2026 Most Affordable Online Pediatric NP Programs (PNP)

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The health of children in the United States is facing growing challenges, with recent data revealing an increase in chronic conditions among youth, including asthma, obesity, and developmental disorders. Approximately 97 percent of children have a usual source of healthcare, yet increased demand and workforce shortages create barriers to timely and specialized care.

Pediatric nurse practitioners (PNPs) play a crucial role in addressing this demand by providing expert care, managing chronic illnesses, and promoting wellness for infants, children, and adolescents across diverse healthcare settings.

Pediatric NPs are trained to conduct comprehensive health assessments, diagnose acute and chronic pediatric conditions, prescribe medications, and offer family-centered health education and counseling. Their competencies also extend to collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to improve care quality and advocating for children’s health in schools, hospitals, and communities.

With an expanding pediatric population and rising healthcare needs, the demand for qualified pediatric nurse practitioners is projected to grow significantly. To practice, PNPs must complete graduate-level education and obtain certification through the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB) or a similar accredited body.

Available graduate degree pathways for nurse practitioners may include:

  • MSN-PNP Bridge Program: Also called RN-MSN, RN-MSN Bridge, or RN-BSN-MSN, this type of program is designed for nurses who have earned an associate’s degree in nursing (ADN), a nursing diploma, or an RN license with a non-nursing bachelor’s degree.
  • MSN-PNP: Also called BSN-to-MSN, this type of graduate program is designed for graduates of bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) programs.
  • BSN to DNP-PNP and MSN to DNP-PNP: Doctor of nursing practice (DNP) programs may be offered to applicants with a BSN or MSN and include courses to prepare graduates for pediatric practice.
  • Post-Master’s PNP Certificate: Designed for MSN graduates who may or may not have earned an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) specialization and want to move into pediatric practice.

To assist aspiring pediatric nurse practitioners in finding affordable PNP master’s, doctoral, and post-master’s certificate programs, HealthcareDegree.com has compiled a list of the 20 most affordable online pediatric nurse practitioner programs, both by in-state and out-of-state tuition prices.

These rankings are based on tuition data HealthcareDegree.com collected from its sister site NPSchools.com in late 2025 from over 1,000 online nurse practitioner programs. Each list is ordered according to the lowest in-state or out-of-state tuition prices. Tuition information is as current as possible, the latest published by each school at the outset of the 2025-2026 academic year.

Featured PNP Programs
Walden University MSN - Pediatric NP (Primary Care)Program Website
Rasmussen University - Online MSN - Pediatric Primary Care Nurse PractitionerProgram Website
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Most Affordable In-State Online PNP Programs in 2026

Check out the 20 most affordable online PNP programs by the total cost of in-state tuition in 2026. This tuition applies only to residents of the the state where the program is based, and some programs do not accept out-of-state students. The tuition cost listed is the estimated tuition cost of the entire program, and not the cost per semester or year.

RankSchool – ProgramCost-per-credit / Total Cost (In-state)Clinical HoursCampus Visits
1Texas Tech University – MSN – Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Track$280.18 / $13,728.825766
2Texas Tech University – MSN – Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Track$280.18 / $14,289.186305
3Texas Woman’s University – MSN – Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner$323 / $14,5357801
4SUNY – Stony Brook University – MSN – Pediatric Acute Care and Primary Care NP$471 / $21,1956007
5Old Dominion University – MSN – Pediatric Nurse Practitioner$486 / $23,8145603
6Cedarville University – MSN – Pediatric Nurse Practitioner$707 / $31,8158004
7University of Alabama at Birmingham – MSN – Pediatric Acute Care and Primary Care NP$723 / $32,535Not specified4
8Herzing University – MSN – Pediatric Nurse Practitioner$770 / $36,9605850
9Spring Arbor University – MSN – Pediatric NP (Primary Care)$797 / $39,8505001
10University of Alabama at Birmingham – MSN – Pediatric Acute Care NP (RN to MSN Bridge)$723 / $40,488Not specified4
11Maryville University – MSN – Pediatric Primary Care NP (MSN PNP)$863 / $40,5615800
12Rush University – DNP – Acute Care Pediatric NP – MSN route for APRN$1,436 / $41,644500 to 756 (varies based on gap analysis)6
13Rasmussen University – MSN – Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner$661.37 / $45,6356701
14Regis College – MSN – Pediatric Nurse Practitioner$1,025 / $47,1506000
15Saint Louis University – MSN – Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner$1,400 / $47,6006002
16Herzing University – RN to MSN – Pediatric Nurse Practitioner$770 / $49,2806300
17Cedarville University – MSN to DNP – Pediatric Nurse Practitioner$750 / $51,0008004
18Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) – MSN – Pediatric Nurse Practitioner$905 / $54,3007653
19Spring Arbor University – RN to MSN – Pediatric NP (Primary Care)$670.95 / $55,0185001
20University of Alabama at Birmingham – BSN to DNP – PNP$723 / $57,117Not specified9

Most Affordable Out-of-State Online PNP Programs in 2026

Following is a listing of the 20 most affordable out-of-state online PNP programs in 2026 by estimated total tuition cost (for the entire program, not per semester or year). This list only includes non-resident tuition data, meaning the tuition cost for a person not living in the state in which the program is based.

RankSchool – ProgramCost-per-credit / Total Cost (out-of-state)Clinical HoursCampus Visits
1SUNY – Stony Brook University – MSN – Pediatric Acute and Primary Care NP$565 / $25,4256007
2Texas Tech University – MSN – Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Track$589 / $28,8615766
3Texas Tech University – MSN – Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Track$589 / $30,0396305
4Old Dominion University – MSN – Pediatric Nurse Practitioner$649 / $31,8015603
5Cedarville University – MSN – Pediatric Nurse Practitioner$707 / $31,8158004
6University of Alabama at Birmingham – MSN – PNP$723 / $32,535Not specified4
7Herzing University – MSN – Pediatric Nurse Practitioner$770 / $36,9605850
8Spring Arbor University – MSN – Pediatric NP (Primary Care)$797 / $39,8505001
9University of Alabama at Birmingham – MSN – Pediatric Acute Care NP (RN to MSN Bridge)$723 / $40,488Not specified4
10Maryville University – MSN – Pediatric Primary Care NP (MSN PNP)$863 / $40,5615800
11Rush University – DNP – Acute Care Pediatric NP – MSN route for APRN$1,436 / $41,6447566
12Rasmussen University – MSN – Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner$661.37 / $45,6356701
13Regis College – MSN – Pediatric Nurse Practitioner$1,025 / $47,1506000
14Saint Louis University – MSN – Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner$1,400 / $47,6006002
15Herzing University – RN to MSN – Pediatric Nurse Practitioner$770 / $49,2806300
16Cedarville University – MSN to DNP – Pediatric Nurse Practitioner$750 / $51,0008004
17Spring Arbor University – RN to MSN – Pediatric NP (Primary Care)$670.95 / $55,0185001
18University of Alabama at Birmingham – BSN to DNP – Pediatric Acute and Primary Care NP$723 / $57,117Not specified9
19Regis College – MSN to DNP – PNP$1,025 / 59,4501,0000
20Thomas Jefferson University – MSN – Pediatric Primary Care NP$1,337 / $60,1657501

Find an Affordable Online Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Program

These online PNP programs ranked by affordability can open up opportunities you might have yet to consider to earn a graduate degree or certificate and move into the world of pediatric nursing. They are designed for working nurses to continue working while earning an affordable graduate education.

These online PNP programs offer affordable tuition and flexible online learning modes, and the BSN to MSN programs can be completed in two to three years on a part-time basis. Those attending full-time can complete the programs more quickly. Note that DNP programs take about four years to complete part-time. With the tremendous need for nurse practitioners, these PNP programs can provide a viable and necessary career pathway without the heavy burden of more expensive tuition.

Farheen Gani

Farheen Gani

Writer

Farheen Gani is a writer and research expert in healthcare degrees. She has written about healthcare career scholarships, audiologists, speech-language pathologists, and reproductive health specialists, among other topics, since 2019. She writes about healthcare, technology, education, and marketing. Her work has appeared on websites such as Tech in Asia and Foundr, as well as top SaaS blogs such as Zapier and InVision. You can connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter (@FarheenGani).

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