or shift-based premium pay.
Career stage progression
Entry-level ID NPs (years 1–3) typically earn $105,000–$120,000. Compensation accelerates when an NP demonstrates consistent independent clinical judgment in ID decision-making, usually by years 3–5. Senior ID NPs (5+ years, with ASP or HIV subspecialty focus) commonly reach $130,000–$155,000. Program director or ASP director roles at health systems add $15,000–$25,000 in administrative compensation above clinical base.
For broader NP salary context, see the nurse practitioner salary guide. For a salary comparison in another cognitive specialty with similar career trajectory, see the oncology NP salary guide.
Frequently asked questions
Do ID NPs earn less than other specialist NPs? At the median, yes — slightly. ID is primarily a cognitive and consultative specialty without the procedure-based income supplements that inflate salaries in cardiology, urology, or emergency medicine. The compensation gap is real but narrower than it appears: ASP roles, academic programs, and pharma transitions all provide pathways to above-median NP compensation. The nurse practitioner salary guide provides the full specialty comparison.
Does AAHIVS certification increase salary? In HIV-focused markets, yes. Academic HIV programs in San Francisco, New York, and Boston increasingly list AAHIVS as a preferred qualification, and certification provides negotiating leverage. In general ID or ASP roles without a heavy HIV component, the credential has less direct salary impact — though it demonstrates subspecialty commitment.
Are ASP NP salaries competitive? ASP salaries ($120,000–$145,000) are competitive relative to outpatient ID and compare favorably with the national NP median, especially given the predictable hours and absence of on-call responsibility. For NPs who value work-life structure, ASP roles offer an attractive compensation-to-lifestyle ratio.
How does the Ryan White clinic salary compare after loan repayment? A Ryan White NP earning $105,000 at an NHSC Tier 1 HPSA site can receive $100,000 in student loan repayment over two years — a $50,000/year non-taxable benefit. Adjusted for this, effective annual compensation reaches $155,000 equivalent in year one, making Ryan White positions financially competitive with private academic programs despite the lower face-value salary.