Nurse Practitioner Programs in Georgia
(found programs from 13 schools)

Healthcare reform, population growth and an aging population are expected to increase demand for primary healthcare services in Georgia, and that means abundant opportunities for nurse practitioners. Despite the fact that the number of primary care doctors in Georgia increased 21.6 percent between 1998 and 2008, the state still ranks 40th for the number of primary care physicians per capita.

Georgia nurse practitioners fill in the gap - they've been referred to as the "backbone" of the state's non-physician primary care workers - but there are concerns about the state's supply of nurse practitioners. While the number of nurse practitioners in Georgia has increased in recent years, the growth of the NP population has not kept pace with population growth. Georgia currently has just 44 NPs per 100,000 residents; the national average is 51 NPs per 100,000 people.

Many professionals are attracted to Georgia's urban areas, particularly Atlanta. But demand for primary healthcare remains strong in underserved rural areas as well. On average, Georgia NPs earn between $82,000 and $84,000 annually. Nurse practitioners in the Atlanta area earn close to $90,000 per year.

Georgia nurses who want to advance their education and become nurse practitioners can attend an online school, such as Georgetown University, or one of these in-state institutions:

• Emory University. Emory offers quite a few different Master's-level NP tracks such as: adult care nurse practitioner, adult/gerontology nurse practitioner, pediatric nurse practitioner (acute or primary care), emergency nurse practitioner, and women's health nurse practitioner. The graduate program includes a RN-to-MSN option for nurses who wish to become nurse practitioners but have not yet completed a bachelor's degree.
• Georgia Health Sciences University. This school offers NP programs including: family nurse practitioner and pediatric nurse practitioner. Most coursework is offered online, with minimal on-campus attendance required. Full-time students typically graduate in less than two years; part-time students take about 34 months.
• Kennesaw State University. The WellStar School of Nursing at Kennesaw is the largest school of nursing in northern Georgia. The school offers a primary care nurse practitioner program.

Accredited schools with NP programs in Georgia: