NPPES file of Aug 9, 2026

Specialty NPI enumeration changes, 2024 to 2025

Behavior Technician added the most new NPIs among the 150 specialties with at least 100 new NPIs in 2024: 114,687 in 2025, +22,775 on 91,912 in 2024. Family Nurse Practitioner fell the most, -1,384.

CMS NPPES enumeration dates, file of Aug 9, 2026 · 150 specialties with at least 100 new NPIs in 2024 · method

This counts NPIs first issued in each year, not the providers practicing today; for that, see specialties by provider count.

Written with AI tools from the named public files; every figure is computed from those files (how it is made).

Largest rises in new NPIs, 2024 to 2025

  1. Behavior Technician+22,775
  2. Personal Care Attendant+9,651
  3. Student in an Organized Health Care Education/Training Program+7,630
  4. Home Health Aide+7,186
  5. Adult Companion+4,002
  6. Registered Nurse+3,817
  7. Day Training/Habilitation Specialist+2,898
  8. Chore Provider+2,406
  9. Mental Health Counselor+1,827
  10. Doula+1,273

Source: CMS NPPES, individual NPIs by enumeration year (cms.gov).

50 largest increases

Specialty20242025Change
1Behavior Technician91,912114,687+22,775 (+24.8%)
2Personal Care Attendant11,69021,341+9,651 (+82.6%)
3Student in an Organized Health Care Education/Training Program45,62353,253+7,630 (+16.7%)
4Home Health Aide4,81612,002+7,186 (+149.2%)
5Adult Companion8654,867+4,002 (+462.7%)
6Registered Nurse11,12914,946+3,817 (+34.3%)
7Day Training/Habilitation Specialist1,6354,533+2,898 (+177.2%)
8Chore Provider3012,707+2,406 (+799.3%)
9Mental Health Counselor19,57421,401+1,827 (+9.3%)
10Doula3,2164,489+1,273 (+39.6%)
11School Counselor6741,723+1,049 (+155.6%)
12Pharmacist8,8479,849+1,002 (+11.3%)
13Interpreter3571,268+911 (+255.2%)
14Case Manager/Care Coordinator13,93514,823+888 (+6.4%)
15Registered Dietitian4,4535,280+827 (+18.6%)
16Health & Wellness Coach1,2591,891+632 (+50.2%)
17Licensed Practical Nurse4,0404,646+606 (+15%)
18Homemaker2,0192,541+522 (+25.9%)
19Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner5,2665,785+519 (+9.9%)
20Assistant Behavior Analyst1,0711,557+486 (+45.4%)
21Emergency Registered Nurse355841+486 (+136.9%)
22Massage Therapist5,3015,778+477 (+9%)
23Peer Specialist4,7875,158+371 (+7.8%)
24Critical Care Medicine Registered Nurse622977+355 (+57.1%)
25Pharmacy Technician394726+332 (+84.3%)
26Nurse's Aide1,1351,437+302 (+26.6%)
27Social Worker10,86311,146+283 (+2.6%)
28Contractor330591+261 (+79.1%)
29Physical Therapy Assistant2,7923,043+251 (+9%)
30Physical Therapist11,79712,044+247 (+2.1%)
31Psychologist1,3751,620+245 (+17.8%)
32Chiropractor2,3702,598+228 (+9.6%)
33Rehabilitation Practitioner1,0471,257+210 (+20.1%)
34Military Health Care Provider215420+205 (+95.3%)
35Surgical Assistant291495+204 (+70.1%)
36Behavior Analyst5,9946,185+191 (+3.2%)
37Attendant Care Provider8581,040+182 (+21.2%)
38Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse280459+179 (+63.9%)
39School Social Worker470624+154 (+32.8%)
40Music Therapist271403+132 (+48.7%)
41Health Educator441572+131 (+29.7%)
42Registered Respiratory Therapist274400+126 (+46%)
43Counselor5,9616,084+123 (+2.1%)
44Anesthesiologist Assistant347453+106 (+30.5%)
45Ambulatory Care Registered Nurse328417+89 (+27.1%)
46Other Technician365451+86 (+23.6%)
47School Psychologist1,7601,840+80 (+4.5%)
48Oncology Pharmacist115194+79 (+68.7%)
49School Registered Nurse691769+78 (+11.3%)
50Licensed Vocational Nurse1,1121,188+76 (+6.8%)

50 largest declines

Specialty20242025Change
1Family Nurse Practitioner14,53613,152-1,384 (-9.5%)
2Physician Assistant9,7418,984-757 (-7.8%)
3Professional Counselor7,3536,636-717 (-9.8%)
4Speech-Language Pathologist9,5198,860-659 (-6.9%)
5General Practice Dentistry2,6482,101-547 (-20.7%)
6Addiction (Substance Use Disorder) Counselor6,6666,212-454 (-6.8%)
7Marriage & Family Therapist5,3604,912-448 (-8.4%)
8Occupational Therapist6,7726,337-435 (-6.4%)
9Dentist2,9812,560-421 (-14.1%)
10General Practice Physician675285-390 (-57.8%)
11Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist2,1791,852-327 (-15%)
12Medical Physician Assistant1,3291,004-325 (-24.5%)
13Family Medicine Physician1,7761,533-243 (-13.7%)
14Optician601420-181 (-30.1%)
15Psychiatry Physician712541-171 (-24%)
16Internal Medicine Physician2,0721,903-169 (-8.2%)
17Clinical Psychologist1,4011,251-150 (-10.7%)
18Emergency Medicine Physician683538-145 (-21.2%)
19Adult Psychiatric/Mental Health Registered Nurse396262-134 (-33.8%)
20Pediatric Nurse Practitioner903769-134 (-14.8%)
21Clinical Social Worker13,87013,739-131 (-0.9%)
22Hearing Instrument Specialist629521-108 (-17.2%)
23Gerontology Nurse Practitioner678572-106 (-15.6%)
24Pediatrics Physician790686-104 (-13.2%)
25Optometrist1,5881,490-98 (-6.2%)
26Acute Care Nurse Practitioner1,7951,704-91 (-5.1%)
27Phlebotomy Technician507419-88 (-17.4%)
28Nurse Practitioner4,5094,422-87 (-1.9%)
29Advanced Practice Midwife536452-84 (-15.7%)
30Surgical Physician Assistant516435-81 (-15.7%)
31Specialist1,7261,646-80 (-4.6%)
32Driver955877-78 (-8.2%)
33Other Specialist/Technologist266189-77 (-28.9%)
34Pediatric Dentistry11042-68 (-61.8%)
35Health Information Technician15594-61 (-39.4%)
36Adult Health Nurse Practitioner779725-54 (-6.9%)
37Diagnostic Radiology Physician305254-51 (-16.7%)
38Developmental Therapist868818-50 (-5.8%)
39Neonatal Nurse Practitioner189142-47 (-24.9%)
40Critical Care Neonatal Nurse Practitioner10864-44 (-40.7%)
41Electroneurodiagnostic Specialist/Technologist363320-43 (-11.8%)
42Pediatric Physical Therapist193150-43 (-22.3%)
43Obstetrics & Gynecology Physician346304-42 (-12.1%)
44Lactation Consultant (Registered Nurse)552511-41 (-7.4%)
45Neurology Physician242202-40 (-16.5%)
46Child & Adolescent Psychiatric/Mental Health Registered Nurse13293-39 (-29.5%)
47Surgery Physician541502-39 (-7.2%)
48Recreation Therapist264226-38 (-14.4%)
49Lactation Consultant (Non-RN)380345-35 (-9.2%)
50Anesthesiology Physician425391-34 (-8%)

How the change is counted

Each individual (Type 1) NPI is counted in the calendar year of its NPPES enumeration date, under its primary taxonomy. Only specialties with at least 100 new NPIs in 2024 are ranked, so small counts do not produce large percentages. A specialty can gain or lose volume when providers pick a different taxonomy label, without any change in staffing.

Common questions

Which specialty added the most new NPIs in 2025?

Behavior Technician: 114,687 new NPIs in 2025, +22,775 on 2024 (91,912).

Which specialty fell the most?

Family Nurse Practitioner: 13,152 new NPIs in 2025, -1,384 on 2024.

Is this the number of practicing providers?

No. It counts NPIs first issued in each calendar year (the NPPES enumeration date), not the number of active providers. A change of taxonomy label can also move volume between specialties.

Figures on PlainDoctor are read from the federal files each page names (CMS NPPES, Medicare Part D, MIPS, Open Payments; the HHS-OIG exclusion list only as counts) and from Census population estimates, with the file date shown beside them. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-09-28.