Best Online Nurse Practitioner (NP) Programs in New York
Discover how you can advance to becoming a nurse practitioner quickly and affordably through one of the top online NP programs in New York today.
Nurse practitioner is one of the single hottest careers in the U.S. today. But you don’t have to take our word for it; instead, let the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics offer proof; it estimates that the demand for this profession will grow by a whopping 45% between 2022 and 2032. That puts nurse practitioner in a tie for the number one spot for fastest growing U.S. occupation. But it’s not just about demand, as annual median salaries in the six-figure range reveal that it’s about money, too. That’s why becoming a nurse practitioner is on the radar of many current RNs in New York State — including you.
You’re likely well aware that becoming an NP is going to require you to head back to school to obtain a graduate degree or certificate. That’s what this guide is all about. We’ll introduce you to the top online NP programs in New York today and show you how you can find, get admitted to, and succeed in the specific degree or certificate program that fits you best. We’ll fill you in on the different degree and certificate options, identify the program features to look for in your program search, and more. We’ll also dig a bit deeper into the salaries and job growth outlook awaiting students of online NP programs in New York upon graduation.
Ready to get started? Then keep reading to discover how you can launch your nurse practitioner career through one of today’s best online NP programs in New York.
Profiling Popular Online NP Programs in New York
To start you on your program search, we’ve spotlighted three current online NP programs in New York. These descriptions will give you an idea of what you can expect from the nurse practitioner program you ultimately choose. See which program elements — like curriculum content, delivery format, completion time, cost, etc. — are on your list of needs and preferences.
Pace University
Private Pace University offers both master’s degree and certificate options in its Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) program, preparing graduates to provide primary care to families and patients across the lifespan. Both options feature a blend of on-campus and online classes, and both are available on Pace’s New York City and Westchester (Pleasantville) campuses. Earning the FNP Master of Science in Nursing requires completion of 42 credits (49 for students starting in fall 2024 and after) and a minimum of 550 supervised clinical practicum hours.
Alternatively, the six-credit FNP Certificate in Advanced Graduate Studies program is open to master’s-prepared nurse practitioners with certification in another specialty and other master’s-prepared nurses interested in becoming FNPs.
Admission requirements include a BSN earned with a quality point average of 3.0 or higher, a current New York State RN license, and scholastic aptitude demonstrated through grades, leadership potential, motivation, and maturity. You’ll also provide an essay, recommendations, your resume, and a personal interview may be part of the process. Standardized admissions test scores are not required.
The current tuition is $1,460 per credit, though financial aid is available to qualifying students.
St. John Fisher University
Study flexibility is key to the online Primary Care Family Nurse Practitioner (PCFNP) Master of Science program at St. John Fisher University, a private, Catholic-affiliated institution in Rochester. PCFNP students can choose between the six-semester accelerated track, which is for full-time students and can be completed in few as 24 months, or the seven-semester part-time track, which can be completed in as few as 28 months.
All students complete 30 credits of core and 16 credits of specialty clinical coursework, as well as 600 hours of clinical rotations at program-approved health facilities in the student’s home community. While all didactic coursework is delivered online, students are required to attend one short-term pre-clinical immersion session on the university’s Rochester campus.
Admission requires a BSN, an unencumbered RN license, and a minimum of one year experience as an RN in a clinical setting. A minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 is required, although most students accepted into the program have a 3.3 or higher.
Currently, the total PCFNP tuition cost is $50,324; students are encouraged to reach out to the Office of Student Financial Services for funding options.
University of Rochester
The School of Nursing at the University of Rochester, a private research university, is home to several nurse practitioner specialization programs including this online Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Across the Lifespan (PMHNP) program. Earning this MSN requires 54 credits and 616 clinical hours and is designed to be completed with three years (eight terms total, including two summer terms) of part-time study. The bulk of coursework is delivered online, although two courses require travel to campus for participation in one- to two-day intensive learning experiences. Students additionally attend two full-day in-person workshops at the School of Nursing.
Admission into the program requires a BSN or direct-entry MSN with minimum 3.0 GPA on the applicant’s most current degree. Other requirements include a current RN license, resume or CV, and two letters of recommendation. Applications must also provide a 500-word essay and answers to five given questions, and an interview may also be required.
The current per-credit tuition rate is $1,740. Several financial aid opportunities are available, including the Finger Lakes Regional Scholarship and Patrick P. Lee Foundation Scholarship — the latter covering all tuition.
What to Look for in a New York NP Program: The Ultimate Checklist
Now that you have a good idea of what online NP programs in New York look like, your next step is to find that specific one that best suits your individual academic needs and professional goals. As you go through the search process, consider how each program addresses each of the following six elements.
Accreditation
Accreditation is the process through which academic programs are vetted for quality. It’s your way of assuring that the program you’re interested in will provide you with the education and training you need to obtain certification in your NP specialization and be fully prepared to succeed in your professional practice. There are two types of accreditation you’ll want to confirm: institutional and programmatic. Institutional accreditation of U.S.-based colleges and universities is overseen by a group of independent national and regional accrediting agencies recognized by the Department of Education (DOE). Programmatic accreditation is handled primarily by two professional associations for nursing schools: the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
You can confirm current institutional and programmatic accreditation by using the DOE’s Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs.
Affordable Tuition & Fees
The costs of online NP programs in New York vary substantially. For example, the current tuition for New York residents in the Neonatal Nurse Practitioner MS program at Stony Brook University is $471 per credit, while the per-credit rate for the University of Rochester’s PMHNP program is $1,740. Keep in mind that these examples represent two ends of a tuition spectrum, and you can expect most rates for NYC and New York NP programs to fall somewhere in the middle. Other factors that can substantially impact total costs include program fees, your residency status, and total number of program credits.
It’s also important to remember that program costs are only half of the affordability equation, while the other half is access to valuable financial aid and scholarships offered by each institution.
Certification Exam Pass Rates
National certification in your chosen specialty is essential to professional practice as a nurse practitioner. Certification is how employers, the public, and fellow health professionals are assured you possess the knowledge and expertise required for competent practice. So, it’s critical you confirm that the NP program you’re interested in provides you with eligibility to sit for the certification exam for your specialty. To learn more about the various national certifications available and the certification boards that offer them, visit the American Association of Nurse Practitioners NP Certification page.
Comprehensive Curriculum & Clinical Options
Simply put, the goal of all NP program curricula is to qualify graduates to sit for national certification exams in their chosen specialty. As a result, you’ll find that your curriculum will be laser focused on providing you with the knowledge and skills — and clinical rotation hours — you’ll need for certification and professional practice in your specialty. This means few, if any, elective courses. Online NP programs in New York typically try to accommodate students by allowing them to complete their clinicals in their home communities — like the Primary Care Family NP MS program at St. John Fisher University — or at any program-approved facility located in the state — like SUNY Brockport’s Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP MS program.
Flexibility in Format & Enrollment
Never underestimate the importance to your academic success of finding a program with a format that suits your individual study needs and preferences. And you’ll find plenty of New York NP schools that offer a variety of formats, including full-time and part-time options as well as fully online and partially online (hybrid/blended) tracks. You’ll also find programs with delivery formats that feature synchronous or asynchronous classes — or a combination of the two. Examples include the AGPCNP program at Adelphi University (asynchronous) and the PMHNP Advanced Certificate program at SUNY Polytechnic Institute (combination).
In terms of enrollment, you’ll find some differences in admissions requirements between programs, but you can be sure that you’ll need a BSN, current RN license, and a minimum amount of clinical RN experience to apply for an MSN program. Certificate programs almost all require an MSN or MS NP degree.
Specialization Options
Advanced nursing practice in a specialized area of the nursing field is what being a nurse practitioner is all about. NP programs are offered in various specialties, so you’ll be selecting one in your program. Here are just four popular NP specialties, each of which we’ve covered in dedicated guides:
- Adult Gerontology (AGNP)
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP)
- Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)
- Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP)
You’ll find online NP programs in New York (or in NYC specifically) for other specialties as well, including for acute and primary (non-urgent) care.
A Closer Look at New York NP Degrees: Explore Your Options
You’ll find three primary pathways leading to eligibility for licensing and practice as a nurse practitioner: the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), the Post-Master’s Certificate, and the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). Here’s a look at all three options along with links to current online NP programs in New York for each.
MSN
The most common and popular of the three options is the MSN degree — which can be fully online, blended (hybrid), or on campus. Regardless of the format type, you’ll still have to complete substantial clinical rotation hours in person at a healthcare facility, usually in your local community. Nurse practitioner master’s programs typically require a previously earned BSN and current registered nurse license for admission. You may also need some amount of clinical experience as a working RN in a clinical setting. Both full-time and part-time online options are available in New York. Completion times typically vary from a little less than two years to around three years.
Featured Programs:
Certificate
Nurse practitioner certificate programs offer RNs with an MSN a quick and affordable path to becoming a nurse practitioner in their specialized field of choice. That includes current nurse practitioners in one specialization looking to switch or expand their practice into a new specialized NP field. Online NP certificate programs are relatively common, often offered by nursing schools along with their MSN program counterparts in the same specialization. Online and blended formats are also quite common, but students will need to complete on-site clinical hours for their chosen specialization. Program lengths are often flexible — most often between eight months and two years — but most students earn their certificates in about one year.
Featured Programs:
DNP
The Doctor of Nursing Practice is a practice- and leadership-focused doctorate (as opposed to a more academic/research-focused PhD in nursing) that prepares graduates for an advanced nurse practitioner role in a chosen area of specialization. Most schools offer both post-baccalaureate and post-master’s options, and typically, two or more specializations (FNP, adult-gerontology, psychiatric/mental health, etc.). You’ll also find an abundance of DNP programs in New York available in online and hybrid formats. Remember, though, that DNP programs leading to nurse practitioner license eligibility will include the substantial clinical practice hours required for that licensure. Completion times vary widely, commonly from three to seven years depending on the specific program, specialization, and choice of full-time or part-time study.
Featured Programs:
Career and Salary Insights for New York Nurse Practitioners
We’ve already offered proof that nurse practitioners are in high demand and command high salaries; but if you’re looking for even more reasons to pursue this lucrative role, take a look at the tables below.
First up, you’ll find the most recent job growth estimates taken from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Projection Central; these show even stronger growth estimates than the previously mentioned BLS figures. Two big takeaways to note here: First, the 52.2% nurse practitioner job growth rate in the U.S. is nearly seven times the projected rate for all occupations combined for the same period; second, as great as the growth rate is for NPs across the entire nation, it’s even greater for NPs in New York.
As for earnings, nurse practitioner salaries do not disappoint. That’s evident from the second table, which shows recent BLS stats for NPs throughout New York State. On their face, six-figure annual salaries are impressive, but they’re even more impressive when compared to those for other occupations. For example, the $145,400 median annual salary for New York NPs is over 45% higher than that for New York registered nurses, and it’s almost double the annual mean wage for all occupations in the state.
| Area | Employment (2020) | New Jobs (2020-2030) | Job Growth Rate | Avg. Annual Openings (’20-’30) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 16,840 | 9,360 | 55.6% | 2,060 |
| US | 220,300 | 114,900 | 52.2% | 26,000 |
Source: Projections Central
| Location | 10th Percentile | Median | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $87, 340 | $121,610 | $165,240 |
| New York | $125, 400 | $145,400 | $169,400 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $76,080 | $116,030 | $214,350 |
| Binghamton, NY | $99,420 | $114,090 | $158,580 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY | $85,690 | $122,810 | $156,530 |
| Elmira, NY | $96,910 | $110,890 | $149,440 |
| Glens Falls, NY | $102,240 | $125,000 | $204,370 |
| Ithaca, NY | $104,400 | $120,480 | $181,270 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $120,430 | $146,020 | $239,200 |
| Rochester, NY | $100,890 | $122,170 | $176,510 |
| Syracuse, NY | $85,630 | $107,640 | $147,520 |
| Utica-Rome, NY | $87,440 | $107,050 | $186,230 |
| Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | $101,280 | $124,510 | $180,600 |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
