Most Affordable Online Nurse Practitioner Programs (2023)

The tables below rank the most affordable online nurse practitioner programs in the NPSchools.com database. More specifically, each table lists all nursing schools with affordable online nurse practitioner (NP) programs at the specified degree level: master of science in nursing (MSN), doctor of nursing practice (DNP), or post-master’s certificate.

In total, the NPSchools.com database contains 1,070 online programs, and we believe it to be a comprehensive list of online NP programs accepting new students at the outset of the 2023-2024 academic year.

Each online program in our database requires less than ten campus visits total, with other coursework to be completed online and, in most but not all cases, clinical preceptorships to be completed at an approved facility near where the student lives and works.

Each table below lists only programs we have deemed affordable, meaning that the program’s cost, factoring in both in-state and out-of-state tuition, placed it in the upper third of all online NP programs in terms of affordability.

In the 2023-24 academic year, the cutoff for affordability is $31,033, meaning the total cost for an affordable program had to fall below that.

The program tables below contain only affordable nurse practitioner programs. The bottom two-thirds of programs in our database regarding tuition costs are not listed on this page, as they did not make the cut.

Even though the mean annual wage for NPs is $124,680 per year (BLS May 2022), RNs must consider the cost of earning an advanced NP degree or post-master’s certificate, and weigh the return on the investment in real terms:

  1. Can one work and continue to make a living as one studies to become an NP?
  2. How long will that take?
  3. How quickly can one realistically move into an NP role following graduation?
  4. How long will it take to pay the degree off?
  5. How will lifetime earnings increase?

While the nurse practitioner role is one of the most well-compensated, in-demand roles in healthcare, the student loan debt crisis is real, and educational investment and return should be considered and understood.

With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of the most affordable online NP programs in our nursing schools database at the MSN, DNP, and post-master’s certificate levels. All nurse practitioner specializations – AGNP, FNP, NM, PMHNP, PNP, and WHNP – are included.

Affordable Online MSN-NP Programs

The following online MSN programs all offer one or more nurse practitioner tracks. Most accept BSN-prepared nurses, but some are designed for registered nurses (RNs) with an associate degree in nursing (ADN) or a non-nursing bachelor’s degree. We’ve tried to indicate which applies in the program name, but if it is not specified, then it is safest to assume that the program is designed for BSN-prepared RNs.

School School Most Affordable Program Tuition
(Resident)
Tuition
(Non-Resident)
1 Rockhurst University
MSN – Post-Master's FNP Program (Second Masters – for MSN Prepared Nurses) $15,920.00 $15,920.00
Show Fewer Affordable Programs (-)
2 Columbus State University
MSN – Family Nurse Practitioner $16,940.00 $16,940.00
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3 University of Southern Indiana
MSN – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner $17,600.52 $17,600.52
MSN – Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner $21,800.52 $21,800.52
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MSN – Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) $21,800.52 $21,800.52
MSN – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner $22,838.64 $22,838.64
Show Fewer Affordable Programs (-)
4 University of Louisiana at Lafayette
MSN – Family Nurse Practitioner $20,160.00 $20,160.00
MSN – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner $23,040.00 $23,040.00
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5 Troy University
MSN – Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) $22,325.00 $22,325.00
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6 University of West Florida
MSN – Family Nurse Practitioner $22,500.00 $22,500.00
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7 Ohio University
MSN – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner $21,812.00 $22,534.00
MSN – Family Nurse Practitioner $24,716.00 $25,419.00
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8 Purdue University Northwest
MSN – Family Nurse Practitioner $16,022.30 $23,551.70
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9 McNeese State University
MSN – Family Nurse Practitioner $23,306.64 $23,306.64
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10 Kent State University
MSN – Women's Health Nurse Practitioner $23,095.80 $23,515.80
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11 Northern Kentucky University
MSN – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner $25,300.00 $25,300.00
MSN – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner $25,850.00 $25,300.00
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MSN – Family Nurse Practitioner $30,315.00 $25,850.00
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12 William Paterson University
RN to MSN – Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner $26,205.00 $26,205.00
MSN – Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner $27,311.70 $27,311.70
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13 Campbellsville University
MSN – Family Nurse Practitioner $27,135.00 $27,135.00
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14 Texas Woman\'s University
MSN – Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) $26,330.40 $26,330.40
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15 University of South Alabama
MSN – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP (post-BSN pathway) $26,730.00 $26,730.00
MSN – Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP (post-BSN pathway) $26,730.00 $26,730.00
Show More Affordable Programs (+)
MSN – Family Nurse Practitioner (post-BSN pathway) $26,730.00 $26,730.00
MSN – Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (post-BSN pathway) $26,730.00 $26,730.00
MSN – Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (post-BSN pathway) $26,730.00 $26,730.00
MSN – Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (post-BSN pathway) $26,730.00 $26,730.00
MSN – Psychatric Nurse Practitioner (post-BSN) $26,730.00 $26,730.00
MSN – Women's Health Nurse Practitioner (post-BSN pathway) $26,730.00 $26,730.00
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16 University of Texas – Arlington
MSN – Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner $26,814.00 $26,814.00
MSN – Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner $26,814.00 $26,814.00
Show More Affordable Programs (+)
MSN – Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner $26,814.00 $26,814.00
MSN – Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner $29,430.00 $29,430.00
MSN – Family Nurse Practitioner $35,154.75 $35,154.75
Show Fewer Affordable Programs (-)
17 United States University
MSN – Family Nurse Practitioner $26,880.00 $26,880.00
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18 King University
MSN – Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP) $27,225.00 $27,225.00
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19 Indiana State University
Family Nurse Practitioner – MSN $21,150.00 $28,100.00
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20 University of Missouri
MSN – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner $25,800.00 $25,800.00
MSN – Family Nurse Practitioner $28,200.00 $28,200.00
Show More Affordable Programs (+)
MSN – Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner $28,200.00 $28,200.00
Show Fewer Affordable Programs (-)
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Affordable Online DNP-NP Programs

The online DNP-NP programs below are designed for either BSN-prepared or MSN-prepared registered nurses. The degree path will be specified in the program name. If no degree path is specified in the program name, it is safe to assume that the program is designed for MSN-prepared RNs.

Relatively few DNP-NP programs meet the NPSchools.com criteria for “affordable”. There are several potential reasons for this. In the case of BSN-to-DNP programs, the primary reason is program length; said programs simply require the completion of more credits and a higher number of practice hours than a corresponding BSN-to-MSN program would. In the case of MSN-to-DNP programs, the reasons are a bit less clear, but may also involve the higher number of practice hours (at minimum 1,000, versus 500 for MSN-NP programs) that non-APRNs are required to complete in order to earn a DNP.

School School Most Affordable Program Tuition
(Resident)
Tuition
(Non-Resident)
1 Tennessee Tech University/ETSU Joint
BSN to DNP – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP $22,600.00 $29,040.00
BSN to DNP – Pediatric Primary Care NP $22,600.00 $29,040.00
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2 Georgia Southern University
Post-BSN to DNP Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner $29,953.00 $29,953.00
Post-BSN to DNP Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner $29,953.00 $29,953.00
Show More Affordable Programs (+)
Post-BSN to DNP Family Nurse Practitioner $29,953.00 $29,953.00
Post-BSN to DNP Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner $29,953.00 $29,953.00
Show Fewer Affordable Programs (-)
3 New Mexico State University
BSN to DNP – Family Nurse Practitioner $30,663.60 $30,663.60
BSN to DNP – Family Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner $30,663.60 $30,663.60
Show More Affordable Programs (+)
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Affordable Online Post-Master’s NP Certificate Programs

All post-master’s certificates are designed for registered nurses who are either MSN-prepared or DNP-prepared. In rare cases, such certificates will require that the nurse be DNP-prepared, but that is more the exception than the rule, and in such cases that will be specified in the program name.

While many post-master’s NP certificates will accept any qualified RN with a graduate nursing degree, some do require that the nurse already be an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) of some sort (meaning a clinical nurse specialist, a nurse-midwife, a nurse anesthetist, or an NP). To confuse things further, still other programs require that the nurse be an NP, or even a specific type of NP such as a family NP or pediatric primary care NP. In such cases, we have attempted to specify in the program name, but in all cases with these post-master’s NP certificate programs it is worth clicking through to the detailed school profile to learn the full program requirements.

Notably, many post-master’s certificates register as affordable in our system since the programs tend to be shorter and require fewer credits to complete. How many credits depends on a gap analysis performed at the outset of the program, but for the sake of this table, and our database in general, we always assume that the maximum number of listed credits must be completed.

Rank School Most Affordable Program Tuition
(Resident)
Tuition
(Non-Resident)
1 Eastern Kentucky University
Family Psychiatric Mental Health NP (Post-MSN certificate for the Adult NP/CNS) $5,512.00 $5,512.00
Family Psychiatric Mental Health NP (Post-MSN certificate for the Child/Adolescent NP/CNS) $6,890.00 $6,890.00
Show More Affordable Programs (+)
Psychiatric Mental Health NP (Post-MSN certificate) $16,536.00 $16,536.00
Family Nurse Practitioner (Post-MSN certificate) $22,048.00 $22,048.00
Show Fewer Affordable Programs (-)
2 Georgia Southern University
Post-MSN Certificate – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner $6,802.00 $6,802.00
Post-MSN Certificate – Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner $6,802.00 $6,802.00
Show More Affordable Programs (+)
Post-MSN Certificate – Family Nurse Practitioner $6,802.00 $6,802.00
Post-MSN Certificate – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner $6,802.00 $6,802.00
Show Fewer Affordable Programs (-)
3 University of Massachusetts – Boston
Post-Master's Certificate – Family Nurse Practitioner (for PNPs, ANPs, GNPs) $6,900.00 $6,900.00
Post-Master's Certificate – Family Nurse Practitioner $12,075.00 $12,075.00
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4 University of Nevada Reno
Post-Master's Certificate – Family Nurse Practitioner (for APRNs) $5,338.00 $8,007.00
Post-Master's Certificate – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (for APRNs) $7,222.00 $10,833.00
Show More Affordable Programs (+)
Post-Master's Certificate – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (for Non-APRNs) $9,106.00 $13,659.00
Post-Master's Certificate – Family Nurse Practitioner (for Non-APRNs) $10,362.00 $15,543.00
Show Fewer Affordable Programs (-)
5 New Mexico State University
Post-Master's Certificate – Family Nurse Practitioner $7,999.20 $7,999.20
Post-Master's Certificate – Family Psychiatric-Mental Health NP $9,332.40 $9,332.40
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6 University of Kansas Medical Center
Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP – Post-Master's Certificate $10,980.80 $10,980.80
Family Nurse Practitioner – Post-Master's Certificate $10,980.80 $10,980.80
Show More Affordable Programs (+)
Psychiatric-Mental Health NP – Post-Master's Certificate $16,471.20 $16,471.20
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7 University of Southern Indiana
Post Master's Certificate – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP $10,057.44 $10,057.44
Post Master's Certificate – Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP $10,057.44 $10,057.44
Show More Affordable Programs (+)
Post-Master's Certificate – Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) $10,057.44 $10,057.44
Post-Master's Certificate – Psychiatric Mental Health NP $10,895.56 $10,895.56
Show Fewer Affordable Programs (-)
8 Samford University
Post-Master's Emergency Nurse Practitioner Certificate $11,532.00 $11,532.00
Post-Master's Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certificate $16,337.00 $16,337.00
Show More Affordable Programs (+)
Post-Master's Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate $28,830.00 $28,830.00
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9 Old Dominion University
Post-Professional Certificate – Family Nurse Practitioner $14,376.00 $14,952.00
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10 Kent State University
Women's Health Nurse Practitioner Certificate $11,547.90 $11,757.90
Post-Master's Certificate – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner $13,747.50 $13,997.50
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11 University of Missouri – Kansas City
Post-Master's Certificate – Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner $17,285.40 $17,285.40
Post-Master's Certificate – Family Nurse Practitioner $17,285.40 $17,285.40
Show More Affordable Programs (+)
Post-Master's Certificate – Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner $17,285.40 $17,285.40
Post-Master's Certificate – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner $17,285.40 $17,285.40
Post-Master's Certificate – Women's Health Nurse Practitioner $17,285.40 $17,285.40
Post-Master's Certificate – Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner $20,166.30 $20,166.30
Post-Master's Certificate – Neonatal Nurse Practitioner $22,592.64 $22,592.64
Show Fewer Affordable Programs (-)
12 Husson University
Post-Master's Certificate – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner $12,276.00 $12,276.00
Post-Master's Certificate – Family and Community NP $12,276.00 $12,276.00
Show More Affordable Programs (+)
Post-Master's Certificate – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP (Across the Lifespan) $14,322.00 $14,322.00
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13 University of Missouri
Graduate Certificate- Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner $11,100.00 $11,100.00
Graduate Certificate – Family Nurse Practitioner $11,700.00 $11,700.00
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14 Briar Cliff University
Post-Master's Certificate – Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner $12,870.00 $12,870.00
Post-Master's Certificate – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner $13,455.00 $13,455.00
Show More Affordable Programs (+)
Post-Master's Certificate – Family Nurse Practitioner $14,625.00 $14,625.00
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15 University of Southern Mississippi
Post-Graduate Certificate – Family Nurse Practitioner $13,913.12 $13,913.12
Post-Graduate Certificate – Psychiatric Mental Health NP $14,983.36 $14,983.36
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16 Spring Arbor University
Post-Master's Certificate – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner $16,107.00 $16,107.00
Post-Master's Certificate – Family Nurse Practitioner $17,641.00 $17,641.00
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17 Washburn University
Post-Graduate Certificate – PMHNP (for FNPs) $13,840.00 $13,840.00
Post-Graduate Certificate – PMHNP (for ANPs) $15,916.00 $15,916.00
Show More Affordable Programs (+)
Post-Graduate Certificate – PMHNP (for PMH-CNS) $17,992.00 $17,992.00
Post-Graduate Certificate – PMHNP (for non-APRNs) $21,452.00 $21,452.00
Show Fewer Affordable Programs (-)
18 Mount Marty University
Family Nurse Practitioner Post-Graduate Certificate $16,390.00 $16,390.00
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Post-Graduate Certificate $16,390.00 $16,390.00
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19 Purdue University Northwest
Post-Master's Certificate – Family Nurse Practitioner $10,227.00 $15,033.00
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20 University of Cincinnati
Post-Master's Certificate – Psychiatric Mental Health NP $15,884.00 $16,169.00
Show Fewer Affordable Programs (-)
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