Best degree programs for Nurse Practitioners, ranked by enrollment
20 college programs and 647 schools train Nurse Practitioners. Compare graduates per year, cost and pay, $132,300 median wage, 323,040 U.S. jobs. Federal data.
20 college programs at 647 schools train nurse practitioners, graduating 51,948 people a year (IPEDS completions). The largest is Family Practice Nurse/Nursing. The job pays a median of $132,300 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About nurse practitioners
Diagnose and treat acute, episodic, or chronic illness, independently or as part of a healthcare team. May focus on health promotion and disease prevention. May order, perform, or interpret diagnostic tests such as lab work and x rays. May prescribe medication. Must be registered nurses who have specialized graduate education.
A nurse practitioner (NP) is an advanced practice registered nurse and a type of mid-level practitioner. NPs are trained to assess patient needs, order and interpret diagnostic and laboratory tests, diagnose disease, prescribe medications, and formulate treatment plans. NP training covers basic disease prevention, coordination of care, and health promotion.
Read more on Wikipedia →Fields of study that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level, the tier our program pages are built on. Numbers are graduates per year.
20 degree programs that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are College Scorecard figures for people who finished the program, reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. That is a different measurement from the occupation-wide wages further down this page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 51.3805 | 14,703 | 28.3% | 293 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 2 | CIP 51.3818 | 9,384 | 18.1% | 322 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 3 | CIP 51.3802 | 7,804 | 15.0% | 198 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 4 | CIP 51.3810 | 5,358 | 10.3% | 179 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 5 | CIP 51.3808 | 4,605 | 8.9% | 148 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 6 | CIP 51.3899 | 3,940 | 7.6% | 99 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 7 | CIP 51.3803 | 2,125 | 4.1% | 75 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 8 | CIP 51.3811 | 934 | 1.8% | 21 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 9 | CIP 51.3821 | 680 | 1.3% | 43 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 10 | CIP 51.3820 | 588 | 1.1% | 24 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 11 | CIP 51.3814 | 505 | 1.0% | 39 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 12 | CIP 51.3809 | 389 | 0.7% | 36 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 13 | CIP 51.3822 | 350 | 0.7% | 15 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 14 | CIP 51.3812 | 150 | 0.3% | 10 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 15 | CIP 51.3806 | 149 | 0.3% | 14 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 16 | CIP 51.3813 | 135 | 0.3% | 22 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 17 | CIP 51.3816 | 83 | 0.2% | 9 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 18 | CIP 51.3824 | 26 | 0.1% | 4 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 19 | CIP 51.3815 | 21 | 0.0% | 3 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 20 | CIP 51.3819 | 19 | 0.0% | 3 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
Top 50 schools by graduates into this job
Counting every feeder program a school offers, not just its largest one.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chamberlain University - Illinois Addison, IL Private for-profit · 6 feeder programs | 3,463 | Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | 42% | $29,024 | 83% |
| 2 | Western Governors University Salt Lake City, UT Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 2,525 | Nursing Administration | 46% | $11,580 | — |
| 3 | Capella University Minneapolis, MN Private for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 1,379 | Nursing Administration | 20% | $19,369 | — |
| 4 | Aspen University Phoenix, AZ Private for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 1,267 | Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing | 27% | — | — |
| 5 | Purdue University Global West Lafayette, IN Public · 6 feeder programs | 1,060 | Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing | 50% | — | — |
| 6 | Walden University Minneapolis, MN Private for-profit · 7 feeder programs | 1,049 | Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing | — | — | — |
| 7 | The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington, TX Public · 4 feeder programs | 1,045 | Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | 54% | — | 80% |
| 8 | Grand Canyon University Phoenix, AZ Private not-for-profit · 5 feeder programs | 995 | Nursing Administration | 43% | $21,535 | 79% |
| 9 | South University - Savannah Online Savannah, GA Private for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 863 | Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | 7% | $28,691 | — |
| 10 | Frontier Nursing University Versailles, KY Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 790 | Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing | — | — | — |
| 11 | Post University Waterbury, CT Private for-profit · 5 feeder programs | 753 | Nursing Administration | 25% | $14,659 | — |
| 12 | Herzing University - Madison Madison, WI Private not-for-profit · 6 feeder programs | 717 | Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing | 28% | $20,965 | 94% |
| 13 | United States University Sandy Springs, CA Private for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 682 | Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | — | $21,557 | — |
| 14 | Miami Regional University Miami Springs, FL Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 680 | Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | 84% | $31,560 | — |
| 15 | Maryville University of Saint Louis Saint Louis, MO Private not-for-profit · 7 feeder programs | 598 | Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | 66% | $24,921 | 95% |
| 16 | University of Cincinnati - Main Campus Cincinnati, OH Public · 9 feeder programs | 548 | Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | 75% | — | 85% |
| 17 | EDP University of Puerto Rico Inc - San Juan San Juan, PR Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 454 | Nursing Science | 24% | $5,708 | 61% |
| 18 | Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN Private not-for-profit · 11 feeder programs | 404 | Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | 94% | $14,854 | 6% |
| 19 | University of Massachusetts - Boston Boston, MA Public · 5 feeder programs | 400 | Nursing Science | 49% | — | 84% |
| 20 | University of Phoenix - Arizona Phoenix, AZ Private for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 399 | Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | 21% | $15,478 | — |
| 21 | Texas Woman's University Denton, TX Public · 3 feeder programs | 395 | Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | 49% | — | 96% |
| 22 | Rush University Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 384 | Nursing Practice | — | — | — |
| 23 | Duke University Durham, NC Private not-for-profit · 11 feeder programs | 383 | Adult Health Nurse/Nursing | 97% | $16,260 | 6% |
| 24 | Liberty University Lynchburg, VA Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 375 | Nursing Administration | 65% | $28,911 | 99% |
| 25 | EDP University of Puerto Rico Inc - San Sebastian San Sebastian, PR Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 339 | Nursing Science | 29% | $7,300 | 96% |
| 26 | NUC University Bayamon, PR Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 332 | Adult Health Nurse/Nursing | 54% | $9,377 | — |
| 27 | Duquesne University Pittsburgh, PA Private not-for-profit · 7 feeder programs | 307 | Nursing Science | 77% | $32,060 | 84% |
| 28 | West Coast University - Anaheim - Orange County Anaheim, CA Private for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 303 | Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | 60% | $36,879 | — |
| 29 | University of South Alabama Mobile, AL Public · 2 feeder programs | 301 | Nursing Practice | 53% | — | 71% |
| 30 | Barnes - Jewish College Goldfarb School of Nursing Saint Louis, MO Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 296 | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Other | — | — | — |
| 31 | Simmons University Boston, MA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 277 | Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | 72% | $24,848 | 70% |
| 32 | Spring Arbor University Spring Arbor, MI Private not-for-profit · 5 feeder programs | 271 | Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing | 64% | $19,806 | 52% |
| 33 | Nova Southeastern University Fort Lauderdale, FL Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 268 | Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | 63% | $31,672 | 73% |
| 34 | South College Knoxville, TN Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 259 | Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | 42% | $20,346 | — |
| 35 | Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 245 | Nursing Administration | 94% | $11,888 | 6% |
| 36 | EDP University of Puerto Rico - Manati Manati, PR Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 236 | Nursing Science | — | $8,838 | 68% |
| 37 | University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham, AL Public · 3 feeder programs | 236 | Nursing Practice | 64% | — | 88% |
| 38 | Rivier University Nashua, NH Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 234 | Nursing Science | 52% | $25,065 | 83% |
| 39 | University of Connecticut Storrs, CT Public · 4 feeder programs | 234 | Nursing Practice | 83% | — | 52% |
| 40 | Long Island University Brookville, NY Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 227 | Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | 57% | $24,639 | 86% |
| 41 | Baylor University Waco, TX Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 218 | Nursing Practice | 80% | $35,682 | 51% |
| 42 | Pace University New York, NY Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 217 | Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | 60% | $29,994 | 76% |
| 43 | University of California - Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA Public · 2 feeder programs | 217 | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Other | 93% | — | 9% |
| 44 | University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington, NC Public · 3 feeder programs | 213 | Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | 71% | — | 64% |
| 45 | Emory University Atlanta, GA Private not-for-profit · 6 feeder programs | 207 | Nursing Practice | 91% | $20,586 | 11% |
| 46 | Purdue University Northwest Hammond, IN Public · 5 feeder programs | 207 | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Other | 43% | — | 72% |
| 47 | University of Miami Coral Gables, FL Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 207 | Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | 84% | $26,589 | 19% |
| 48 | University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA Private not-for-profit · 8 feeder programs | 206 | Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing | 97% | $22,055 | 5% |
| 49 | Northern Kentucky University Highland Heights, KY Public · 2 feeder programs | 203 | Nursing Practice | 52% | — | 68% |
| 50 | Stony Brook University Stony Brook, NY Public · 8 feeder programs | 203 | Nursing Administration | 76% | — | 49% |
What nurse practitioners earn
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
Top-paying states
Top-paying metro areas
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Where the jobs are, state by state
Pick a state for in-state pay, the schools there, and the programs they run.
| State | Median pay | Jobs | Concentration | Schools | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | $130,680 | 9,270 | 0.73× | 26 | 4,831 |
| Texas | $131,670 | 25,970 | 0.89× | 36 | 3,278 |
| Arizona | $134,420 | 7,220 | 1.07× | 8 | 2,945 |
| Minnesota | $133,260 | 7,780 | 1.27× | 12 | 2,847 |
| New York | $153,510 | 22,890 | 1.14× | 41 | 2,801 |
| Utah | $130,920 | 2,740 | 0.76× | 9 | 2,798 |
| California | $168,520 | 25,120 | 0.66× | 33 | 2,668 |
| Florida | $129,510 | 21,790 | 1.06× | 26 | 2,531 |
| Pennsylvania | $130,140 | 10,670 | 0.85× | 47 | 2,293 |
| Indiana | $128,830 | 7,450 | 1.12× | 22 | 2,108 |
| Georgia | $129,430 | 10,460 | 1.03× | 13 | 1,573 |
| Ohio | $124,870 | 15,400 | 1.34× | 26 | 1,443 |
| Massachusetts | $142,440 | 8,070 | 1.07× | 18 | 1,374 |
| Connecticut | $138,470 | 3,750 | 1.06× | 12 | 1,372 |
| Kentucky | $122,870 | 4,770 | 1.15× | 17 | 1,344 |
| Missouri | $129,930 | 7,710 | 1.26× | 18 | 1,307 |
| Tennessee | $117,590 | 12,150 | 1.78× | 20 | 1,241 |
| North Carolina | $128,990 | 9,800 | 0.96× | 15 | 1,175 |
| Wisconsin | $131,980 | 5,160 | 0.84× | 16 | 1,101 |
| Michigan | $131,450 | 8,290 | 0.91× | 15 | 852 |
| Virginia | $127,810 | 7,110 | 0.83× | 14 | 800 |
| Alabama | $105,750 | 5,640 | 1.29× | 12 | 753 |
| New Jersey | $159,310 | 9,950 | 1.12× | 18 | 675 |
| Colorado | $132,930 | 4,270 | 0.72× | 8 | 441 |
| South Carolina | $123,290 | 5,670 | 1.18× | 10 | 420 |
| Maryland | $131,110 | 6,710 | 1.17× | 6 | 419 |
| New Hampshire | $137,550 | 1,770 | 1.24× | 6 | 348 |
| Arkansas | $125,660 | 3,970 | 1.47× | 9 | 333 |
| Oklahoma | $133,390 | 3,620 | 1.02× | 7 | 328 |
| Mississippi | $124,730 | 4,690 | 1.94× | 6 | 311 |
| Iowa | $130,160 | 3,240 | 1.00× | 7 | 309 |
| Maine | $130,260 | 1,650 | 1.24× | 6 | 296 |
| Nevada | $140,670 | 1,930 | 0.60× | 5 | 293 |
| Nebraska | $132,130 | 2,340 | 1.10× | 7 | 250 |
| Kansas | $126,650 | 3,780 | 1.27× | 10 | 249 |
| Louisiana | $125,600 | 5,380 | 1.34× | 10 | 231 |
| District of Columbialimited | $135,880 | 680 | 0.47× | 2 | 206 |
| Washington | $156,100 | 6,700 | 0.91× | 5 | 192 |
| Idaho | $132,540 | 1,750 | 0.98× | 6 | 147 |
| Rhode Islandmoderate | $135,970 | 1,180 | 1.13× | 4 | 143 |
| Delawarelimited | $131,040 | 1,430 | 1.42× | 2 | 130 |
| West Virginia | $127,320 | 2,550 | 1.75× | 6 | 124 |
| Hawaiimoderate | $135,570 | 550 | 0.43× | 4 | 80 |
| North Dakotamoderate | $130,070 | 1,290 | 1.44× | 3 | 75 |
| New Mexicomoderate | $137,520 | 1,770 | 0.98× | 4 | 59 |
| Vermontlimited | $134,740 | 700 | 1.11× | 2 | 55 |
| Oregonlimited | $155,680 | 2,820 | 0.69× | 2 | 52 |
| South Dakotamoderate | $128,840 | 1,020 | 1.07× | 4 | 45 |
| Montanalimited | $137,210 | 1,260 | 1.18× | 1 | 23 |
| Wyominglimited | $132,200 | 440 | 0.75× | 1 | 15 |
| Alaskalimited | $155,170 | 710 | 1.04× | 1 | 8 |
Skills and tools
From O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational database. Importance is a 1 to 5 scale.
What they do day to day
- Maintain complete and detailed records of patients' health care plans and prognoses.
- Develop treatment plans, based on scientific rationale, standards of care, and professional practice guidelines.
- Provide patients with information needed to promote health, reduce risk factors, or prevent disease or disability.
- Analyze and interpret patients' histories, symptoms, physical findings, or diagnostic information to develop appropriate diagnoses.
- Diagnose or treat complex, unstable, comorbid, episodic, or emergency conditions in collaboration with other health care providers as necessary.
- Prescribe medication dosages, routes, and frequencies, based on such patient characteristics as age and gender.
- Diagnose or treat chronic health care problems, such as high blood pressure and diabetes.
- Prescribe medications based on efficacy, safety, and cost as legally authorized.
Skills
- Reading Comprehension4.1
- Active Listening4.1
- Critical Thinking4.1
- Writing4.0
- Monitoring4.0
- Speaking4.0
- Active Learning4.0
- Science3.8
Knowledge areas
- Medicine and Dentistry4.8
- English Language4.3
- Biology4.2
- Psychology4.2
- Customer and Personal Service4.1
- Therapy and Counseling4.0
Abilities
- Inductive Reasoning4.3
- Problem Sensitivity4.3
- Written Comprehension4.3
- Deductive Reasoning4.1
- Near Vision4.1
- Oral Expression4.1
Core activities
- Documenting/Recording Information4.7
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.6
- Getting Information4.6
- Assisting and Caring for Others4.5
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge4.5
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events4.3
Tools and technology
hotmarks an O*NET hot technologyHow to get in
How to become a Nurse Practitioner
Job zone 5 of 5 · SVP 8.0 and above- Typical entry education
- Master's degree
Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 25 majors mapped to Nurse Practitioners20 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 51.3802Nursing Administration
- 51.3803Adult Health Nurse/Nursing
- 51.3805Family Practice Nurse/Nursing
- 51.3806Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse/Nursing
- 51.3808Nursing Science
- 51.3809Pediatric Nurse/Nursing
- 51.3810Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing
- 51.3811Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing
- 51.3812Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing
- 51.3813Clinical Nurse Specialist
- 51.3814Critical Care Nursing
- 51.3815Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing
- 51.3816Emergency Room/Trauma Nursing
- 51.3818Nursing Practice
- 51.3819Palliative Care Nursing
- 51.3820Clinical Nurse Leader
- 51.3821Geriatric Nurse/Nursing
- 51.3822Women's Health Nurse/Nursing
- 51.3824Forensic Nursing
- 51.3899Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Other
- 60.0701Nurse Practitioner Residency/Fellowship Program, General(no graduates reported)
- 60.0702Combined Nurse Practitioner Residency/Fellowship Program(no graduates reported)
- 60.0703Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Residency/Fellowship Program(no graduates reported)
- 60.0704Adult/Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Residency/Fellowship Program(no graduates reported)
- 60.0705Adult/Gerontology Critical Care Nurse Practitioner Residency/Fellowship Program(no graduates reported)
Related careers
Jobs O*NET identifies as close to this one, with their own pay and outlook.
Common questions
What degree do you need to become a Nurse Practitioner?+
Master's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Family Practice Nurse/Nursing, which awarded 14,703 degrees in 2024-25, 28.3% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Nurse Practitioner?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 20 programs to this occupation. The largest are Registered Nursing. Together they graduate about 51,948 people a year.
How much do nurse practitioners earn?+
The median is $132,300 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $101,340 at the 10th percentile to $174,420 at the 90th. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for nurse practitioners growing?+
BLS projects a +40.1% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, much faster than average, with roughly 29,500 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career?+
647 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 20 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do nurse practitioners work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Nurse Practitioner (NP), Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), Gastroenterology Nurse Practitioner, ACNP (Acute Care Nurse Practitioner) among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 29-1171.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024-25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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