Nurse Practitioner Programs in Maryland: Facts & Figures

Maryland might be one of the smallest states, but it is the fifth most densely populated of the 50 United States. For students interested in working as a nurse practitioner in Maryland, there are many large cities as well as small, rural communities with employment opportunities. Annapolis, the state’s capital, Baltimore, Columbia, and Germantown provide a variety of healthcare settings that employ nurse practitioners such as ambulatory care offices and clinics, long-term care facilities, home health agencies, and public health facilities, just to name a few.

Maryland has three types of post-secondary education nursing programs:

• Practical Nursing
• Associate Degree
• Baccalaureate Degree

Nursing Licensure in Maryland

The Maryland State Board of Nursing functions under the Maryland Nurse Practice Act. The Board serves to regulate the practice of registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, nurse practitioners, nursing assistants, medication technicians, and electrologists.

To work as a nurse in Maryland, you must fulfill the following eligibility requirements:

1. Licensure by examination as a registered nurse or a licensed practical nurse; and
2. Completion of a state-approved program; and
3. Verification from the state of ORIGINAL licensure by examination that is in good standing; and
4. A minimum of 1,000 hours of nursing practice, or a new nursing graduate in the five years preceding the application, or the satisfactory completion of a Board-approved refresher course; and
5. Oral (spoken) competence in the English language; and
6. Criminal History Records Check must be completed for all applications received after January 1, 2007.

It’s important to note that each state licenses advanced practice nurses differently. Your area of specialty will determine what steps are required to maintain your eligibility.

Average Nursing Salaries in Maryland

All salary data is as of May 2011.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the average salary of RNs in Maryland at $75,490. Nurse practitioners typically earn more, depending on area of specialty and years of practice. The table below compares the average salary of RNs in the state of Maryland and in several metropolitan areas within the state.