Philadelphia is widely hailed as an excellent city for nurse practitioners. While Philly has affluent, upscale pockets, it also has many neighborhoods where medically underserved populations abound who are in desperate need of the types of primary care that nurse practitioners are adept at providing.
Of the 16,000 or so NPs who work in Pennsylvania, approximately 25 percent are employed in the Greater Metropolitan Philadelphia Region. In another 10 years, that number is projected to rise by nearly one-third. On average, nurse practitioners in the City of Brotherly Love earn $121,370 a year. What are the best NP programs in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania? Keep reading to find out the complete lowdown on the 6 best nurse practitioner programs in Philadelphia for 2025.
MSN Specialties Offered: Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, and Women’s Health/Gender-Related Nurse Practitioner
Post-Graduate APRN Certificate Specialties Offered: Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, and Streamlined Adult Gerontology Acute Care NP
About the School: The University of Pennsylvania’s School of Nursing is not only one of the best nurse practitioner programs in Philadelphia but also one of the best in the nation.
UPenn offers eight separate nurse practitioner tracks in conjunction with its Master’s of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree program: an Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner track (AGACNP), an Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP) track, a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) track, a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP) track, a Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (PACNP) track, a Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (PPCNP) track, a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) track, and a Women’s Health/Gender-Related Nurse Practitioner (WHNP) track.
UPenn also offers three nurse practitioner tracks in conjunction with its APRN post-master’s degree program: an NNP track, a PACNP track, and a unique streamlined AGACNP track.
MSN Program Details: UPenn’s Master’s of Science in Nursing program is a campus-based MSN program. All eight of the nurse practitioner tracks require the completion of 12 credits. The curriculum for this nurse practitioner program in Philadelphia is divided into three components: four core MSN classes, four theory courses relevant to the NP concentration you’ve chosen, and three clinical experiences in practice settings that deliver the kind of care you’re interested in specializing in.
UPenn’s highly lauded AGACNP track allows students to choose among clinical concentrations such as cardiology, trauma, general surgery, transplant, nephrology, or internal medicine. The PACNP track offers a concentration in pediatric oncology.
MSN core classes include “Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology,” “Advanced Pharmacology and Therapeutics for Nursing Practice,” and “Advanced Clinical Assessment and Clinical Decision.” Theory courses relevant to your chosen population concentration will focus on the epidemiologic trends, assessment, diagnosis, management, and evaluation of that population segment. Your precepted clinical rotations will allow you to use the knowledge and skills you’ve developed in your didactic coursework.
You’ll do clinical rotations in a variety of practice settings, including Penn Medicine, the University of Pennsylvania’s world-renowned medical center, which U.S. News & World Report has dubbed # 1 in Pennsylvania.
Post-Graduate APRN Certificate Program Details: The University of Pennsylvania’s post-master’s certificate track is designed for APRN-certified practitioners seeking a nurse practitioner certification in another field. Curricula for the NNP and PACNP certificate tracks are similar to the practice theory and clinical requirements for the NNP and PACNP MSN degrees.
The 3-credit streamlined AGACNP track is an accelerated program that is offered online. It requires the completion of 500 clinical hours. Clinical rotations may be available in the community where you live, but you can only complete a practicum at a facility with which the University of Pennsylvania already has a clinical partnership.
MSN Specialties Offered: Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner (Individual Across the Lifespan), Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Primary/Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Dual, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, and Women's Health/Gender-Related Nurse Practitioner
Post-Master's Certificate Specialties Offered: Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Emergency Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner (Individual Across the Lifespan), Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Primary Care & Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Dual, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, and Women's Health/Gender-Related Nurse Practitioner
About the School: Drexel University’s College of Nursing and Health Professions uses the quarter system instead of the semester system. Its academic year is divided up into four 10-week quarters a year instead of two 18-week semesters. One quarter credit equals two-thirds of a semester credit.
Drexel’s College of Nursing and Health Professions offers the most comprehensive assortment of NP programs of any of the nurse practitioner programs in Philadelphia. Drexel’s MSN degree has eight NP specializations: an AGACNP track, an AGPCNP track, an FNP track, a PACNP track, a PPCNP track, a PPC/PACNP track, a PMHNP track, and a WHNP track.
Drexel also offers these same eight NP concentrations as well as an Emergency Nurse Practitioner track in conjunction with its APRN post-master’s certificate program.
MSN Program Details: Like other NP programs in Philadelphia, Drexel University’s College of Nursing and Health Professions divides its MSN curriculum into three components: core MSN courses, classes that are relevant to a specific clinical specialty, and clinical courses or practicums. MSN core courses include “Confronting Issues in Contemporary Health Care Environments,” “Advanced Ethical Decision Making in Health Care,” and “Quality and Safety in Healthcare.”
Drexel University’s MSN nurse practitioner coursework is primarily a distance-learning curriculum that utilizes synchronous teaching technology. But you will be required to participate in four intensives on the Drexel University campus in Philadelphia that will involve simulated lab experiences. All students must attain RN licensure in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania before their clinical rotations begin. However, you will be able to coordinate your own clinical preceptor and placement site.
The AGACNP and PACNP tracks both involve 57 quarter credits and 800 clinical hours, while AGPCNP, PPCNP, and PMHNP tracks entail 52 quarter credits and 640 clinical hours. The FNP track involves 56 quarter credits and 720 clinical hours, and the WHNP track comprises 55 quarter credits and 640 clinical hours. This NP program in Philadelphia also offers a unique track that allows you to simultaneously meet the certification requirements for pediatric acute care and pediatric primary care nurse practice; this PPC/ACNP track involves 44 quarter credits and 1,000 clinical hours.
Post-Master’s Certificate Program Details: All eight NP programs affiliated with Drexel University’s MSN program are also available as post-master’s graduate certificates. Additionally, Drexel offers an Emergency Nurse Practitioner certificate designed to prepare students to sit for The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Program (AANPCP)’s Emergency Nurse Practitioner Board Certification Exam.
The curricula for these certificates are roughly analogous to the MSN programs’ curricula minus the core MSN classes. Though coursework is delivered primarily online through synchronized lectures and class activities, you’ll have to visit Drexel University’s campus in Philadelphia to join in skills intensives. All students enrolled in Drexel’s certificate nurse practitioner programs must have a Pennsylvania RN license.
The number of quarter credits you’ll be required to take to complete these certificates can vary. That’s because the university will evaluate your transcripts upon admission to see if any classes you’ve taken previously can be substituted for NP certificate course requirements. In general, though, the AGACNP certificate requires 39 quarter credits; the AGPCNP certificate, 34; the FNP, 38; the PACNP, 39; the PPCNP, 34; the PMHNP, 34; and the WHNP, 37. The Emergency Nurse Practitioner certificate requires anywhere between 15 and 30 quarter credits.
MSN Specialties Offered: Adult-Gerontology - Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Adult-Gerontology - Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Family-Individual Across the Lifespan Nurse Practitioner, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, and Women's Health - Gender-Related Nurse Practitioner
BSN-to-DNP Specialties Offered: Adult-Gerontology - Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Adult-Gerontology - Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Family/Individual Across the Lifespan Nurse Practitioner, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, and Women’s Health Gender-Related Nurse Practitioner
Post-Graduate Certificate Specialties Offered: Adult Gerontology-Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Adult Gerontology-Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Family-Individual Across the Lifespan Nurse Practitioner, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, and Women's Health-Gender Related Nurse Practitioner
About the School: At Thomas Jefferson University, you can pursue your NP educational goals either online or through a hybrid blend of online and on-campus classes. This NP program in Philadelphia offers seven nurse practitioner concentrations in conjunction with its Master’s of Science in Nursing degree: an AGACNP track, an AGPCNP track, an FNP track, an NNP, a PPCNP track, and a WHNP track. All concentrations except the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner track are also offered as BSN-to-DNP specialties and post-master’s certificate concentrations.
MSN Program Details: All seven of Thomas Jefferson University’s MSN nurse practitioner tracks involve 36 credits and 672 clinical hours. The AGACNP track is delivered entirely online, but the AGPCNP, FNP, PPCNP, and WHNP tracks are taught at Jefferson’s Center City and Dixon campuses. The PMHNP concentration is only taught at Jefferson’s City Center campus.
Like all the best nurse practitioner programs in Philadelphia, Jefferson’s MSN-related NP programs are divided into segments: in this case, MSN core classes, classes that pertain to RN advanced practice, and classes that are relevant to the NP specialty you’re pursuing. All students must attend a mandatory one-day orientation on campus before teaching begins.
MSN core classes include “Health Policy, Legal and Ethical Dimensions of Practice,” “Philosophy, Foundations, and Methods for Evidence-Based Practice,” and “Advanced Topics in Health Informatics.” Coursework that delves into APRN practice includes “Comprehensive Assessment for Clinical Decision-Making” and “Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics.” You’ll take 12 courses in all.
Clinical rotations take place at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and other facilities associated with Jefferson Health, which is the medical arm of Thomas Jefferson University.
BSN-to-DNP Program Details: While Jefferson University offers two Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) options, only the BSN-to-DNP option allows you the opportunity of working toward nurse practitioner certification.
All six NP concentrations affiliated with the BSN-to-DNP program involve 66 credits and a minimum of 1,000 clinical hours. The BSN-to-DNP curriculum duplicates the MSN/NP sequence but adds seven courses that prepare students for the DNP-prepared nurse’s expanded leadership role, including “Scientific Underpinnings for Nursing Practice,” “Practice Inquiry: Designs, Methods and Analyses,” and “Clinical Prevention and Population Health for Improving the Nation’s Health.”
Once students have completed a class called “The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education,” they will receive an MSN.
Post-Graduate Certificate Program Details: You can take any of Thomas Jefferson University’s post-graduate nurse practitioner certificate options either online or on-site at the Dixon and Center City campuses. The programs require 18 credits but may be shorter if Jefferson’s gap analysis determines you should be awarded credit for a required course you’ve taken previously.
BSN-to-DNP Specialties Offered: Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner and Family Individual Across the Lifespan Nurse Practitioner
About the School: Temple University’s Nursing Department’s faculty is known for its political activism. The department is committed to striving for the benefit of the medically underserved populations of North Philadelphia, and as a student here, this will be your focus, too. Temple’s two nurse practitioner tracks—an AGPCNP concentration and an FNP concentration—are part of its BSN-to-DNP program.
BSN-to-DNP Program Details: Temple’s AGPCNP and FNP tracks both consist of 68 credits and 1,000 clinical hours. Both tracks have curricula that include DNP core classes and coursework focusing on your chosen NP specialty. Among the DNP-related classes you’ll be required to take are “Biostatistics for Health Professions,” “Translation of Evidence in Healthcare,” and “Managing Quality Initiatives Through Nursing Quality Initiatives.”
This nurse practitioner program in Philadelphia has been set up to be convenient for working RNs. You’ll only be required to attend classes one day a week at Temple University’s Health Sciences Center, and most courses will allow you to access learning materials online. Temple’s Department of Nursing has cultivated relationships with more than 100 clinical sites throughout North Philadelphia and other parts of the Greater Philadelphia Metropolitan Area, including homeless shelters, nurse-managed clinics, outpatient clinics, and other primary care settings, and it is at these sites that you will be doing your clinical rotations.
This NP program in Philadelphia requires the completion of a three-semester DNP project. One hundred and sixty-eight of your clinical hours will be devoted to researching a nursing issue and implementing a plan for addressing that issue. You’ll then be required to evaluate the success of your project and present your findings in a semi-public forum.
MSN Specialties Offered: Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Post-Master’s Certificate Specialties Offered: Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
About the School: La Salle University offers one of the best online nurse practitioner programs in Philadelphia. Its three MSN/NP concentrations—an AGPCNP track, an FNP track, and a PMHNP track—are all offered as distance learning options. However, the university’s post-graduate NP certificate programs are primarily offered as a campus option at La Salle’s main campus and at the university’s Bucks County Center.
MSN Program Details: The AGPCNP track entails 43 credits and 512 clinical hours, while the FNP track comprises 45 credits and 692 clinical hours. The PMHNP track consists of 46 credits and 704 clinical hours.
Like most nurse practitioner programs in Philadelphia, the curriculum of La Salle’s MSN/NP program is divided into multiple parts. You’ll take MSN core classes like “Nursing Research for Evidence-Based Practice” and “Advanced Nursing Practice for Population-Based Care.” You’ll also take courses that support your expanded role as an Advanced Practice RN, such as “Family System Concepts for Primary Care” and “Advanced Pathophysiology.” Finally, you’ll take coursework and participate in clinical rotations relevant to the Nurse Practitioner specialty you’ve selected.
Clinical rotations will take place in inpatient, outpatient, and community residential settings. A La Salle University program administrator will work with you to secure a clinical rotation in your state of residence.
Post-Master’s Certificate Program Details: If you’ve already completed your MSN or DNP and are looking to add another APRN specialty to your clinical repertoire, La Salle University also offers post-master’s certificates. All three specialties are campus-based programs offered at La Salle’s main campus and Bucks County Center. The 26-credit AGPCNP certificate requires the completion of 512 clinical hours, while the 33-credit FNP certificate requires the completion of 302 clinical hours. The PMHNP certificate entails 704 clinical hours, and a gap analysis will determine the number of credits you’ll need to take to complete the certificate’s course requirements.
BSN-to-DNP Specialties Offered: Family Nurse Practitioner
MSN-to-DNP Specialties Offered: Family Nurse Practitioner
About the School: Holy Family University is a Catholic institution of higher learning that incorporates Catholic values into all curricular programs, including its nurse practitioner programs. The university offers a Family Nurse Practitioner track in conjunction with both its BSN-to-DNP program and its MSN-to-DNP program.
BSN-to-DNP Program Details: Holy Family University’s BSN-to-DNP/FNP track has a comparatively unique orientation: It’s designed for nurses who want to go on practicing in clinical settings rather than work as researchers. This nurse practitioner program in Philadelphia consists of 74 credits and 1,046 clinical hours. As is true of every NP program in Philadelphia, the curriculum is divided into components that pertain to DNP-related expertise, components that pertain to the advanced practice RN role, components that pertain to a specific NP specialty, and practicums.
DNP-related courses include “Research for Evidence Based Practice,” “Biostatistics and EBP for the DNP,” and “Advanced Practice Role for the DNP.” APRN-related courses include “Advanced Pathophysiology,” “Advanced Pharmacology,” and “Advanced Physical and Health Assessment.”
You’ll qualify to receive a Master’s of Science in Nursing degree after you complete your MSN course and clinical requirements. This NP program in Philadelphia includes a four-semester DNP project during which you will develop and implement an evidence-based care plan that addresses an issue you came across in your clinical rotations.
Courses are delivered as a hybrid learning option. You’ll spend one day a week at Holy Names University’s campus in Newtown and access the remainder of your coursework online.
MSN-to-DNP Program Details: Holy Family University also offers a DNP/FNP with a master’s degree-level entry point. The program entails 43 credits and 1,046 clinical hours and follows the same curriculum as the BSN-to-DNP/FNP except without the APRN-specific courses.
The program is delivered in a hybrid format. You’ll do the majority of your classwork online but meet with your cohort one day a week at Holy Family University’s campus in Newtown.
Employment | |
3,800 | |
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) |
Work Setting |
Offices of Physicians |
General Medical & Surgical Hospitals |
Outpatient Care Centers |
Offices of Other Health Practitioners |
Home Health Care Services |
10-Year Job Outlook (2020-2030) | |
+32.69% | |
(Source: Careeronestop.org) |
Hourly | $45.92 |
Weekly | $1,837 |
Monthly | $7,960 |
Annual | $95,520 |
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) |
Level of Experience | Hourly | Weekly | Monthly | Annual |
Entry-Level | $45.92 | $1,837 | $7,960 | $95,520 |
1-4 Years of Experience | $48.62 | $1,945 | $8,430 | $101,130 |
5-9 Years of Experience | $58.43 | $2,337 | $10,130 | $121,530 |
10-19 Years of Experience | $62.41 | $2,497 | $10,820 | $129,820 |
20 Years or More Experience | $71.64 | $2,866 | $12,420 | $149,010 |
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) |
Hourly | $58.35 |
Weekly | $2,334 |
Monthly | $10,110 |
Annual | $121,370 |
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) |
Average Philadelphia NP Annual Salary | Average National NP Annual Salary | Difference | ||
Number | % | |||
$121,370 | $118,040 | +$3,330 | +2.82% | |
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) |
Average Philadelphia NP Annual Salary | Average Pennsylvania NP Annual Salary | Difference | ||
Number | % | |||
$121,370 | $117,260 | +$4,110 | +3.51% | |
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) |
Metro | Average Annual Salary | Difference | ||
Number | % | |||
Pittsburgh | $125,270 | -$3,900 | -3.11% | |
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $121,370 | $0 | 0.00% | |
Reading | $119,650 | +$1,720 | +1.44% | |
Harrisburg-Carlisle | $117,200 | +$4,170 | +3.56% | |
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $115,550 | +$5,820 | +5.04% | |
Williamsport | $115,050 | +$6,320 | +5.49% | |
Bloomsburg-Berwick | $112,630 | +$8,740 | +7.76% | |
Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton | $112,130 | +$9,240 | +8.24% | |
Lancaster | $111,030 | +$10,340 | +9.31% | |
York-Hanover | $110,890 | +$10,480 | +9.45% | |
Gettysburg | $110,500 | +$10,870 | +9.84% | |
Chambersburg-Waynesboro | $109,100 | +$12,270 | +11.25% | |
State College | $108,480 | +$12,890 | +11.88% | |
Erie | $107,500 | +$13,870 | +12.90% | |
Lebanon | $107,450 | +$13,920 | +12.95% | |
Altoona | $104,880 | +$16,490 | +15.72% | |
Johnstown | $99,690 | +$21,680 | +21.75% | |
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) |
Type of Nurse | Average Annual Salary | Difference | ||
Number | % | |||
Nurse Practitioner | $121,370 | $0 | 0.00% | |
Nurse Midwife | $116,510 | +$4,860 | +4.17% | |
Nursing Instructor and Teacher, Postsecondary | $93,210 | +$28,160 | +30.21% | |
Registered Nurse | $81,860 | +$39,510 | +48.27% | |
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurse | $55,640 | +$65,730 | +118.13% | |
Nursing Assistant | $35,650 | +$85,720 | +240.45% | |
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) |
Job Title | Average Annual Salary | Difference | ||
Number | % | |||
Physician | $228,680 | -$107,310 | -46.93% | |
Dentist | $189,220 | -$67,850 | -35.86% | |
Optometrist | $156,650 | -$35,280 | -22.52% | |
Podiatrist | $144,630 | -$23,260 | -16.08% | |
Pharmacist | $128,160 | -$6,790 | -5.30% | |
Veterinarian | $126,090 | -$4,720 | -3.74% | |
Physician Assistant | $122,670 | -$1,300 | -1.06% | |
Nurse Practitioner | $121,370 | $0 | 0.00% | |
Physical Therapist | $98,800 | +$22,570 | +22.84% | |
Occupational Therapist | $95,440 | +$25,930 | +27.17% | |
Speech-Language Pathologist | $90,110 | +$31,260 | +34.69% | |
Audiologist | $84,470 | +$36,900 | +43.68% | |
Chiropractor | $78,500 | +$42,870 | +54.61% | |
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) |
S.No. | Accrediting Agency |
1 | Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) |
2 | Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) |
6 |
$58.35 |
$10,110 |
$121,370 |
Reduced Practice |