diff --git a/api/v1alpha1/nodepool_types.go b/api/v1alpha1/nodepool_types.go
index 647167f..cf64934 100644
--- a/api/v1alpha1/nodepool_types.go
+++ b/api/v1alpha1/nodepool_types.go
@@ -266,6 +266,7 @@ type NodePoolStatus struct {
 // +kubebuilder:object:root=true
 // +kubebuilder:resource:scope=Cluster,shortName=np
 // +kubebuilder:subresource:status
+// +kubebuilder:printcolumn:name="Status",type=string,JSONPath=`.status.conditions[?(@.type=="Ready")].status`
 // +kubebuilder:printcolumn:name="Strategy",type=string,JSONPath=`.spec.strategy`
 // +kubebuilder:printcolumn:name="Providers",type=string,JSONPath=`.status.providers`
 // +kubebuilder:printcolumn:name="Age",type=date,JSONPath=`.metadata.creationTimestamp`
diff --git a/config/crd/bases/nebula.inftyai.com_nodepools.yaml b/config/crd/bases/nebula.inftyai.com_nodepools.yaml
index b084570..9fb4152 100644
--- a/config/crd/bases/nebula.inftyai.com_nodepools.yaml
+++ b/config/crd/bases/nebula.inftyai.com_nodepools.yaml
@@ -17,10 +17,13 @@ spec:
   scope: Cluster
   versions:
   - additionalPrinterColumns:
+    - jsonPath: .status.conditions[?(@.type=="Ready")].status
+      name: Status
+      type: string
     - jsonPath: .spec.strategy
       name: Strategy
       type: string
-    - jsonPath: .spec.providers[*].name
+    - jsonPath: .status.providers
       name: Providers
       type: string
     - jsonPath: .metadata.creationTimestamp
@@ -296,6 +299,12 @@ spec:
                   Placed counts existing instances per provider (booting included), for
                   at-a-glance balance.
                 type: object
+              providers:
+                description: |-
+                  Providers is a comma-separated list of provider names from the pool
+                  spec. kubectl printcolumns cannot join array fields via JSONPath, so
+                  the controller materializes this summary for `kubectl get nodepool`.
+                type: string
             type: object
         type: object
     served: true
diff --git a/docs/architecture.md b/docs/architecture.md
index 49d9adf..c4030e0 100644
--- a/docs/architecture.md
+++ b/docs/architecture.md
@@ -406,6 +406,12 @@ Responsibilities:
 - compute `status.placed` from Bound NodeClaims per provider;
 - watch NodeClaims so placement counts update as instances come and go.
 
+The default `kubectl get nodepools` table exposes the `Ready` condition's value
+as `STATUS`, followed by strategy, providers, and age. The CRD printer column
+reads the condition directly, so `status.conditions` remains the source of truth.
+See the [printer-column design](design/nodepool-status-column.md) for the empty
+condition and compatibility behavior.
+
 Static spec rules are admission-time CEL validations. Examples: `Weighted`
 requires a weight on every provider entry, and AWS provider entries require at
 least one region.
@@ -502,6 +508,7 @@ spec:
   failover:
     blocklistTTL: 30s
 status:
+  providers: modal,aws
   placed:
     modal: 2
     aws: 1
diff --git a/docs/deploy.md b/docs/deploy.md
index 663618f..8c4c08d 100644
--- a/docs/deploy.md
+++ b/docs/deploy.md
@@ -197,7 +197,12 @@ diff <(kubectl get secret nebula-webhook-server-cert -n nebula-system -o jsonpat
 A pool referencing an unregistered provider shows it plainly:
 
 ```bash
-kubectl get nodepool <name> -o jsonpath='{.status.conditions}'
+kubectl get nodepools
+# NAME       STATUS   STRATEGY   PROVIDERS   AGE
+# gpu-pool   False    Ordered    modal,aws   2m
+
+# Inspect the condition reason and message when STATUS is False.
+kubectl get nodepool <name> -o jsonpath='{.status.conditions[?(@.type=="Ready")]}'
 # Ready=False / UnknownProvider means that provider's creds are missing or wrong.
 ```
 
diff --git a/docs/design/nodepool-status-column.md b/docs/design/nodepool-status-column.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..85501de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/design/nodepool-status-column.md
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+# NodePool status printer column
+
+## Context
+
+`NodePool.status.conditions` already reports whether a pool can be used. The
+controller owns a standard `Ready` condition and sets it to `True` for a valid
+pool or `False` when an environment-dependent validation, such as provider
+registration, fails. However, the default `kubectl get nodepools` table does not
+show that signal, so operators must request the full object or write a JSONPath.
+
+## Decision
+
+Add a `Status` CRD printer column whose JSONPath selects the status of the
+`Ready` condition:
+
+```text
+.status.conditions[?(@.type=="Ready")].status
+```
+
+The column is derived directly by the Kubernetes API server when it renders the
+table. No duplicate status field or controller change is introduced. This keeps
+the condition as the single source of truth and uses the standard condition
+values `True`, `False`, and `Unknown`.
+
+The column appears before policy details so pool health is visible immediately:
+
+```text
+NAME       STATUS   STRATEGY   PROVIDERS       AGE
+gpu-pool   True     Ordered    modal,runpod    2m
+```
+
+Before the controller has written the `Ready` condition, the table cell has no
+value. This is preferable to manufacturing a fourth status value because absence
+already means the controller has not observed the object.
+
+## Compatibility and rollout
+
+This is an additive change to `additionalPrinterColumns`; the stored and served
+resource schema is unchanged. Existing clients that read `NodePool` objects are
+unaffected. Installing the regenerated CRD is sufficient to enable the column
+for existing pools, and the next `kubectl get` uses their existing conditions.
+
+## Verification
+
+Generation is checked into `config/crd/bases`. Regenerating the manifests keeps
+the CRD printer column aligned with the marker in `nodepool_types.go`.