Nurse Practitioner Programs in Pennsylvania
(found programs from 22 schools)

According to a 2011 report, the number of physicians in Pennsylvania is "not nearly sufficient" to meet the projected demand for health services. Currently, about one in four Pennsylvania physicians is over age 60, so the state expects a large proportion of its physician population to retire in the near future. At the same time, demand for healthcare services is predicted to increase as a result of an aging state population and increased access to healthcare insurance. Ample opportunities will exist for nurse practitioners to provide primary and specialized healthcare services.

The number of Pennsylvania nurse practitioners has been increasing. In 2010, there were 6,944 NPs in the state. In 2011, there were 7,545 nurse practitioners in practice; 5,049 of them had prescriptive authority. Pennsylvania NPs who wish to prescribe medication must complete additional training and work in collaboration with a local physician. A collaborative agreement with a Pennsylvania physician is also required to diagnose and treat illnesses.

While many nurse practitioners across the nation build practices in medically underserved rural areas, Pennsylvania's urban health centers are actually more likely to have a nurse practitioner on staff. Average annual salaries for nurse practitioners in Pennsylvania vary by specialization and geographic area. Rural NPs tend to earn salaries in the upper $80,000s, while NPs in Philly typically earn over $90,000, according to Salary.com.

Pennsylvania nurses who wish to become nurse practitioners can attend an online college, such as Georgetown University, or an in-state institution, such as:

• Drexel University. Located in Philadelphia, Drexel University offers a master's-level Women's Health Nurse Practitioner program online. Online adult Acute Care and Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner programs are also available, but both of those programs require periodic visits to the campus.
• Pennsylvania State University. Penn State offers master's-level NP specializations such as: adult gerontology primary care nurse practitioner and family nurse practitioner. Courses are delivered online and via special videoconferencing software to satellite campuses.
• University of Pittsburgh. Since mid-2011, most of the University of Pittsburgh's NP programs have been offered at the Doctoral level. Interested students will enroll in a Doctorate of Nursing Practice program and may choose to specialize in acute care, adult care, family care, neonatology or pediatrics. The psych/mental health nurse practitioner program is still a master's-level program as of November 2011.

Accredited schools with NP programs in Pennsylvania: