Why more state licenses directly translate to more income
If you're going to pay for multi-state licensure, it makes sense to focus your efforts on getting the most bang for your buck. One way to approach this is by looking at what percentage of the U.S. population each state license gives you access to. With the right strategy, you can cover a significant portion of the population with just a few key licenses.
Let's start with a few stark comparisons to highlight the massive differences in state populations and their impact on NP licensing:
- Los Angeles, CA: 3.9 million people vs. Vermont: 647,000 - LA has six times Vermont's entire population.
- Houston, TX: 2.3 million people vs. Wyoming: 584,000 - Houston alone is nearly four times Wyoming's population.
- Miami, FL: 440,000 people vs. Alaska: 733,000 - Miami's metro area, with 6.1 million people, is over eight times Alaska's total population.
If you're licensed in a highly populated state, you'll have access to a far larger pool of patients than in the least populous states.
Maximizing Your Reach: Why 5 State Licenses Can Give You Huge Coverage
Let's say you get licensed in California, Texas, Florida, New York, and Pennsylvania - the five most populous states.
Together, these five states account for 37.5% of the total U.S. population. By holding licenses in these states, you'll have access to over one-third of the U.S. population, meaning a much larger pool of potential patients compared to getting licensed in smaller states.
In contrast, getting licenses in the bottom five states (Wyoming, Vermont, Alaska, North Dakota, and South Dakota) gives you access to just 2.1% of the U.S. population.
If you're aiming for maximum patient reach and career flexibility, focusing on high-population states offers exponentially more opportunities. Securing NP licenses in the top five states gives you access to over a third of the U.S. population, providing significant leverage in terms of patient care, job prospects, and overall demand.
"If you're ready to streamline the licensing process and expand your reach, NPLicensing.com offers full-service multi-state licensing to get you covered in the states that matter most. Whether you're starting with one state or aiming for nationwide coverage, we take care of the paperwork so you can focus on what you do best - providing patient care."
— NPLicensing.com
State Populations and Percent of Total U.S. Population (2023 Estimates)
- California: 38,965,193 (11.7%)
- Texas: 30,503,301 (9.2%)
- Florida: 22,610,726 (6.8%)
- New York: 19,571,216 (5.9%)
- Pennsylvania: 12,961,683 (3.9%)
- Illinois: 12,549,689 (3.8%)
- Ohio: 11,785,935 (3.5%)
- Georgia: 11,029,227 (3.3%)
- North Carolina: 10,835,491 (3.3%)
- Michigan: 10,037,261 (3.0%)
- New Jersey: 9,290,841 (2.8%)
- Virginia: 8,715,698 (2.6%)
- Washington: 7,812,880 (2.3%)
- Arizona: 7,431,344 (2.2%)
- Tennessee: 7,126,489 (2.1%)
- Massachusetts: 7,001,399 (2.1%)
- Indiana: 6,862,199 (2.1%)
- Missouri: 6,196,156 (1.9%)
- Maryland: 6,180,253 (1.9%)
- Wisconsin: 5,910,955 (1.8%)
- Colorado: 5,877,610 (1.8%)
- Minnesota: 5,737,915 (1.7%)
- South Carolina: 5,373,555 (1.6%)
- Alabama: 5,108,468 (1.5%)
- Louisiana: 4,573,749 (1.4%)
- Kentucky: 4,526,154 (1.4%)
- Oregon: 4,233,358 (1.3%)
- Oklahoma: 4,053,824 (1.2%)
- Connecticut: 3,617,176 (1.1%)
- Utah: 3,417,734 (1.0%)
- Iowa: 3,207,004 (1.0%)
- Nevada: 3,194,176 (1.0%)
- Arkansas: 3,067,732 (0.9%)
- Kansas: 2,940,546 (0.9%)
- Mississippi: 2,939,690 (0.9%)
- New Mexico: 2,114,371 (0.6%)
- Nebraska: 1,978,379 (0.6%)
- Idaho: 1,964,726 (0.6%)
- West Virginia: 1,770,071 (0.5%)
- Hawaii: 1,435,138 (0.4%)
- New Hampshire: 1,402,054 (0.4%)
- Maine: 1,395,722 (0.4%)
- Montana: 1,132,812 (0.3%)
- Rhode Island: 1,095,962 (0.3%)
- Delaware: 1,031,890 (0.3%)
- South Dakota: 919,318 (0.3%)
- North Dakota: 783,926 (0.2%)
- Alaska: 733,406 (0.2%)
- Vermont: 647,464 (0.2%)
- Wyoming: 584,057 (0.2%)
Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2023 U.S. Population Estimates
References
[1] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Nurse Practitioners - Occupational Outlook Handbook. May 2024.
[2] NurseJournal.org. Nurse Practitioner Salary by State - 2024.
[3] Nurseslabs. Nurse Practitioner Salary Guide by State 2024.
[4] Encyclopedia Britannica. Largest U.S. States by Population, 2023 Estimates.
[5] U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services. Licensing Across State Lines - Telehealth.HHS.gov.
[6] NurseJournal.org. NP National Jobs and Salary Outlook 2025.