Affordable Online Nurse Practitioner Programs (RN Required)

The University of Texas at El Paso offers an online MSN degree program with a family with primary care focus (family nurse practitioner concentration). Nurses looking to advance their practice through affordable nurse practitioner programs online will be interested to know that the courses in the UTEP MSN FNP program are designed for working professionals and are primarily completed online on a part-time basis.

Students are required to come to campus up to three times per semester while taking specialty courses, which are usually taken during the final three semesters of the program. During these specialty courses, students will use standardized patient scenarios to conduct formative evaluations. The program's curriculum is 49 credits and was designed to align with the Consensus Model for APRN Regulation. Graduates of the program are eligible to sit for the ANCC or AANP national certification examinations. The University of Texas at El Paso holds regional accreditation through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

The University of Texas Medical Branch, located in Galveston, Texas, offers an affordable online MSN degree program with a family nurse practitioner track. UTMB, which is one of the most affordable nurse practitioner schools online, requires the completion of 49 semester-credit-hours, and includes more than 700 clinical hours. The coursework is offered online and minimal Galveston campus visits are required. Upon graduation, students are eligible to sit for national certification exams with the AANPCP and the ANCC.

The nursing program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, and the University of Texas Medical Branch holds regional accreditation through the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Applicants are required to have a BSN from an accredited program and a current unencumbered registered nurse license or multistate privilege to practice in states in which students participate in clinicals. UTMB is a partner of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement, which requires that out-of-state applicants be from a SARA-approved state.

Located in Warrensburg, Missouri, UCM offers an online MSN degree program with a family nurse practitioner emphasis. The nurse practitioner degree online program, offered through the university's College of Health, Science, and Technology, requires students to complete 44 credits, including 18 credits of core requirements and 26 credits in the advanced practice area.

The university strongly encourages students to take the program on a part-time basis, but students can take a larger course load with permission from their faculty advisor. In order to graduate, students are required to complete a capstone clinical experience. While coursework is completed online, UCM requires that students complete their FNP clinicals in the state of Missouri or in the greater Kansas City area. UCM is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, and its MSN degree program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

NAU, located in Flagstaff, offers an affordable online MSN -- family nurse practitioner degree program. The 48-credit program is delivered through asynchronous online classes that allow students to continue working full-time as a nurse while advancing their careers. NAU's family nurse practitioner MSN track is one of the most affordable online nurse practitioner programs, and prepares students to provide family primary care to underserved rural populations. Throughout the advanced practice nursing program, students will focus on knowledge and management of client and family care, professional relationships, and healthcare delivery systems.

The program holds accreditation through the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. Graduates are eligible to sit for family nurse practitioner certification examinations on the national and state level. Applicants must have a current license to practice as a registered nurse in Arizona, or be eligible to obtain an Arizona license or meet the Arizona Board of Nursing multi-state licensure regulations.

St. Joseph's College of Maine, located in Standish, offers a 46-credit online MSN -- family nurse practitioner track. The nurse practitioner specialty track has no residency requirements and is designed for nurses with a BSN from an accredited institution who hold current unrestricted licenses to practice registered nursing. The 12-week online nurse practitioner courses are cohort-based and offered four times per year.

Two dual degree programs are offered with this program -- the MSN/MHA and the MSN/MBA. The MSN/MHA dual degree program is designed for nurses who are, or aspire to be, CEOs and facility administrators, and the MSN/MBA dual degree program is designed for nurses who are, or aspire to be, directors of nursing, managers, or chief nursing officers. Both of the dual degree programs are 60 credits, which is approximately 24-credits less than if the degree programs were taken separately. The MSN family nurse practitioner program holds accreditation through the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion's School of Nursing offers an online MSN degree program with a focus in primary care with onsite components. Students are required to attend five onsite workshops for clinical orientation and complete supervised lab work for the advanced and Health Status Assessment course. Students will develop clinical problem-solving skills and critical thinking at clinical sites near their homes, under the guidance of student-selected and university-approved preceptors.

The 49-credit curriculum was designed to align with the competencies prescribed by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing's Essentials of Master's Education in Nursing. The primary care coursework focuses on the relationship between theory, research, and evidence-based practice. Students who graduate from the program are eligible to apply for specialty certification. IWU's School of Nursing holds accreditation through the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Briar Cliff University, located in Sioux City, Iowa, offers one of the top online nurse practitioner programs -- the MSN degree with family nurse practitioner and adult/gerontology nurse practitioner tracks. The family nurse practitioner track is a 51-credit-hour program, and the adult/gerontology nurse practitioner track is 49 credit hours. Both tracks can be completed in three years.

With the exception of outside clinicals and practicum experiences, students in either track will complete all coursework online. However, the school works with students to find clinical preceptors near their homes in order to complete the 540-hour clinical component. The program also provides an opportunity for students to gain experience providing care in an underserved, rural, or multicultural setting.

The GRE is not required for admission and students are not required to complete a thesis in order to receive their master's degree in nursing. Briar Cliff University MSN programs hold accreditation through the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Clarkson College, located in Omaha, Nebraska, offers one of the cheapest online nurse practitioner programs -- the MSN degree with family nurse practitioner and adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner specialty tracks. Both tracks require the completion of 47 semester hours. Although the coursework for the program is offered entirely online, students are required to come to campus each semester for evaluation of clinical skills and on-site training for specific clinical courses. During the final semester, students in the MSN program complete an evidence-based practice research project. Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners national certification exam.

Both tracks have three start dates per year. Applicants to this program must have a bachelor's degree in nursing from an accredited institution with an overall GPA of at least 3.0, as well as a valid unencumbered license to practice registered nursing. The MSN program has accreditation through the Commission for Education in Nursing.

Stony Brook University in New York offers a online MSN degree program with several nurse practitioner specialty tracks. Students in the 45-credit advanced practice nursing program (nurse practitioner) can choose from several focuses: adult-gerontological health, family health, neonatal health, pediatric, and psychiatric/mental health. Although the cheap online nurse practitioner programs are offered through the university's Distance Education program, the program has some on-site requirements. All of the nurse practitioner tracks are delivered via an executive cohort model with online coursework and on-site immersions.

Each track prepares students to sit for respective national certification exams. Graduates are also eligible for nurse practitioner certification and registration by New York State Education Department. Applicants must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0, as well as a current professional license to practice registered nursing. While the program is designed for nurses who hold BSN degrees, applicants with bachelor's degrees in non-nursing areas of study can submit a clinical practice portfolio for baccalaureate-level nursing competency evaluation.

Located in Lamoni, Iowa, Graceland University offers an online MSN degree program with family nurse practitioner and adult gerontology acute care nurse practitioner specialty tracks. The MSN degree became Graceland University's first graduate degree offering in 1995. As of 2007, the program was offered in a completely interactive online format. Courses are delivered via the eCollege Learning Management System within the university's 16-week trimesters.

The cheap nurse practitioner online programs are designed to maximize flexibility for working professional nurses, allowing students to complete their MSN degree while continuing to meet their demands at work and at home. Either track can be completed in eight trimesters on a full-time basis, or in 12 trimesters on a part-time basis. Students in the U.S. can complete practicum requirements in locations near their homes. Graceland University is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, and its School of Nursing holds accreditation through the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Concordia University in Mequon, Wisconsin, offers an online MSN degree program with family nurse practitioner and adult/gerontology primary care nurse practitioner specialty tracks. The MSN nurse practitioner programs require students to attend a two-week residency for an advanced health assessment course. Offered through Concordia's Online School of Nursing, both nurse practitioner online programs are 41 credits. Students can complete either tracks on a full-time or part-time basis.

Concordia University-Wisconsin holds accreditation through The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, and the MSN degree is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. At this time, Concordia is not accepting new students from Alabama, California, Kentucky, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, or South Dakota. Students who are located in Washington, D.C., must complete their clinical experiences in Virginia, and Maryland students can't complete clinicals within their home state.

Cedarville University in Ohio offers an online MSN degree program with a family nurse practitioner specialty track. Cedarville recently revised its MSN program and has reduced the required hours and added several start dates throughout the year. The 45-credit family nurse practitioner specialty track is cohort-based and focuses on client and family education; health promotion; and common acute and chronic health problems and their respective assessment, diagnosis, management, and treatment. In addition, students will learn how to apply evidence-based research to meet primary care and prevention needs.

Students can choose from two-year or three-year completion options. As one of the top online nurse practitioner programs, admission is competitive. Graduates from the Cedarville MSN family nurse practitioner track will be prepared to sit for the AANP and/or ANCC national certification examinations. The university's School of Nursing is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Regis University, located in Denver, Colorado, offers an online MSN degree program with a family nurse practitioner specialization that focuses on providing care in rural and underserved communities. Online courses are synchronous, requiring students to participate in the online classroom once a week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. In addition, students are required to come to the Denver campus to attend five intensives. Students complete clinical experiences in their home rural areas in cooperation with local healthcare facilities. Students begin the program in the fall semester and complete it in six semesters, or two years.

During the last three semesters of the online nurse practitioner program, students will complete 630 clinical hours, spending time in situations involving pediatric, adult, family, and women's health. Graduates are eligible to sit for both the AANP and ANCC national certification examinations. The school reportedly has one of the highest national certification pass rates in the country.

University of South Carolina offers an online MSN degree program with nurse practitioner tracks in adult gerontology acute care, family, and psychiatric mental health. Students are required to come to campus at least twice per semester for assessments, but most courses are delivered 100% online, asynchronously in order to maximize flexibility for students. The College of Nursing holds a mandatory orientation for new students at the start of the program.

The interactive and collaborative program utilizes the Blackboard online course management platform. The online nurse practitioner programs are 37 to 48 credits, depending on specialty track. Students can complete any of the tracks on a full-time or part-time basis. Accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, students graduate from the program prepared for national certification examinations within their specialties. Admissions are competitive, and applicants must have current, unencumbered licenses to practice registered nursing in their home state.

Frontier Nursing University in Hyden, Kentucky, offers an online MSN degree program with family nurse practitioner, women's healthcare nurse practitioner, and psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner specialty tracks. The online nurse practitioner tracks are offered in full-time and part-time options. Students are required to complete two brief on-campus stays. Students complete their 675 required clinical practicum hours near their homes. They also have the option to progress to the doctor of nursing practice degree, which requires an additional 19 credit hours and 360 clinical hours to complete.

Frontier Nursing University is regionally accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. In addition, the MSN and DNP programs hold accreditation through the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing.

Wheeling Jesuit University in West Virginia offers an online MSN degree program with a family nurse practitioner track. Online nurse practitioner students complete all of the coursework online, and clinical and practicum experience requirements are completed near their homes. Students will complete 728 clinical hours across a number of areas, including advanced health assessment and advanced practice nursing in primary care of infant, child and adolescent; reproductive health; adult; and aging adult. The nursing core courses explore nursing theories, research, healthcare policy and politics, and healthcare delivery systems, while the clinical core covers topics in pathophysiology and pharmacology.

The family nurse practitioner track prepares nurses for national certification examinations. The nursing programs at Wheeling Jesuit University hold accreditation through the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. Admission requirements include a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. Applicants are also required to have a Graduate Record Exam total score of 800 on two of three sections.

The University of Cincinnati in Ohio offers an online MSN degree program with family nurse practitioner, women's health nurse practitioner, and adult-gero primary care nurse practitioner specialty tracks. No matter the nurse practitioner specialty track, the MSN program can be completed in just two years. These affordable online nurse practitioner programs have no campus meetings or residency requirements, so there is no need for online MSN students to come to campus.

This MSN distance learning program is designed for working professional nurses. The online courses are asynchronous and delivered through the Blackboard course management system. Clinical experiences are completed in a location near the student's home under the supervision and guidance of volunteer clinical faculty, or preceptor. The university accepts MSN applications throughout the year, and there are four start dates per year. The University of Cincinnati's College of Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Maryville University, located in St. Louis, Missouri, offers an online MSN degree program with nurse practitioner specialty tracks in adult-gerontology care, family, pediatric, and psychiatric mental health. Students can complete all of the coursework for the nurse practitioner programs online with no residency requirements. In addition, students can complete their required practicum experiences near their homes.

Because the nurse practitioner tracks were designed for professional nurses who work full time, the program is flexible and courses are asynchronous. The online nurse practitioner program can be completed on a part-time basis in as few as 28 to 32 months, depending on specialty track. Most of the nurse practitioner specialty tracks have six entry points throughout the year.

Applicants are not required to take the GRE or GMAT for admission. Maryville University's Catherine McAuley School Of Nursing holds accreditation through the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Loyola University New Orleans offers an online MSN degree program with a family nurse practitioner specialization. The 16-course, 48-credit-hour nurse practitioner online program is designed to be completed on a part-time basis in just two years. Courses are delivered asynchronously, but nurse practitioner students are required to attend an on-campus orientation at the start of the program, in addition to attending annual on-campus practice intensives.

Students in the nurse practitioner degree online program are required to complete 720 hours of clinical practicum experience with a preceptor. Course topics span pathophysiology, health assessment, clinical pharmacology, primary care, and family theory. The program prepares graduates for national certification through the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and/or the American Nurses Credentialing Center. The Loyola University School of Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

George Washington University, located in Washington, D.C., offers an online MSN degree program with adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner and family nurse practitioner specialty tracks. All coursework for the nurse practitioner tracks is delivered online, and students can complete required clinical practicum rotations near their homes with faculty mentoring. However, students are required to complete several on-campus components for skills intensives and skills assessments. Depending on the track, students are required to complete 650 to 700 hours of clinical experience with an approved preceptor. Both tracks are 48 credits and prepare students for national certification examinations by AANP and ANCC. All students in the nurse practitioner tracks must complete a final skills assessment.

In addition, both nurse practitioner degree online tracks can be completed on either a full-time or part-time basis. GW also offers an RN-MSN Bridge Option for students with an associate degree in nursing or a non-nursing bachelor's degree. GW's School of Nursing holds accreditation through the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS), located in Boston, offers an online MSN degree program with family nurse practitioner and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner specialty tracks.

Both nurse practitioner tracks are designed for working professional nurses and can be completed on a part-time basis in two years. Both nurse practitioner degree online tracks require students to attend orientation and two residencies on campus. Aside from these three on-campus attendance requirements, the program's coursework is completely online. In addition, both tracks require 630 hours of clinical experience, which students complete within their local communities. Upon graduation, students are be eligible to sit for national certification examinations.

For both nurse practitioner tracks, applicants must have earned a BSN from an accredited institution, preferably with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. For admission, applicants must also have a current unencumbered nursing license.

Located in South Orange, New Jersey, Seton Hall University offers an online MSN degree program with pediatric primary/acute care nurse practitioner and adult gerontology primary/acute care nurse practitioner specialty tracks. The pediatric primary care nurse practitioner track is 42 credits and requires students to complete a minimum of 540 supervised clinical practicum hours. The pediatric acute care nurse practitioner track is 44 credits and complete a minimum of 600 hours.

Graduates of the pediatric tracks are eligible to sit for national certification through the American Nurses Credentialing Center or the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board, depending on the focus. Both adult gerontology tracks, primary and acute, are 48 credits and a minimum of 600 and 675 hours, respectively. All of the online nurse practitioner tracks are designed to be completed in three years. Graduates of the adult gerontology nurse practitioner tracks are eligible to sit for primary care or acute care national certification through the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Program or the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

Duquesne University, located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, offers an online MSN degree program with a family (individual across the lifespan) nurse practitioner concentration. The nurse practitioner degree online program is designed to be completed in three years. Students in Duquesne University's School of Nursing 45-credit MSN nurse practitioner track are required to complete 21 credits of family nurse practitioner coursework plus 15 credits of MSN core courses and nine credits of clinical core courses. In addition to these courses, students must complete a minimum of 670 clinical hours under the supervision of a preceptor as well as 80 lab hours. Campus attendance is mandatory for the physical assessment for the courses advance Practice Nursing and the Foundations of Family and Individual Care I.

Thomas Jefferson University, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, offers an online MSN degree program with specialty nurse practitioner tracks in women's health, adult-gerontology, neonatal, pediatric, and family/individual across the lifespan. All of the nurse practitioner tracks share a core curriculum, require a total of 36 credits, and are offered in both full-time and part-time formats. Students enrolled full-time can complete the program in just 15 months, and students who enroll part-time can take up to five years to complete the program. Recent Jefferson College of Nursing MSN graduates had a national certification pass rate of 95%.

The MSN degree program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, and Thomas Jefferson University holds regional accreditation through the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. Thomas Jefferson University Hospital is the university's educational partner and the American Nurses Credentialing Center has designated it as a Magnet® for nursing excellence.

American International College, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, offers an online MSN degree program with a family nurse practitioner concentration. The family nurse practitioner track prepares RNs for advanced practice in nursing, providing a spectrum of healthcare services and diagnosing and managing health problems.

The program is 46 credits and can be completed in just two years. In the final semester of the program, students complete two advanced practice capstone courses that emphasize autonomy in clinical decision-making. AIC's School of Health Sciences holds accreditation through the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. The AIC MSN online nurse practitioner program is accessible to driven RNs with undergraduate degrees in non-nursing areas. All applicants must be licensed nurses and a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher is preferred. The MSN program only enrolls students in the fall semester, but accepts applications throughout the year on a rolling basis.