Affordable Online Nurse Practitioner Programs

Texas A & M International University offers an online and in-person family nurse practitioner program comprising 48 credits of core courses, nursing theory, and practicums, including 675 clinical hours. Typically, students complete two courses each semester for three years.

The program includes specializations in the primary care of adults, geriatrics, and families; primary care of pediatrics and families; and primary care of adults and women. Practicum courses focus on advanced health assessment, diagnostic reasoning and clinical procedures, and integrated family care.

The university also offers a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner post-master's certificate program.

• Program(s): Master of science in nursing – family nurse practitioner
• Campus: Laredo, Texas
• Type: Public
• Accreditation(s): Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges; Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing
• Tuition: $3,686 per semester for in-state residents; $9,572 per semester for out-of-state students 
• Admission Requirements: BSN; active Texas RN license; 2.7 GPA or higher; completion of an undergraduate statistics course; a minimum of one year of inpatient work experience as an RN
• Minimum Time Commitment: 36 months
• On-Campus Requirements: Yes
• School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate (YEAR): 86.1% (2021)

Cedarville University's online MSN program provides concentration options in pediatrics and family care. Each concentration requires 44 credits that comprise 12 hours of core nursing courses, 20 hours of specialty courses, three hours of a Bible course, and nine direct care hours.

Both specializations offer full- and part-time options that can be completed in six and seven semesters, respectively.

While all courses are offered online, students must attend on-campus orientations for their four clinical experiences.

• Program(s): Master of science in nursing – family nurse practitioner; pediatric nurse practitioner
• Campus: Cedarville, Ohio
• Type: Private
• Accreditation(s): Higher Learning Commission; Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
• Tuition: $648 per credit
• Admission Requirements: BSN; 3.0 GPA or higher (preferred); active RN license; profession of faith in Jesus Christ
• Minimum Time Commitment: 36 months
• On-Campus Requirements: Yes
• School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate (YEAR): 84.4% (2021)

George Washington University offers affordable online nurse practitioner programs at the master's and doctoral levels. Students can earn a master of science in nursing (MSN) or doctor of nursing practice (DNP) in adult-gerontology acute care, adult-gerontology primary care, psychiatric mental health, or family nurse practitioner.

Most of the school's MSN specializations require 48 credits and 600-700 clinical placement hours. Most DNP specializations require 72 credits and 1,000 clinical hours. The only outlier is the psychiatric mental health concentration, which requires 50 credits to earn an MSN and 74 credits to earn a DNP.

The school of nursing also offers post-MSN certificates in all nurse practitioner concentrations.

• Program(s): Master of science in nursing or doctor of nursing practice – adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner, adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner, family nurse practitioner, and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner
• Campus: Washington, D.C.
• Type: Private
• Accreditation(s): Middle States Commission on Higher Education; Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
• Tuition: $1,395 per credit
• Admission Requirements: BSN; 3.0 GPA or higher; active RN license
• Minimum Time Commitment: 36 months
• On-Campus Requirements: Yes
• School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate (YEAR): 87.4% (2021)
• Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $101,250 master's graduates, according to College Scorecard

The master of science in nursing (MSN) family nurse practitioner program at Samford University comprises 42 credits and 660 clinical hours. Most courses are completed through asynchronous learning, with periodic Zoom sessions 1-2 times per semester. Students must attend on-campus sessions at least 2-3 times during the program.

Students can also enroll in a dual-focus program that combines the family concentration with either emergency or psychiatric care. The family/emergency nurse practitioner option comprises 54 credits and 1,020 clinical hours; the family/psychiatric nurse practitioner dual focus comprises 61 credits and 1,200 clinical hours.

The university also offers MSN-to-DNP nurse practitioner programs and post-master's certificates in emergency medicine, psychiatry, and family care.

• Program(s): Master of science in nursing – family nurse practitioner; family nurse practitioner with emergency specialty dual focus; family and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner dual focus
• Campus: Birmingham, Alabama
• Type: Private
• Accreditation(s): Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
• Tuition: $924 per credit
• Admission Requirements: BSN; 3.0 GPA or higher; active RN license; previous completion of undergraduate courses in nursing research ("C" or better) and health assessment ("B" or better)
• Minimum Time Commitment: 24 months
• On-Campus Requirements: Yes
• School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate (YEAR): 92.6% (2021)
• Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $99,380 master's graduates, according to College Scorecard

Northern Arizona University's family nurse practitioner program comprises 48 credit hours, a series of three family primary care practicums, and an evidence-based capstone project. The program prepares RNs to provide a broad range of family care services in rural settings.

Coursework is completed almost entirely online with students selecting their own semester-based schedule, providing them with the flexibility to continue part-time work if necessary.

The school also provides a family nurse practitioner certificate option for post-master's nurses.

• Program(s): Master of science in nursing – family nurse practitioner
• Campus: Flagstaff, Arizona
• Type: Public
• Accreditation(s): Higher Learning Commission; Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
• Tuition: $585 per credit
• Admission Requirements: BSN; 3.0 GPA or higher; active RN license; completion of an undergraduate statistics course ("C" or better) or completion of a graduate statistics course ("B" or better); completion of undergraduate courses in nursing research and public health nursing with grades of "B" or better
• Minimum Time Commitment: 24 months
• On-Campus Requirements: Yes
• School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate (YEAR): 94.3% (2021)
• Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $92,630 master's graduates, according to College Scorecard

The family nurse practitioner master's program at the University of the Cumberlands comprises 48 credits, which includes didactic online coursework, 720 clinical hours, and a concentrated clinical internship.

The university's curriculum focuses on advanced areas of nursing, including research, evidence-based practice, pharmacology, health assessment, epidemiology, and pathophysiology.

The program focuses on the importance of healthcare technology, informatics, and data management and their role in the ever-evolving field of nursing.

• Program(s): Master of science in nursing – family nurse practitioner
• Campus: Williamsburg, Kentucky
• Type: Private
• Accreditation(s): Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges; Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
• Tuition: $500 per credit
• Admission Requirements: BSN; 3.0 GPA or higher; active RN license; completion of an undergraduate or graduate statistics course with a "C" or better
• Minimum Time Commitment: 24 months
• On-Campus Requirements: Yes
• School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate (YEAR): 83% (2021)

SUNY Brockport offers a full- and part-time 42-credit master of science in nursing family nurse practitioner program that combines online coursework with in-person sessions. Students must complete approximately 750 clinical hours, 600 of which involve direct patient care.

Non-clinical coursework takes place entirely online, while clinical courses are structured in a hybrid format, requiring students to attend up to three Friday and Saturday sessions each semester.

The university also provides a certification program for nurse practitioners who are not currently licensed as family nurse practitioners.

• Program(s): Family nurse practitioner
• Campus: Brockport, New York
• Type: Public
• Accreditation(s): Middle States Commission on Higher Education; Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
• Tuition: $471 per credit for in-state residents; $963 per credit for out-of-state students
• Admission Requirements: BSN; active New York RN license; completion of GRE; recent RN experience (preferred)
• Minimum Time Commitment: 24 months
• On-Campus Requirements: Yes
• School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate (YEAR): 83.8% (2021)

The University of Iowa's nurse practitioner program results in a doctoral degree that offers four population options: pediatrics, adult-gerontology, pediatric mental health, and family. Pediatrics and adult-gerontology are offered as both acute and primary care options.

The programs range 75-79 credit hours and 1,000-1,090 clinical hours, all of which have three- and four-year options.

Students can also choose a dual certification option, allowing them to combine any of the four main population concentrations. The added certification increases the necessary credits hours and clinical hours by approximately 25 and 500, respectively.

• Program(s): Doctor of nursing practice – acute or primary care pediatric nurse practitioner; adult-gerontology acute or primary care nurse practitioner; psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner; family nurse practitioner
• Campus: Iowa City, Iowa
• Type: Public
• Accreditation(s): Higher Learning Commission; Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
• Tuition: $1,191 per credit
• Admission Requirements: BSN or higher; active RN license; 3.0 GPA or higher (preferred); completion of an undergraduate statistics course with a "C" or better
• Minimum Time Commitment: 36 months
• On-Campus Requirements: Yes
• School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate (YEAR): 96.6% (2021)

The doctor of nursing practice program at the University of Tennessee - Chattanooga provides two options – adult-gerontology acute nurse practitioner and family nurse practitioner. The adult-gerontology specialization requires 80 credits and 1,050 clinical hours; the family specialization requires 83 credits and 1,050 clinical hours.

Students complete their coursework and clinical hours simultaneously, allowing them to immediately reinforce the concepts they learn from their classwork in a practical setting.

Both programs have a full-time option that takes eight semesters (30 months). Because courses are only offered once a year, enrolling as a part-time student increases the program's length. 

• Program(s): Doctor of nursing practice – adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner; family nurse practitioner
• Campus: Chattanooga, Tennessee
• Type: Public
• Accreditation(s): Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
• Tuition: $571 per credit for in-state residents; $618 per credit for out-of-state students
• Admission Requirements: BSN; 3.0 GPA or higher; active RN license; one year of clinical experience in chosen specialty
• Minimum Time Commitment: 30 months
• On-Campus Requirements: Yes
• School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate (YEAR): 96% (2021)
• Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $145,900 master's graduates, according to College Scorecard

The University of Texas at Arlington offers nurse practitioner concentrations in adult-gerontology, family, pediatric, neonatal, and psychiatric mental health. The specializations require 41-46 credit hours and 720 clinical hours for completion.

The adult-gerontology acute and primary care, psychiatric mental health, and acute care pediatric programs can be completed either on campus or online. The primary care pediatric and neonatal programs are only available on campus.

The school also offers two dual program options. One combines the adult-gerontology acute and primary care specializations, and the other combines the pediatric acute and primary care specializations. Both dual programs are only available in an on-campus format.

• Program(s): Master of science in nursing – adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner, family nurse practitioner, adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner, acute care pediatric nurse practitioner, primary care pediatric nurse practitioner, neonatal nurse practitioner, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner
• Campus: Arlington, Texas
• Type: Public
• Accreditation(s): Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges; Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
• Tuition: $1,318 per credit for in-state residents; $2,260 per credit for out-of-state students
• Admission Requirements: BSN; active RN license; minimum 3.0 GPA in the last 60 hours of previously completed undergraduate coursework; at least two years of clinical experience in the chosen specialty
• Minimum Time Commitment: 30-36 months
• On-Campus Requirements: Yes
• School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate (YEAR): 92.4% (2021)
• Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $106,420 for master's graduates, according to College Scorecard