Nurse Practitioner Programs
(found programs from 338 schools)

Below is a complete list of the nationally accredited Nurse Practitioner (NP) programs.

The good news is that there are a lot of schools where you can study to be a nurse practitioner. If you want to narrow it down a bit, please check out our listings of nursing schools by state, online masters in nursing programs, online nurse practitioner programs, family nurse practitioner programs, or psychiatric/mental health NP & CNS programs.

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What Does A Nurse Practitioner / NP Actually Do?

Nurse practitioners are, in many ways, becoming very similar to primary care physicians. They can practice independently in many states (around half), and are allowed to prescribe medications in all of them. They are responsible for diagnosing and treating a broad variety of health issues, and can select certain populations as a special focus of their practice (children, the adults, the elderly, etc.). They may also select sub-specialty areas such as Neurology, Occupational Health, or Sports Medicine.

They practice in a variety of settings, but one type that is becoming more prevalent is the retail clinic. These clinics are embedded in drug stores, grocery stores, or other chain stores, staffed entirely by nurse practitioners (no physicians). Researchers are predicting dramatic growth over the next five years in the number of locations offering this kind of care.

You can find more information about this role on the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) website. According to the AANP, ovr 6,000 new Nurse Practitioners are prepared each year across the country. The average salary of a Nurse Practitioner hovers around $80,000 to $85,000.

How Do I Become A Nurse Practitioner?

The first step in becoming a Nurse Practitioner is to attend a nationally accredited Masters of Science in Nursing program and choose one of the Nurse Practitioner tracks. There was a period of time when a shortage of nurse practitioners led to a relaxation of the requirements to become an NP, meaning that continuing education certification was accepted instead of a full Masters degree. Those certified NPs are still grandfathered in, but the primary path to becoming an NP today is to go through a Masters degree program.

As with other roles, the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) is the primary and most respected source of board certifications, offering them for:

• Acute Care Nurse Practitioners
• Adult Nurse Practitioners
• Adult Psychiatric & Mental Health Nurse Practitioners
• Diabetes Management
• Family Nurse Practitioners
• Family Psychiatric & Mental Health Nurse Practitioners
• Gerontological Nurse Practitioners
• Pediatric Nurse Practitioners
• School Nurse Practitioners

The AANP offers certification in several specialties as well. You will be able to take the appropriate certification exam at the end of your degree program. As always, make sure to check with the Board of Nursing in the state where you intend to practice, for any state specific requirements.