Most Affordable Online Nurse Practitioner Programs (2026)
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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 1,305 online programs, and we believe it to be a comprehensive list of online NP programs accepting new students at the outset of the 2025-2026 academic year.
Each online program in our database requires nine or fewer 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, ranked by non-resident/out-of-state tuition, placed it in the upper third of similar online NP programs in terms of affordability.
In the 2025-26 academic year, the cutoff for affordability is $35,973 for an MSN-NP degree program, $20,053 for a post-master’s NP certificate program, and $57,118 for a DNP-NP degree program, meaning the total cost for an affordable program has to fall below whichever number is most relevant.
The program tables below contain only affordable nurse practitioner programs. The least affordable two-thirds of programs at each degree level are not listed on this page, as they did not make the cut.
Even though the median annual wage for NPs is $129,210 per year (BLS May 2024), 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:
- Can one work and continue to make a living as one studies to become an NP?
- How long will that take?
- How quickly can one realistically move into an NP role following graduation?
- How long will it take to pay the degree off?
- 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, NNP, PMHNP, PNP, and WHNP – are included.
In all cases, the tuition numbers listed represent the total tuition cost for entire program, not the cost per semester or year.
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.
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 may seem “affordable”. There are several potential reasons for this, but the primary reason is program length; said programs simply require the completion of more advanced nursing courses and a higher number of practice hours than a corresponding BSN-to-MSN program, or Post-Master’s Certificate for MSN-prepared nurses, would.
But a DNP is the terminal nursing degree, one that demonstrates a commitment to excellence in nursing practice and leadership that goes beyond the current educational standard (in fact, some nursing and healthcare organizations are pushing for it to become the future standard). Below are the most affordable online DNP-NP programs offered for the 2025-2026 academic year, ranked by out-of-state / non-resident tuition.
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 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 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. Below are the most affordable (top third) of these generally affordable programs.