Best Online Nurse Practitioner Programs of 2024

Cost per Credit:
In-State | $2,244
Out-of-State | $2,244

Credits to Graduate: 21

USC’s online master of science in nursing features a full-time, accelerated track, or a part-time track that accommodates the needs of working RNs. The evidence-based program prepares aspiring family nurse practitioners for the national certification exams required for state licensure. The curriculum consists of 50-52 hours of coursework and 680 clinical hours.

Distance learners must attend two on-campus intensives in Los Angeles. Designed primarily to test classroom knowledge in skill assessment exercises, labs, and exams, these intensives also provide faculty and other students with networking opportunities.

Cost per Credit:
In-State | $420
Out-of-State | $420

Credits to Graduate: 78-90

The online master of science in nursing at Purdue University-Global gives students the flexibility to manage educational and personal responsibilities. Designed for working registered nurses, the two-year degree prepares graduates for national certification through the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, the American Nurses Credentialing Center, or the American Association of Critical Care. 

Distance learners may choose population focus areas in gerontology, family nurse primary care, and psychiatric mental health. Financial aid, credit for prior experiences, and corporate partner and military benefits help keep costs affordable.

Cost per Credit:
In-State | $3,686
Out-of-State | $9,572

NCLEX Pass Rate (2022): 82.76%

Credits to Graduate: 48 

Through its emphasis on culturally sensitive healthcare for diverse populations, TAMIU’s online master of science in nursing trains its graduates to improve health outcomes for the citizens of the

South Texas region. In the first year of the three-year program, distance learners take foundational courses in theory, methods, informatics, and policy. Then, they take two years of coursework in advanced theory and family nursing practice areas.

TAMIU offers graduate students several options for financial assistance to help reduce the cost of their degrees. 

Cost per Credit:
In-State | $539
Out-of-State | $539

Credits to Graduate: 48 

The master of science in nursing at the University of the Cumberlands offers students reasonable out-of-pocket costs by keeping tuition low and providing free textbooks, lab manuals, and other required course materials through its One Price Promise program.

The evidence-based curriculum covers epidemiology, pharmacology, healthcare technologies and informatics, and advanced practice. Students complete 24 didactic credits,18 credits combining didactic and clinical instruction, and six practicum credit hours.

Cost per Credit:
In-State | $500
Out-of-State | $500

NCLEX Pass Rate (2023): 89.47% 

Credits to Graduate: 45 

Recognized for its commitment to accessible education, the University of West Florida's online master of science in nursing with a family practice concentration offers a flexible curriculum that accommodates the needs of working nurses. 

The MSN, which takes between 27-30 months to complete, emphasizes the care of children, adults, women, and families across the lifespan. Distance learners take all courses in eight-week and 16-week terms, except for 600 clinical hours of direct patient care working in rural and urban primary care settings.

Cost per Credit:
In-State | $654
Out-of-State | $654

NCLEX Pass Rate (2023): 86.95%

Credits to Graduate: 46

Available on-campus and online, UTA’s master of science in nursing trains students for family nurse practitioner roles in various healthcare settings. The MSN degree, which requires 32-36 credits, covers pharmacology, health assessment, diagnostics, advanced research, and clinical management. Distance learners complete in-person clinical experiences in their second year, with the possibility of arranging placements in their local communities.

Committed to keeping tuition affordable, UTA provides pay-by-the-course options and locked-in tuition rates for students who complete their degree without interruption.

Cost per Credit:
In-State | $610
Out-of-State | $610

NCLEX Pass Rate (2023): 96.65% 

Credits to Graduate: 48

NAU’s advanced practice master of science program trains family nurse practitioners to provide primary care to underserved rural populations. The MSN prepares graduates for national certification and state licensure as family nurse practitioners with prescribing and dispensing privileges in Arizona. Delivered in a blended online format, the curriculum covers family nurse practitioner and rural health theory and policy courses, practicum experiences, thesis, and research projects.

NAU maintains a commitment to transparency about costs, offering affordable tuition rates and opportunities for graduate student financial aid.

Cost per Credit:
In-State | $752
Out-of-State | $752

Credits to Graduate: 51

Designed for working registered nurses, the UC master of science-family practice nursing program features an entirely asynchronous online format with no required site visits. Distance learners may complete the program in as little as two years or opt for part-time study to accommodate their schedules. The MSN degree prepares graduates to sit for national certification exams and qualifies them for state licensure as family nurse practitioners in Ohio.

UC offers tuition scholarships to eligible online MSN family nurse practitioner students through the University Business Scholarship program.

Cost per Credit:
In-State | $1,450
Out-of-State | $1,450

NCLEX Pass Rate (2023): 94.31% 

Credits to Graduate: 48

GW’s master of science-family nurse practitioner program uses a hybrid approach that features convenient online courses, in-person training in simulation centers, and industry-recognized faculty. All distance learners must participate in two on-campus requirements: in-person learning and skills intensive before starting their first clinical experience and an objective structured clinical examination component consisting of a series of simulation-based events to evaluate student skills.

The GW School of Nursing offers fixed-rate tuition, which helps MSN students manage their financial planning by minimizing unexpected tuition increases.

Cost per Credit:
In-State | $707
Out-of-State | $707

Credits to Graduate: 45-48

Grounded in a Christian approach to advanced practice nursing, Cedarville University’s master of science of nursing-family practitioner program integrates a Biblical-based curriculum with evidence-based practice. The online MSN offers flexible full-time and part-time plans of study. Distance learners must attend four on-campus experiences, including a clinical orientation, before starting the family nurse practitioner specialty courses and during each semester of the clinical courses.

Cedarville has the least expensive graduate nurse practitioner programs in Ohio. Graduate nursing students who demonstrate financial need may qualify for a $3,000 scholarship.