Nurse practitioner degrees are one of the top academic credentials in nursing. If you are looking for a nurse practitioner program that gives you a lot of choices and flexibility, then you should take a look at our directory of top Schools for Nurse Practitioner Programs below.
To become a nurse practitioner, you’ll need to earn a Master of Science in nursing degree from an accredited college or university. Use the list of at the end of the resource to see what universities in the U.S. have degree programs in this popular field.
To find out which educational pathway or school might be right for you, check out the methodology down & choose the best one Nurse Practitioner Program for your education. Good luck!!
Table of Contents
Duke University School of Nursing
The School of Nursing at Duke University offers a top-ranked MSN degree with seven Nurse Practitioner majors. The program is offered in a hybrid format – making it a manageable program for working nurses. Many courses take place online with on-campus activities at least once every semester. These two- to five-day intensives allow for interactions, simulations, and hands-on activities to be conducted. Nurse Practitioner specialties are Adult-Gerontology NP – Acute Care or Primary Care, Family NP, Pediatric NP – Acute Care or Primary Care, Neonatal NP, and Women’s Health NP. Duke’s MSN degree program requires students to complete 11 credit hours of clinical core courses for each major.
Founded In: January 2, 1931
Ranking: 1st
Tuition & Fees: $1,703 per credit
Adm. Office Contact: (919) 684-3786
Website: https://nursing.duke.edu/academics/programs/msn/family-np-major
University of Washington School of Nursing
The University of Washington (UW) School of Nursing is renowned for its world-class faculty and its commitment to building APRNs of the future. Their DNP is one of the best nursing programs in the country. UW’s School of Nursing offers a DNP program that prepares students for advanced practice roles by equipping them to evaluate cutting-edge research and applying that evidence to their practice. The DNP offers five Nurse Practitioner specialty options: Adult / Gerontology (Primary Care or Acute Care) NP, Family NP, Pediatric NP, and Psychiatric / Mental Health NP. All of UW’s DNP programs are offered as the full-time study only and students complete the program in three years.
Founded In: 1918
Ranking: 1st
Tuition & Fees: N/A
Adm. Office Contact: 206-897-INFO (4636) (Seattle), 866-897-INFO (4636) (outside Seattle)
Website: https://nursing.uw.edu/programs/degree/dnp-fnp/
Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing
In 1983 the School of Nursing was established as the eighth division of the Johns Hopkins University—and opened its doors to students in 1984. The Advanced Practice DNP program offered by Johns Hopkins’ School of Nursing prepares nurses at the highest level of professional nursing practice for advanced roles as clinical and healthcare leaders. This is a program designed for RNs with a BSN or an entry-level nursing master’s degree. Johns Hopkins offers four Nurse Practitioner DNP specialties: Adult / Gerontology Primary Care NP, Adult / Gerontology Acute Care NP, Family Primary Care NP, and Pediatric Primary Care NP. Johns Hopkins DNP program was ranked as the best in the country in US News and World Report’s 2018 ranking. Applicants to Johns Hopkins DNP program must have one year of full-time experience as an RN (in addition to a BSN or MSN).
Founded In: 1983
Ranking: 2nd
Tuition & Fees: $1,591 per credit
Adm. Office Contact: 410-955-4766
Website: https://nursing.jhu.edu/academics/programs/masters/nurse-practitioner/family/index.html
University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing
The University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing (Penn Nursing) is an undergraduate and graduate institution at the University of Pennsylvania. At the undergraduate level, the School of Nursing offers traditional and accelerated Bachelor of Science in nursing programs. Penn Nursing has 15 masters programs, including nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, certified nurse-midwife, as well as a doctoral certified registered nurse anesthetist program. The majority of Penn Nursing’s graduate programs are top-ranked in their specialty. Penn Nursing also offers a Ph.D. program. Nursing students have the option to apply to various study abroad programs during the spring or fall semesters or during one of the two summer sessions of Penn’s academic calendar.
Founded In: 1935
Ranking: 3rd
Tuition & Fees: $41,134 per year
Adm. Office Contact: (215) 898-8281, (215) 898-4271
Website: https://www.nursing.upenn.edu/family/
Vanderbilt University School of Nursing
Vanderbilt University School of Nursing is preparing skilled, experienced advanced practice nurses who are increasing access to quality healthcare for people everywhere. Not only is Vanderbilt School of Nursing creating more flexible ways to study and earn the MSN degree, we are also employing innovative approaches and offering widespread opportunities for experience in clinical practice. These are available in various specialty areas for the nurse practitioner (acute care, adult, family, neonatal, pediatric, family psychiatric-mental health, and women’s health) and in informatics, MSN in healthcare leadership, and nurse-midwifery.
Founded In: 1908
Ranking: 4th
Tuition & Fees: $1,454 per credit
Adm. Office Contact: 615-322-4400
Website: https://nursing.vanderbilt.edu/msn/index.php
Rush University College of Nursing
Rush University is a Health Sciences-focused private research university and one of the most ranked nursing schools on this list, having several specialty programs at the graduate level ranked in the top ten by U.S. News and World Report. The College of Nursing offers a DNP program which promises to prepare new and practicing nurses to be leaders in the nursing profession. The college offers seven NP specialties, including Adult / Gerontology Acute Care and Primary Care NP, Neonatal NP, Family NP, Pediatric Primary Care NP. The college also offers two start dates per year for most NP specialties, and students have the option to study either part-time or full-time (with the exception of the Neonatal and Pediatric options which are part-time, online programs). The DNP programs at Rush University College of Nursing are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
Founded In: 1885
Ranking: 5th
Tuition & Fees: $995 per credit
Adm. Office Contact: (312) 942-7117
Website: https://www.rushu.rush.edu/college-nursing/programs-admissions/family-nurse-practitioner-dnp
Emory University Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing
Emory offers many Advanced Practice Registered Nursing (APRN) specialty tracks at the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree level. Dual major opportunities are available as well. Each track is available as a full-time study over 4 semesters or part-time study over 7 semesters for a single major. Dual major students typically attend full-time and graduate in 5 semesters. All courses are taught in a hybrid format unless otherwise noted.
Founded In: 1905
Ranking: 6th
Tuition & Fees: $1,850 per credit
Adm. Office Contact: 404.727.7980, nursingquestions@emory.edu
Website: http://www.nursing.emory.edu/admission-and-aid/msn-programs/family.html
Columbia University School of Nursing
The Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Program is designed to prepare nurses to deliver primary health care to families in a variety of settings. Students follow patients through the life cycle utilizing obstetric, pediatric, gynecologic, as well as adult and geriatric primary care diagnostic and management skills. Graduates are eligible to take the certifying examination offered by the American Nurses Association and the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.
Founded In: 1892
Ranking: 7th
Tuition & Fees: $1,494 per credit
Adm. Office Contact: 212-305-5756, nursing@columbia.edu
Website: http://nursing.columbia.edu/academics/academic-programs/master-s-and-post-master-s-programs/family-nurse-practitioner-fnp-program
University of Maryland—Baltimore, School of Nursing
The University of Maryland School of Nursing offers an elite educational experience. They develop nursing professionals who are in high demand by health systems, universities, government agencies, and other organizations. UMSON enrolls all types of nurses in the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) specialty and a number of years of experience range from minimal to more than 20 years. With more than 700 precepted clinical hours, students develop expertise in the management of care for individuals across the lifespan, emphasizing health promotion and disease prevention, as well as diagnosis and management of acute and chronic diseases.
Founded In: 1889
Ranking: 8th
Tuition & Fees: $724 per credit (in-state) $1,324 per credit (out-of-state)
Adm. Office Contact: 410-706-6109/0501
Website: http://www.nursing.umaryland.edu/academics/doctoral/dnp/family-nurse-practitioner/
University of California—San Francisco, School of Nursing
The UCSF School of Nursing offers programs for candidates at different career phases. The UCSF FNP Program is committed to training a diverse workforce that reflects the population of California. The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree program, first in the UC system, offers a flexible online curriculum designed to prepare clinical experts and leaders for roles in complex healthcare environments. Pursue your academic goals and complete your scholarly project while continuing to work.
Founded In: 1907
Ranking: 9th
Tuition & Fees: $12,630 per year (in-state) $24,875 per year (out-of-state)
Adm. Office Contact: FNP@ucsf.edu
Website: https://nursing.ucsf.edu/academic-program/family-nurse-practitioner-fnp
The University of Michigan—Ann Arbor, School of Nursing
The University of Michigan School of Nursing seeks to create a class of academically excellent, culturally diverse students who show a genuine, demonstrated interest in contributing to the changing world of healthcare. Its academic environment is a staging ground for nursing leaders in current and changing healthcare systems. The advanced clinical path at UMSN consists of MSN programs and a post-baccalaureate DNP program. UMSN offers a variety of programs to choose from so you can pursue your clinical interest. All of their programs emphasize knowledge, judgment, and skills, as well as prepare you to function in multiple care settings. The U M’s seamless pathway to the DNP gives BSN-prepared students an exceptional learning experience. They prepare expert nurse clinicians and leaders to perform at the most advanced level of their specialties.
Founded In: Not known
Ranking: 10th
Tuition & Fees: $1,240 per credit (in-state) $2,547 per credit (out-of-state)
Adm. Office Contact: (734) 764-7185, (734) 763-5985
Website: http://nursing.umich.edu/academics/msn-and-post-baccalaureate-dnp-advanced-clinical-path/primary-care-family-nurse
