How to Become a Nurse Practitioner

All nurse practitioners begin as registered nurses (RNs). RNs gain one or more years of experience caring for patients at the bedside or other nursing facilities. They may work with adults, children, or infants. They also can work on specialty floors like the intensive care unit.

Once gaining experience, some RNs earn an advanced nursing degree, like a master of science in nursing (MSN), get licensed, and become nurse practitioners.

Some non-nurse, second-degree students can apply to a direct-entry MSN program. These programs are full-time, accelerated programs that take about two years. After the first year of bachelor’s in nursing (BSN) registered nursing education, you must pass the NCLEX-RN to continue the program. You can pursue an RN and an APRN license at the end of the program.

Learn more about the steps to becoming an NP, what to know before becoming one, and frequently asked questions about the profession.

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

NPs have many responsibilities. Although their training differs from that of doctors, NPs perform similar tasks and have a similar scope of practice to physicians.

NPs can:

According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), over 45% of full-time NPs hold hospital privileges. Others work in the community or rural health.

Some NPs choose to become entrepreneurs running their clinics and medispas. NPs can even serve as legal consultants for law firms, insurance companies, and hospitals.

Other alternative career paths for NPs include working as an adjunct faculty member, clinical instructor, and nurse scientist.

There are different types of nurse practitioners. Nurses can choose to complete their master’s degrees and become board-certified in certain specialties, including:

The AANP also reports that 88% of NPs are certified in primary care, and more than 70% of all NPs deliver primary care.

Becoming an NP is one of the fastest-growing occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The future of NPs is promising. Many are filling the gap in primary care because of a physician shortage.

There are a few things to consider before obtaining an NP degree. Knowing why you are getting the degree is important. Many NPs complete a program and return to nursing because they are still determining what they want to do with their newly obtained license.

Before applying to a program, ensure the program is accredited. Accreditation is important to an institution because it confirms that the program meets quality standards. If you attend an unaccredited nursing program or if your program loses its accreditation, the consequences can cause a huge financial and emotional burden. You may not be able to finish your NP program, credits may not count, and you may not be able to sit for the NP boards.

NP programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).

NP state licensure and NP board certifications differ. As an NP, you must have an RN license from your state, and it must be active to practice as an NP. NPs received their license from their state.

Board certification relates to the additional education the RN received by obtaining an NP degree focusing on a certain specialty, like family practice. Professional organizations like The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB) and The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) regulate specialized board certifications like the NP certification.

NPs need both board certification and state licensure to practice.

In addition to knowing your why, nurses should consider the cost of becoming an NP before pursuing the advanced degree. The average graduate tuition and fees was $20,513 for the 2021-22 school year, according to National Council Education Statistics.

Yet, how much students pay depends on whether they attend an in-state or out-of-state school. Students have the option of attending online, hybrid, or in-person. Students can either go full-time or part-time.

Many hospitals will offer tuition reimbursement, and in exchange, NPs will have to work at the facility for a certain amount of years. There is also financial aid available, such as grants and scholarships.

According to the AANP, the median base salary for full-time NPs was $113,000 in 2021. NPs can make more or less depending on where they work, how often, and how they negotiate their contracts.

Page last reviewed on January 11, 2024