Indiana Online NP Programs
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“The sense of community does not have to be lost in an online format.”
Wendy Stoelting-Gettelfinger, PhD, JD, Associate Professor, University of Indianapolis School of Nursing
Online nurse practitioner (NP) programs in Indiana provide an excellent opportunity for nurses to advance their education and career while maintaining a flexible schedule. These programs are designed to accommodate the busy lives of working professionals, allowing students to complete coursework remotely and gain the necessary skills for clinical practice. Indiana’s specific requirements for NPs, including the need for a supervisory or collaborative agreement with a physician to prescribe medications, set it apart from states that grant full practice authority. This collaborative model shapes the role of nurse practitioners within the state’s healthcare system, requiring a balance between autonomy and oversight.
As of 2022, Indiana had 6,550 nurse practitioners, with projections showing significant growth in the coming years. CareerOneStop.org (2025) estimates that the number of NPs in Indiana will rise by 46 percent, reaching 9,550 by 2032.
This increase demonstrates the growing demand for nurse practitioners across the state, particularly as the healthcare needs of rural and underserved communities expand. Online NP programs in Indiana offer a valuable opportunity to meet this rising demand, providing future nurse practitioners with the training needed to excel in a state where their role is crucial to expanding access to quality healthcare.
Meet the Expert: Wendy Stoelting-Gettelfinger, PhD, JD, FNP, AGACNP-BC, NP-C
Dr. Wendy Stoelting-Gettelfinger is an associate professor and the graduate clinical program director for the University of Indianapolis School of Nursing. She also serves as the family nurse practitioner track coordinator. She graduated from Indiana University Bloomington Law School in 1993 and earned her PhD in nursing from Indiana University in 1999. She is dual certified as a family nurse practitioner with over 13 years of experience in family practice and is also certified as an adult gerontology acute care nurse practitioner. She has over nine years of experience as an acute care nurse practitioner and maintains a current practice as a hospitalist nurse practitioner at Indiana Internal Medicine Consultants.
Dr. Stoelting-Gettelfinger has worked as an attorney, assistant commissioner at the Indiana State Department of Health, and has been a nursing professor since 1995. She has taught at the University of Indianapolis since 2011. She enjoys spending time with her family and twin children. Her daughter is currently in her residency at the University of Cincinnati, and her son is completing medical school at Indiana University.
NPSchools.com: What do you wish the public understood about online nurse practitioner programs in Indiana?
Dr. Stoelting-Gettelfinger: Not all online programs are identical. At the University of Indianapolis (UIndy), we strive to provide the best quality education to our students so that they become lifelong learners and graduate ready to practice. One of the things that sets our program apart is that UIndy provides online classes to aspiring nurse practitioners that are asynchronous for non-clinical courses and synchronous for clinical courses. This allows nurse practitioner students the convenience of an online format without sacrificing class discussion for clinical courses.
The nurse practitioner programs at UIndy include an MSN and BSN-to-DNP. There are multiple tracks, including family nurse practitioner, neonatal nurse practitioner, adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner, and our newest track: adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner. Students can earn an MSN, DNP, or a post-master’s certificate. We also offer clinical intensive and Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) experiences to allow students hands-on practice. The adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner program is a hybrid program with online and hybrid courses for students to practice advanced critical care skills such as intubation and central line placement at the simulation center in the Health Pavilion on the UIndy campus.
NPSchools.com: What advice would you give to aspiring online nurse practitioner program students?
Dr. Stoelting-Gettelfinger: Apply to the University of Indianapolis! We give you the best of both worlds, I truly believe it!
Aside from that, the best advice that I could give any aspiring online nurse practitioner student is to choose the program that is right for them and to never be afraid to communicate with their professors. The sense of community does not have to be lost in an online format. UIndy faculty are available to their students to meet with them personally in a virtual format to review concepts if the student has questions or concerns. Even though the student may be distant or online, they can have a personal connection with their professors. Technology now allows faculty and students to communicate in a variety of ways virtually. I would advise students to seek a program that fits their learning style and provides them with the personal guidance that they need to become lifelong learners to continue to provide quality care to their patients in their advanced practice role.
Most Affordable Online NP Programs in Indiana (Ranked by In-State Tuition)
| School | Degrees | Specializations | Programs & Tuition | Programs | Tuition (in-state) |
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| Ball State University |
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| Purdue University Northwest |
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| Indiana University-Purdue University Indiana |
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| University of Southern Indiana |
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| Indiana State University |
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| Indiana Wesleyan Universiity |
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| Purdue Global |
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| University of Indianapolis |
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NP Practice Authority in Indiana
How Much Do Nurse Practitioners Make in Indiana?
| United States | Indiana | |
| Number of NPs Employed | 307,390 | 7,470 |
| Average Salary | $132,000 | $126,520 |
| 10th Percentile | $97,960 | $101,470 |
| 25th Percentile | $109,940 | $111,210 |
| 50th Percentile (Median) | $129,210 | $128,280 |
| 75th Percentile | $149,570 | $134,840 |
| 90th Percentile | $169,950 | $161,150 |
| Source: BLS May (2024)—the latest data available as of June 2025 | ||
Kimmy Gustafson
WriterAmong her many diverse writing endeavors, Kimmy Gustafson has also lent her expertise to NPSchools.com since 2020, providing insightful and engaging content about the significant role of education in shaping our future generations of nurse practitioners. Many of her pieces include interviewing experts on timely topics such as healthcare workplace violence and moral distress.
Kimmy has been a freelance writer for more than a decade, writing hundreds of articles on a wide variety of topics such as startups, nonprofits, healthcare, kiteboarding, the outdoors, and higher education. She is passionate about seeing the world and has traveled to over 27 countries. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oregon. When not working, she can be found outdoors, parenting, kiteboarding, or cooking.