Top Online Nurse Practitioner Programs 2025

10 Min Read Published September 26, 2025
The Best Online Nurse Practitioner Programs 2024
The Best Online Nurse Practitioner Programs 2024

Online nurse practitioner programs are available for almost every specialty and allow you to continue working, earning money, and upholding your family responsibilities while earning your degree. While didactic classes are taken online, your clinical hours can often be completed at your workplace or at a designated facility in your area.

To help you choose the right online nurse practitioner program for you, we've ranked the top programs for 2025. 

Popular Online Nurse Practitioner (NP) Programs

Sponsored
Berkley School of Nursing at Georgetown University

The Berkley School of Nursing at Georgetown University is one of the world’s leading academic and research institutions, and the university has been delivering graduate nursing programs in a distance-learning environment since 2011. The university's online programs allow students to learn from wherever they are while they pursue an accredited, mission-driven nursing education that will allow them to deliver high-quality care.

Accreditation
CCNE
Location
Online
Prerequisite
RN Required

Enrollment: Nationwide, excluding NY and WA.

Chamberlain University

Chamberlain University is the #1 largest school of nursing with a community of more than 177,000 students, faculty, and alumni. The school offers MSN programs online and has a long history of successfully delivering top quality education. Chamberlain's Commitment to Completion Grant helps RNs earn advanced degrees with savings up to $9,100.

Accreditation
CCNE
Location
Online
Prerequisite
RN Required

Enrollment: Nationwide except CT, NY, RI

Walden University

Earn your nursing degree from one of the largest nursing education providers in the U.S. Walden University’s BSN, MSN, post-master’s APRN certificate, and DNP programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Get enhanced practicum support with our Practicum Pledge.

Accreditation
CCNE
Location
Online
Prerequisite
RN Required

Enrollment: Nationwide, excluding CT, NY and RI. Certain programs have additional state restrictions. Check with Walden for details.

Purdue Global

Whether you’re taking the first steps toward a nursing degree, seeking to advance as a nurse or want to hone your craft with specialized study, there’s a path for you at Purdue Global’s School of Nursing. Our programs were designed so that you can easily balance your lives at home and work with school - without sacrificing the rigor and cutting-edge curriculum of a quality nursing education.

Accreditation
CCNE
Location
Online
Prerequisite
RN Required

Enrollment: Nationwide, but certain programs have state restrictions. Check with Purdue for details.

Grand Canyon University

GCU's College of Nursing and Health Care Professions has a nearly 35-year tradition of preparing students to fill evolving healthcare roles as highly qualified professionals.

Accreditation
CCNE
Location
Online
Prerequisite
RN Required

Enrollment: Nationwide

Nurse.org's Top Online Nurse Practitioner Programs

Our ranking criteria is based on factors such as tuition, acceptance rate, student-to-faculty ratio, and accreditation and uses the latest and most robust U.S. government data sets, specifically the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and College Scorecard

To make it easy to compare tuition between NP programs, we've calculated the total program cost for you by multiplying the programs cost per credit, as listed on each school's website, by the total number of credits needed for the course. Because of this, total program amounts are approximate and may not be exact. 

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✔ Evaluated 1,100+ accredited nursing school programs using the latest U.S. government data sets. Learn more about our ranking methodology

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School Nurse.org Total Tuition Estimate** Program Length
1. Drexel University $63,504 56 credit hours
2. University of Alabama - Birmingham $31,590 45 - 72 credit hours
3. George Washington University $69,600 48-54 credit hours
4. Seton Hall $72,960 48-49 credit hours
5. Duke University $106,134 42-49 credit hours
6. The University of Mississippi In-State: $28,100
Out-of-State: $82,978
45-58 credit hours
7. Vanderbilt University $84,324 38-66 credit hours
8. Stony Brook University In-State: $21,195
Out-of-State: $49,365
45 credit hours
9. Florida Atlantic University In-State: $19,334
Out-of-State: $53,394.12
52 credit hours
10. Berkley School of Nursing at Georgetown University* $112,200 40-49 credit hours

**Total program tuition is calculated by multiplying the programs cost per credit by the total number of credits needed for the course, as reported by the university website, using FNP programs as the standard. Because of this, total program amounts are approximate and may not be exact. 

Total Tuition Est.*
$63,504
Program Length
56 credits
Accreditation
CCNE
Online Options Available? 
Yes

Based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Drexel University’s College of Nursing and Health Professions offers top-ranked faculty, innovative learning technologies, and action-based learning in support of the development of clinical skills.  

  • Application Deadline: August 1st
  • Contact Phone Number: (215) 895-2400
  • Email: enroll@drexel.com
  • BSN from an accredited program
  • Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above from BSN
  • 2 years of current bedside nursing experience; current
  • Unrestricted RN license.
  • Adult-Gerontology
  • Emergency
  • Family
  • Pediatrics
  • Psychiatric Mental Health
  • Women’s/Gender-Related Health
Total Tuition Est.*
$31,590
Program Length
2 years
Accreditation
CCNE
Online Options Available? 
Yes

The University of Alabama’s Capstone College of Nursing offers a blended format combining online courses and in-person clinical experiences.  

Admission requires a BSN and licensure in one of the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia.

Depending upon the concentration chosen, programs are available as either part-time or full-time. UAB assists in securing clinical placements and preceptors for all NP students among its over 5,000 clinical affiliates. 

  • Application Deadline: 
    • Fall: February 12th
    • Summer: October 9th
  • Contact Phone Number: (205) 934-5428
  • Email: online@ua.edu
  • RN licensure
  • BSN with at least a 3.0 overall GPA
Adult-Gerontology Acute Care, Adult-Gerontology, Family, Neonatal, Pediatric Acute Care, Pediatric Primary Care, Psychiatric/Mental Health, Women’s Health Care

Popular Online Nurse Practitioner (NP) Programs

Sponsored
Berkley School of Nursing at Georgetown University

The Berkley School of Nursing at Georgetown University is one of the world’s leading academic and research institutions, and the university has been delivering graduate nursing programs in a distance-learning environment since 2011. The university's online programs allow students to learn from wherever they are while they pursue an accredited, mission-driven nursing education that will allow them to deliver high-quality care.

Accreditation
CCNE
Location
Online
Prerequisite
RN Required

Enrollment: Nationwide, excluding NY and WA.

Chamberlain University

Chamberlain University is the #1 largest school of nursing with a community of more than 177,000 students, faculty, and alumni. The school offers MSN programs online and has a long history of successfully delivering top quality education. Chamberlain's Commitment to Completion Grant helps RNs earn advanced degrees with savings up to $9,100.

Accreditation
CCNE
Location
Online
Prerequisite
RN Required

Enrollment: Nationwide except CT, NY, RI

Walden University

Earn your nursing degree from one of the largest nursing education providers in the U.S. Walden University’s BSN, MSN, post-master’s APRN certificate, and DNP programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Get enhanced practicum support with our Practicum Pledge.

Accreditation
CCNE
Location
Online
Prerequisite
RN Required

Enrollment: Nationwide, excluding CT, NY and RI. Certain programs have additional state restrictions. Check with Walden for details.

Purdue Global

Whether you’re taking the first steps toward a nursing degree, seeking to advance as a nurse or want to hone your craft with specialized study, there’s a path for you at Purdue Global’s School of Nursing. Our programs were designed so that you can easily balance your lives at home and work with school - without sacrificing the rigor and cutting-edge curriculum of a quality nursing education.

Accreditation
CCNE
Location
Online
Prerequisite
RN Required

Enrollment: Nationwide, but certain programs have state restrictions. Check with Purdue for details.

Grand Canyon University

GCU's College of Nursing and Health Care Professions has a nearly 35-year tradition of preparing students to fill evolving healthcare roles as highly qualified professionals.

Accreditation
CCNE
Location
Online
Prerequisite
RN Required

Enrollment: Nationwide

Total Tuition Est.*
$69,600
Program Length
2-3 years
Accreditation
CCNE
Online Options Available? 
Yes

George Washington University’s online NP program offers one of the top-ranked online NP programs with multiple tracks available for students to choose from. 

Each program has a brief on-campus component and is available as either a part-time or full-time program. Students are responsible for finding their clinical placements and preceptors, but the school will provide information on local sites that have current affiliations. 

  • Application Deadline:
    • Fall: July 1st
    • Spring: December 1st
  • Contact Phone Number: (202)994-7901
  • Email: nursing@gwu.edu
  • Minimum GPA of 3.0
  • 1-2 years of professional nursing experience
  • BSN from an accredited nursing program
  • Active nursing license.
  • Adult-Gerontology Acute Care
  • Adult-Gerontology Primary Care
  • Family
  • Psychiatric/Mental Health
Total Tuition Est.*
$72,960
Program Length
3-4 years
Accreditation
CCNE
Online Options Available? 
Yes

Seton Hall University offers nationally ranked online programs designed to prepare Nurse Practitioner candidates to practice in a variety of specialty areas. Seton Hall is currently ranked as the #1 in New Jersey for Top Online Master's in Nursing Programs by U.S. News & World Report. Professors are currently employed NPs, allowing students to learn from current practitioners. 

  • Application Deadline: 
    • Fall: August 15th
    • Spring: December 15th
  • Contact Phone Number: (973) 542-6200
  • Email: Gabriele.zengewald@shu.edu
  • BSN from an accredited nursing program with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above (3.2 or above for Adult Acute Care Nurse Practitioner)
  • Registered nurse licensure
  • Professional liability insurance
  • Lletters of reference
  • Completion of prerequisites
  • Family
  • Adult-Gerontology Acute Care
  • Adult-Gerontology Primary Care
  • Pediatric Primary Care
  • Psychiatric/Mental Health
Total Tuition Est.*
$106,134
Program Length
2-3 years
Accreditation
CCNE
Online Options Available? 
Yes

Duke University’s School of Nursing offers a variety of distance-based or online programs that require on-campus attendance at least once each semester for two- to five-day intensive programming and 11 credit hours of clinical core courses. 

Students will also be required to complete a final clinical residency under the mentorship of an experienced clinician in their respective area of expertise. 

  • Registered Nurse licensure
  • BSN from an accredited program with a preferred 3.0 GPA or an Associate’s Degree in Nursing with a bachelor’s degree in any field
  • Resume,
  • Personal statement
  • Recommendations
  • Transcripts
  • Prerequisites
  • Adult-Gerontology Acute Care
  • Adult-Gerontology Primary Care,
  • Family
  • Neonatal
  • Pediatric Acute Care
  • Pediatric Primary Care
  • Psychiatric Mental Health
  • Women’s Health
Total Tuition Est.*
In-State: $28,100, Out-of-State: $82,978.00
Program Length
2-4 years
Accreditation
CCNE
Online Options Available? 
Yes

The University of Mississippi’s School of Nursing is a nationally ranked program that offers flexible Nurse Practitioner programs in both online and hybrid formats.  

The programs boast high pass rates on national certification exams, as well as low tuition costs. The Acute/Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner track is the only one of its kind in the state of Mississippi. Recently, UM updated its admission requirements, and GREs are no longer required for NP students. 

  • BSN degree from an accredited institution with a minimum cumulative nursing GPA of 3.0
  • Undergraduate or graduate-level statistics course
  • One year of experience as an RN
  • Unrestricted RN license.
  • Acute/Primary Care Pediatric
  • Adult-Gerontology Acute Care
  • Family
  • Neonatal
  • Family Psychiatric/Mental Health
Total Tuition Est.*
$84,324
Program Length
2-3 years
Accreditation
CCNE
Online Options Available? 
Yes

Vanderbilt University’s School of Nursing offers a variety of learning formats that use online and distance technologies to deliver high-quality education in a range of Advanced Nursing Practice Specialties. 

Students without nursing backgrounds are required to enroll full-time and attend classes on campus during their first year, while Registered Nurses with BSN or MSN degrees learn via a modified distance format that includes didactic lectures available online, block visits to campus over extended weekends, and clinical experiences arranged in their local region.  

  • Statement of purpose
  • GPA of 3.0 or better
  • Complete academic history
  • Three letters of academic or professional reference
  • Completion of prerequisite courses
  • Graduated from an accredited school
  • Unencumbered RN license
  • Adult-Gerontology Acute Care
  • Adult-Gerontology Primary Care
  • Emergency
  • Family
  • Neonatal
  • Pediatric Acute Care
  • Pediatric Primary Care
  • Psychiatric-Mental Health (Lifespan)
  • Women’s Health/Gender-Related
  • Women’s Health Gender-Related/Adult-Gerontology Primary Care
Total Tuition Est.*
In-state: $21,195, Out-of-state: $49,365
Program Length
2 years
Accreditation
CCNE
Online Options Available? 
Yes

The Stony Brook School of Nursing is a top-ranked school recognized for excellence and innovation in education, leadership, research, advocacy, and practice. 

All of its Nurse Practitioner programs provide graduates with either a Master of Science in Nursing degree or a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and are offered through distance education with on-site requirements. 

  • Application Deadline:  Varies by program
  • Contact Phone Number: (631) 444-3200
  • Email: gradadmission@stonybrook.edu
  • Bachelor of Science in Nursing with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0
  • Minimum of one year’s recent relevant experience preferred
  • Unofficial transcripts
  • Three online letters of recommendation
  • Prerequisites
  • Current Registered Nurse license.
  • Adult-Gerontology Primary Care
  • Adult-Gerontology Acute Care
  • Family
  • Neonatal
  • Pediatric Primary Care
  • Pediatric Acute Care
  • Psychiatric Mental Health
Total Tuition Est.*
In-State: $19,334, Out-of-state: $53,394.12
Program Length
2.5 years
Accreditation
CCNE
Online Options Available? 
Yes

Florida Atlantic University is among the 10 most affordable online MSN programs nationwide. The university offers three online nurse practitioner degrees. 

Students in FAUs online MSN program attend their didactic courses online. However, they must also complete in-person clinical requirements. One outstanding benefit of attending FAU is that they secure clinical sites and preceptors for students. However, these sites are in Miami-Dade, Broward, Martin,  and Palm Beach counties in Florida, which means students must reside in the state by the time they start clinicals.

  • Application Deadline: February 15th
  • Contact Phone Number: (561) 297-2535
  • Email: kchadwel@health.fau.edu
  • Bachelor’s in Nursing from an accredited program
  • GPA of 3.0
  • Copy of CV/resume
  • One letter of recommendation
  • Registered Nursing license
  • Philosophy of nursing essay
  • Adult/Gerontological
  • Family
Total Tuition Est.*
$112,200
Program Length
23-27 months
Accreditation
CCNE
Online Options Available? 
Yes

Berkley School of Nursing at Georgetown University’s nationally recognized online MS in Nursing programs* prepare registered nurses to provide high-quality nursing care in four separate specialty areas.

The Nurse Practitioner program combines asynchronous didactic content, synchronous class sessions, and in-person Objective Clinical Intensives. 

Monthly information sessions are held with current faculty and admissions counselors, allowing time for questions and answers, which you may find helpful when determining if this program is a good fit for your nursing career. 

  • BSN degree
  • Current registered nurse license
  • Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA and science GPA
  • Prerequisite courses
  • Adult-Gerontology Acute Care
  • Family
  • Nurse-Midwifery/Women’s Health
  • Women’s Health 

Additional NP Resources

Popular Online Nurse Practitioner (NP) Programs

Sponsored
Berkley School of Nursing at Georgetown University

The Berkley School of Nursing at Georgetown University is one of the world’s leading academic and research institutions, and the university has been delivering graduate nursing programs in a distance-learning environment since 2011. The university's online programs allow students to learn from wherever they are while they pursue an accredited, mission-driven nursing education that will allow them to deliver high-quality care.

Accreditation
CCNE
Location
Online
Prerequisite
RN Required

Enrollment: Nationwide, excluding NY and WA.

Chamberlain University

Chamberlain University is the #1 largest school of nursing with a community of more than 177,000 students, faculty, and alumni. The school offers MSN programs online and has a long history of successfully delivering top quality education. Chamberlain's Commitment to Completion Grant helps RNs earn advanced degrees with savings up to $9,100.

Accreditation
CCNE
Location
Online
Prerequisite
RN Required

Enrollment: Nationwide except CT, NY, RI

Walden University

Earn your nursing degree from one of the largest nursing education providers in the U.S. Walden University’s BSN, MSN, post-master’s APRN certificate, and DNP programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Get enhanced practicum support with our Practicum Pledge.

Accreditation
CCNE
Location
Online
Prerequisite
RN Required

Enrollment: Nationwide, excluding CT, NY and RI. Certain programs have additional state restrictions. Check with Walden for details.

Purdue Global

Whether you’re taking the first steps toward a nursing degree, seeking to advance as a nurse or want to hone your craft with specialized study, there’s a path for you at Purdue Global’s School of Nursing. Our programs were designed so that you can easily balance your lives at home and work with school - without sacrificing the rigor and cutting-edge curriculum of a quality nursing education.

Accreditation
CCNE
Location
Online
Prerequisite
RN Required

Enrollment: Nationwide, but certain programs have state restrictions. Check with Purdue for details.

Grand Canyon University

GCU's College of Nursing and Health Care Professions has a nearly 35-year tradition of preparing students to fill evolving healthcare roles as highly qualified professionals.

Accreditation
CCNE
Location
Online
Prerequisite
RN Required

Enrollment: Nationwide

FAQs

         

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        NP
        Terri Heimann Oppenheimer
        Terri Heimann Oppenheimer
        Nurse.org Contributor

        Terri Heimann Oppenheimer is a freelance writer and editor who is driven by details. She loves to dive into research, ensuring that the information she provides educates, engages and illuminates. Before starting her own business she spent years working in advertising and raising three kids. Today she lives in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, where her she and her husband enjoy travel, the Jersey Shore, and spoiling their grandchildren.

        Education:
        Bachelor of the Arts (BA) in English, William & Mary

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