Top Online Family Nurse Practitioner Programs
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According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP 2023), the largest clinical focus area for nurse practitioners is family practice, at 70.3 percent. This means that out of the 355,000 licensed nurse practitioners in the United States, more than two out of three nurse practitioners will study to become family nurse practitioners (FNPs).
These statistics predict good news in the wake of a shortage of primary care doctors, estimated to hit 46,900 to 121,900 by 2032 (AAMC 2023). Nurse practitioners (NPs) are helping to bridge that gap.
Family NPs must earn a graduate degree in nursing, such as a master of science in nursing (MSN) or doctor of nursing practice (DNP), with a family nurse practitioner specialization. MSN-prepared registered nurses (RNs) may alternatively pursue a post-master’s FNP certificate.
Earning an FNP degree empowers nurses to expand their scope of practice to help more patients and ready themselves to pursue advanced degrees such as a doctor of nursing practice (DNP). The majority of US states grant full practice authority to nurse practitioners, meaning NPs can evaluate, diagnose, and prescribe medications without being supervised by another health provider (AANP 2023).
While a doctor of nursing practice (DNP) degree is not currently required to become a nurse practitioner, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), with the support of the National Institute of Health (NIH), the Institute of Medicine, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, has advocated for the DNP to be the new educational standard in the nurse practitioner field. As of December 2023, that standard has not been universally adopted for the time being, with many universities continuing to offer MSN degrees and post-MSN certificates with NP specializations.
Online Family NP Program Rankings (2023-2024)
Aspiring FNPs may choose from a large variety of online master’s, post-master’s certificate, and doctoral-level programs. In fact, there are more online FNP programs than there are any other types of NP programs, which stands to reason, given that FNPs represent two-thirds of all practicing NPs.
Typically, in online FNP programs, students complete coursework online, sometimes visiting campus for immersion experiences. Many programs do not require any campus visits at all. All online FNP programs require clinical preceptorships, which in most cases may be completed at an approved facility local to the student.
The comprehensive NPSchools.com database includes 1,035 online NP programs at the MSN, DNP, and post-master’s certificate levels that were actively accepting students at the outset of the 2023-2024 academic year. To qualify for inclusion, each program had to require fewer than ten total campus visits. Programs are ranked by their school’s AdvanceU score, which factors in cost, admissions flexibility, and program variety.
At NPSchools.com, we have done our best to ensure the accuracy of the data on our website; however, please contact us if we have missed any programs, or if there is erroneous information that needs to be corrected.
Family NP Career & Salary
Nurse practitioners are the second-fastest growing career in the United States, with a 45 percent growth rate slated to add 118,600 new positions from 2022 to 2023 (BLS 2023). This figure includes FNPs and other NP specializations.
Nurse practitioners earn an average annual salary of $124,680 (BLS May 2022) with the following percentiles:
- 10th percentile: $87,340
- 25th percentile: $103,250
- 50th percentile (median): $121,610
- 75th percentile: $135,470
- 90th percentile: $165,240
Family nurse practitioners (FNPs) play a crucial role in the healthcare sector, providing primary care services to families and individuals and are compensated competitively. This figure can vary depending on the location, years of experience, and additional certifications.
Sara Navratil
WriterSara Navratil is a freelance writer and a Certified Canfield Success Principles Trainer. She’s the owner of Sara Liza Life, a company dedicated to helping people rewrite their lives. She enjoys researching and writing about healthcare-related topics, including information on online NP programs. When not working she likes to read, bake, and spend time with her family.