Best Nurse Practitioner Programs In Massachusetts

Massachusetts is one of the best states in the country to practice as a nurse practitioner. The Bureau of Labor Statistics ranks it in the top third for NP employment and fourth for NP pay as of May 2024. Here are the strongest NP programs in the state, what they require, and what to look for before you enroll.

Accredited Nurse Practitioner Programs in Massachusetts

American International College runs an online family nurse practitioner program of 46 credits over three years, covering primary care clinical management, pharmacology, and advanced health assessment and diagnosis, ending in a capstone.

• Program: MSN, family nurse practitioner; post-master's certificate, FNP concentration
• Campus: Springfield, Massachusetts
• Type: Private
• Accreditations: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education; Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing
• Admission Requirements: Baccalaureate degree from an accredited school with a 3.0 GPA or better; current unencumbered RN license; official transcripts; two letters of recommendation; personal statement
• Minimum Time Commitment: 24 months
• On-Campus Requirements: No
• School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate (2020): 77%
• Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $67,602 for bachelor's graduates, per College Scorecard

Endicott College offers a 45-credit hybrid FNP track that mixes online and evening courses for working students, with a minimum of 600 clinical hours.

• Program: Family nurse practitioner
• Campus: Beverly, Massachusetts
• Type: Private
• Accreditations: Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing; Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing
• Admission Requirements: Completed application; letter of recommendation; official transcripts; personal statement; resume or CV; verification of unrestricted RN license
• Minimum Time Commitment: Two years
• On-Campus Requirements: Yes
• School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate (2020): 96%
• Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $69,079 for bachelor's graduates, per College Scorecard

Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences offers fully online NP programs in family practice and psychiatric mental health. RNs who hold an MSN but are not yet certified as NPs can pursue a certificate of advanced graduate studies, and an RN-to-MSN track is available for the FNP concentration.

• Program: MSN, FNP; RN-to-MSN, FNP; psychiatric mental health NP certificate of advanced graduate studies; psychiatric mental health NP, BSN
• Campus: Boston and Worcester, Massachusetts
• Type: Private, not-for-profit
• Accreditations: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education; Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing
• Admission Requirements: BSN from an accredited university; official transcripts; letter of recommendation; completed application; official AP or CLEP scores; 3.0 GPA or higher in nursing coursework; unencumbered RN license; resume
• Minimum Time Commitment: 24 months, part-time
• On-Campus Requirements: No
• School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate (2020): 85%
• Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $103,449 for master's graduates, per College Scorecard

MGH Institute of Health Professions offers more than 450 clinical affiliations across Mass General Brigham and partner sites. Seventy percent of faculty hold a doctoral or terminal degree, and the school reports a 95% graduation rate. Certificate of advanced study programs are available for master's-prepared RNs and for certified NPs adding a specialty.

• Programs: Family NP; pediatric NP; psychiatric mental health lifespan NP; women's health NP; adult-gerontology acute care NP; adult-gerontology primary care NP; dual adult-gerontology/women's health
• Campus: Boston, Massachusetts
• Type: Not-for-profit
• Accreditations: New England Commission of Higher Education; Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing
• Admission Requirements: BSN from a regionally accredited U.S. school; completed statistics course; official transcripts; statement of intent; personal statement; diversity statement; resume or CV; letters of recommendation
• On-Campus Requirements: Yes
• School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate (2020): 94%
• Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $97,786 for master's graduates, per College Scorecard

Northeastern University offers accredited graduate nursing across several specialty concentrations, with online options and a certificate of advanced graduate study.

• Programs: Adult-gerontology primary care NP; adult-gerontology acute care NP; neonatal NP; psychiatric mental health NP; family NP; pediatric NP; online NP master of science
• Campus: Boston, Massachusetts
• Type: Private
• Accreditations: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education; American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation; New England Commission on Higher Education; Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing
• Admission Requirements: Varies by concentration. All require a statistics course within the previous five years; acute care nursing experience; minimum 3.5 GPA; resume; personal statement; letters of recommendation; current U.S. RN license; interview; official transcripts
• Minimum Time Commitment: 16-48 months
• School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate (2020): 88%
• Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $110,878 for master's graduates, per College Scorecard

Salem State University offers an adult-gerontology primary care NP track, plus a general MSN for nurses who want to advance without specializing.

• Program: Adult-gerontology primary care NP
• Campus: Salem, Massachusetts
• Type: Public
• Accreditations: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education; Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing
• Admission Requirements: BSN from an accredited school; official transcripts; 3.0 GPA or higher; GRE scores if GPA is below 3.0; resume; statistics course; goal statement; three letters of recommendation; active Massachusetts RN license; one year of relevant clinical experience; faculty interview
• Minimum Time Commitment: 30 credits
• On-Campus Requirements: No
• School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate (2020): 89%
• Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $71,854 for master's graduates, per College Scorecard

University of Massachusetts Boston offers master's NP tracks requiring at least 500 clinical hours with preceptors. Part-time and full-time options run in the classroom and online, and an online post-master's certificate is available for master's-prepared nurses.

• Programs: Adult-gerontology primary care NP; family NP primary care
• Campus: Boston, Massachusetts
• Type: Public
• Accreditations: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education; Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing
• Admission Requirements: Completed application; personal statement; official transcripts from all schools; two professional references; resume; copy of RN license
• Minimum Time Commitment: Three to four years
• On-Campus Requirements: No
• School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate (2020): 93%
• Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $99,439 for master's graduates, per College Scorecard

University of Massachusetts Lowell offers family health NP and adult-gerontology primary care NP programs. Both use objective structured clinical exams with trained actors playing standardized patients across a range of ages, backgrounds, and conditions. Part-time and full-time study are available.

• Programs: Family health NP; adult-gerontology primary care NP
• Campus: Lowell, Massachusetts
• Type: Public
• Accreditations: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education; Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing
• Admission Requirements: A nursing baccalaureate from an accredited program; 3.0 GPA or better; introductory statistics course; current unencumbered Massachusetts RN license; resume; two letters of recommendation; goal statement; computer literacy; official transcripts; completed application and fees
• Minimum Time Commitment: 42 credit hours
• On-Campus Requirements: Yes
• School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate (2020): 97%
• Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $84,653 for master's graduates, per College Scorecard

How Nurse Practitioner Programs Work

NPs serve as primary care providers alongside physicians and other specialists, which is why they complete advanced coursework and specialized clinical training. Specialties include family practice, pediatric care, women's health, mental health, acute care, and geriatrics.

Massachusetts requires an MSN or DNP to become an NP. School takes about two to four years. Applicants with a BSN finish a traditional NP program in roughly two to three years, while those with an ADN often need four to six years of additional training.

Applying to a Nurse Practitioner Program in Massachusetts

Because Massachusetts NPs are advanced practice registered nurses, you must already hold an RN license and an undergraduate nursing degree, plus paperwork showing you are ready for graduate school.

• Admission Materials: Copy of RN license (some schools require one issued by the Massachusetts board); proof of an ADN or BSN from an accredited school; official transcripts showing a completed statistics course; some schools require standardized exam scores
• GPA Requirement: 3.0 or higher
• Other Requirements: Resume or CV showing clinical experience; essay or personal statement; recommendation letters; some schools require a faculty interview

Why Program Accreditation Matters

Accredited programs prove they meet the standards set by bodies like the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. Graduates of accredited schools are more likely to meet specialty competencies and pass the NP board exam, qualify for financial aid, and transfer credits to other accredited schools. Every program ranked here is accredited.

Frequently Asked Questions About Nurse Practitioner Programs in Massachusetts

Becoming an NP in Massachusetts takes six to eight years. Nurses with a BSN can finish in two to three years and those with an ADN in four to six. Your degree (MSN or DNP) and full- or part-time enrollment also affect the timeline.

A DNP is a degree; an NP is a role. NPs can earn either a DNP or an MSN, and because a DNP is the more advanced degree, NPs who hold one typically earn more.

Massachusetts NPs have full practice authority, so they can practice and open their own practices without a supervising or collaborating physician after completing the required supervised practice.

The fastest route is an RN program followed by a two-year full-time MSN, then applying for an NP license right after graduation, which can take as few as six years.