Are you a Pennsylvania-based nurse who enjoys working closely with children and their families? Consider enrolling in one of the pediatric nurse practitioner programs in Pennsylvania. Kids require highly specialized care that's often very different from adult care. As a PNP, you can choose to focus on either acute or primary care. Both specialties earn $125,150 annually on average, and the need for their expertise is forecast to increase by 43 percent over the coming decade. The pediatric nurse practitioner specialty is a career track with a future in the Keystone State. Learn more by reading the guide below to the 5 best pediatric nurse practitioner programs in Pennsylvania.
(Based on our Ranking Methodology, we have ranked the 5 best campus-based and online Pediatric Nurse Practitioner programs in Pennsylvania.)
MSN Specialties Offered: Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner and Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
MSN Program Details: One of my favorite jobs in clinical nursing was working with pediatric patients. To me, there is something special about building a trusting relationship with children and their families and working together to promote good health and healthy habits. If you are a Registered Nurse who is passionate about caring for infants and children, becoming a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner is an excellent career option. Finding the right program to help achieve your goals is essential. For example, the University of Pennsylvania offers a Master of Science in Nursing program with the option to specialize as either a Primary Care or Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner.
This MSN pediatric nurse practitioner program in Pennsylvania is primarily an in-person pathway. However, some courses are offered in an online or hybrid format. Admission for full-time enrollment occurs in the fall semester. There are also part-time options available with year-round enrollment. Depending on your enrollment status, you can complete the Primary Care PNP program in as few as 12 months or up to three years. The Acute Care PNP pathway takes 12-16 months of full-time study or two to three years, depending on your subspecialty concentration.
Each pediatric nurse practitioner pathway requires the completion of 12 course units. Students in the Primary Care PNP program take classes such as Child & Family Development, Clinical Management of Primary Care with Young Families, and Advanced Concepts of Primary Care. The Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner pathway has three subspecialty options: Acute/Chronic Care, Critical Care, and Oncology. Each PNP pathway’s curriculum plan includes core, theory, and clinical courses. Clinical practicum experiences occur in a broad range of settings relevant to your chosen pathway.
MSN Specialties Offered: Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
Post-Graduate Certificate Specialties Offered: Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
MSN Program Details: Villanova University offers baccalaureate-prepared nurses two pathways to become pediatric nurse practitioners, including the Master of Science in Nursing program. The program admits new students in the summer and spring semesters each year. Students can choose a part-time or full-time enrollment option based on individual needs and goals.
The MSN pathway is one of the best pediatric nurse practitioner programs in Pennsylvania. The program features a hybrid learning format. Core courses are offered online, and clinical courses are completed in person. The 47-credit curriculum features classes such as Health Promotion of the Growing Child, Clinical Management in Pediatric Primary Care, and Advanced Pathophysiology. The program includes 610 clinical hours, with practicum experiences arranged by program faculty.
Post-Graduate Certificate Program Details: The Post-Graduate Certificate program offered by Villanova University is designed to build upon the master’s- or doctoral-prepared nurse’s previous education and experience and provide a path to career advancement. The program is offered part-time, making it a great choice for students who need flexibility in scheduling.
The PGC Pediatric Nurse Practitioner program requires between 25 and 35 credits, depending on the number of transferable credits you have. All students complete a minimum of 610 clinical hours. Support courses are offered online and on campus. Clinical courses are all on-site.
BSN-to-DNP Specialties Offered: Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
MSN-to-DNP Specialties Offered: Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner and Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
Certificate Specialties Offered: Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
Certificate Program Details: If you are a registered nurse with an MSN or DNP and want to expand your scope of practice and clinical role by specializing in pediatric acute care, the Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner certificate program at the University of Pittsburgh is worth considering. This pediatric nurse practitioner program in Pennsylvania is a non-degree option designed to provide the education and clinical experiences needed to meet eligibility to sit for the certification exam to become a Certified Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (CPNP-AC).
While the program is primarily on-site, some classes are offered in a distance-learning format. Full-time and part-time study options are available. Students complete 18-21 credits, including a minimum of 500 clinical hours.
MSN Specialties Offered: Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, and Pediatric Primary/Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Dual
Post-Master’s Certificate Specialties Offered: Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, and Pediatric Primary/Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Dual
MSN Program Details: Drexel University’s College of Nursing and Health Professions offers three options for prospective students seeking master’s-level pediatric nurse practitioner programs in Pennsylvania. The program is formatted so that you complete four 10-week quarters each year. New students are admitted each fall semester.
Synchronous online classes are delivered through an interactive, e-learning modality. Mandatory on-campus and/or virtual simulated clinical learning experiences complement didactic instruction and occur in the school’s state-of-the-art multidisciplinary patient simulation laboratory. The Primary Care pathway requires completion of 52 credits and 640 clinical hours. The Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner is a 57-quarter-credit pathway that includes 720 clinical hours. Each of these programs takes an average of three years to complete. The Primary/Acute Care PNP Dual degree program takes four years and features a 62-quarter-credit curriculum with 1,000 hours of clinical practicum.
Post-Master’s Certificate Program Details: Drexel University also offers master’s-prepared RNs interested in pursuing preparation as pediatric nurse practitioners the opportunity to earn a Post-Master’s Certificate in either primary, acute, or dual primary and acute pediatric care.
The Post-Master’s Certificate program features online didactic instruction, which is complemented by on-campus and/or virtual intensives. The Primary Care and Acute Care PNP post-master’s certificate pathways require between 23 and 39 quarter credits and include 600 and 720 clinical hours, respectively. The Primary and Acute Care PNP Dual post-master’s certificate option requires 33-44 quarter credits and 1,000 clinical hours.
MSN Specialties Offered: Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
BSN-to-DNP Specialties Offered: Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
Post-Graduate Certificate Specialties Offered: Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
MSN Program Details: The Master of Science in Nursing Pediatric Nurse Practitioner program at Thomas Jefferson University is designed to prepare graduates as advanced practitioners in Pediatric Primary Care. The program admits new students in the fall semester of each year and can be completed in two years of full-time study or three years of part-time study.
The program features a hybrid learning format, combining online and campus-based learning and complemented by in-person clinical experiences. The 45-credit curriculum features classes such as Diagnostic Reasoning & Clinical Decision-Making for Pediatric Advanced Practice Nurse, Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics, and Pathophysiology of Human Disease/Pathologic Aspect of Disease. The program includes 750 clinical hours, completed across various pediatric primary care settings.
BSN-to-DNP Program Details: If you have a BSN and want to pursue a clinical doctorate and specialize as a pediatric nurse practitioner, the BSN-to-DNP program at Thomas Jefferson University is a good option. The program features online coursework with occasional campus visits required for lab and clinical simulations. The program admits new students in the fall semester and can be completed in as few as four years or up to six years, depending on whether you enroll part-time or full-time.
This post-baccalaureate DNP pediatric nurse practitioner program in Pennsylvania is a 68-credit pathway. After completing the graduate and APRN core courses, you will move forward in the study plan, taking specialty and DNP core courses. The curriculum includes classes such as Leading Strategic Change in an Era of Healthcare Transformation, Perspectives in Community Engagement & Population Health, Diagnostic Reasoning & Clinical Decision-Making for Pediatric Advanced Practice Nurses, and Advanced Physiology/Pathophysiology.
Post-Graduate Certificate Program Details: The Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Post-Graduate Certificate program prepares RNs with a master’s or a doctoral degree in nursing to provide direct primary care to pediatric patients and their families. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and new students are admitted to the program each fall.
The Post-Graduate Certificate program features online coursework, making this program an excellent choice if you wish to continue working or have other responsibilities. The program features an 18-credit curriculum. However, a GAP analysis of your previous academic and practice portfolio will be used to determine an individualized study plan, which may result in fewer or additional credits needed to meet certification requirements.
| Hourly | $44.26 |
| Weekly | $1,771 |
| Monthly | $7,670 |
| Annual | $92,070 |
| Level of Experience | Hourly | Weekly | Monthly | Annual |
| Entry-Level | $44.26 | $1,771 | $7,670 | $92,070 |
| 1-4 Years of Experience | $50.09 | $2,003 | $8,680 | $104,180 |
| 5-9 Years of Experience | $59.13 | $2,365 | $10,250 | $122,980 |
| 10-19 Years of Experience | $65.84 | $2,634 | $11,410 | $136,950 |
| 20 Years or More Experience | $78.68 | $3,147 | $13,640 | $163,660 |
| Hourly | $60.17 |
| Weekly | $2,407 |
| Monthly | $10,430 |
| Annual | $125,150 |
| Metro | Hourly | Weekly | Monthly | Annual |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $60.23 | $2,409 | $10,440 | $125,280 |
| Altoona | $56.23 | $2,249 | $9,750 | $116,960 |
| Bloomsburg-Berwick | $54.61 | $2,184 | $9,470 | $113,590 |
| Chambersburg-Waynesboro | $60.13 | $2,405 | $10,420 | $125,060 |
| East Stroudsburg | $60.33 | $2,413 | $10,460 | $125,480 |
| Erie | $55.31 | $2,213 | $9,590 | $115,050 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $62.02 | $2,481 | $10,750 | $129,000 |
| Johnstown | $50.13 | $2,005 | $8,690 | $104,260 |
| Lancaster | $58.70 | $2,348 | $10,170 | $122,090 |
| Lebanon | $56.88 | $2,275 | $9,860 | $118,300 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $62.17 | $2,487 | $10,780 | $129,310 |
| Pittsburgh | $60.77 | $2,431 | $10,530 | $126,410 |
| Reading | $60.77 | $2,431 | $10,530 | $126,400 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre—Hazleton | $58.34 | $2,334 | $10,110 | $121,350 |
| State College | $56.64 | $2,266 | $9,820 | $117,820 |
| Williamsport | $56.33 | $2,253 | $9,760 | $117,160 |
| York-Hanover | $58.98 | $2,359 | $10,220 | $122,670 |
| Average Pennsylvania Pediatric NP Annual Salary | Average National Pediatric NP Annual Salary | Difference | |
| Number | % | ||
| $125,150 | $126,175 | -$1,025 | -0.81% |
| State | Average Annual Salary | Difference | |
| Number | % | ||
| California | $158,630 | -$33,480 | -21.11% |
| Nevada | $145,990 | -$20,840 | -14.27% |
| Washington | $142,780 | -$17,630 | -12.35% |
| New Jersey | $142,420 | -$17,270 | -12.13% |
| Oregon | $142,340 | -$17,190 | -12.08% |
| Massachusetts | $141,420 | -$16,270 | -11.50% |
| New York | $140,260 | -$15,110 | -10.77% |
| Connecticut | $134,510 | -$9,360 | -6.96% |
| New Mexico | $134,310 | -$9,160 | -6.82% |
| Minnesota | $132,580 | -$7,430 | -5.60% |
| District of Columbia | $132,420 | -$7,270 | -5.49% |
| Rhode Island | $131,060 | -$5,910 | -4.51% |
| Hawaii | $130,220 | -$5,070 | -3.89% |
| Arizona | $130,170 | -$5,020 | -3.86% |
| Delaware | $128,750 | -$3,600 | -2.80% |
| Iowa | $128,460 | -$3,310 | -2.58% |
| New Hampshire | $128,380 | -$3,230 | -2.52% |
| Texas | $127,670 | -$2,520 | -1.97% |
| Wisconsin | $126,020 | -$870 | -0.69% |
| Maryland | $125,680 | -$530 | -0.42% |
| Utah | $125,520 | -$370 | -0.29% |
| North Dakota | $125,460 | -$310 | -0.25% |
| Pennsylvania | $125,150 | $0 | 0.00% |
| Illinois | $124,610 | +$540 | +0.43% |
| Alaska | $123,900 | +$1,250 | +1.01% |
| Vermont | $123,830 | +$1,320 | +1.07% |
| Montana | $122,390 | +$2,760 | +2.26% |
| Idaho | $122,310 | +$2,840 | +2.32% |
| Oklahoma | $122,090 | +$3,060 | +2.51% |
| Wyoming | $121,330 | +$3,820 | +3.15% |
| Indiana | $121,100 | +$4,050 | +3.34% |
| Maine | $120,720 | +$4,430 | +3.67% |
| Ohio | $120,660 | +$4,490 | +3.72% |
| Colorado | $119,790 | +$5,360 | +4.47% |
| Nebraska | $119,490 | +$5,660 | +4.74% |
| North Carolina | $119,400 | +$5,750 | +4.82% |
| Georgia | $118,970 | +$6,180 | +5.19% |
| South Dakota | $118,800 | +$6,350 | +5.35% |
| Virginia | $118,690 | +$6,460 | +5.44% |
| Michigan | $118,510 | +$6,640 | +5.60% |
| Florida | $117,550 | +$7,600 | +6.47% |
| Kansas | $117,120 | +$8,030 | +6.86% |
| Louisiana | $116,530 | +$8,620 | +7.40% |
| Mississippi | $115,370 | +$9,780 | +8.48% |
| South Carolina | $114,830 | +$10,320 | +8.99% |
| Missouri | $114,580 | +$10,570 | +9.22% |
| West Virginia | $111,410 | +$13,740 | +12.33% |
| Arkansas | $111,370 | +$13,780 | +12.37% |
| Kentucky | $108,380 | +$16,770 | +15.47% |
| Alabama | $108,040 | +$17,110 | +15.84% |
| Tennessee | $101,850 | +$23,300 | +22.88% |
| Type of Nurse | Average Annual Salary | Difference | |
| Number | % | ||
| Nurse Anesthetist | $209,890 | -$84,740 | -40.37% |
| Pediatric Nurse Practitioner | $125,150 | $0 | 0.00% |
| Nurse Midwife | $121,410 | +$3,740 | +3.08% |
| Registered Nurse | $87,530 | +$37,620 | +42.98% |
| Nursing Instructor and Teacher, Postsecondary | $85,540 | +$39,610 | +46.31% |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurse | $58,800 | +$66,350 | +112.84% |
| Nursing Assistant | $39,780 | +$85,370 | +214.61% |
| Job Title | Average Annual Salary | Difference | |
| Number | % | ||
| Dentist | $187,850 | -$62,700 | -33.38% |
| Podiatrist | $171,730 | -$46,580 | -27.12% |
| Optometrist | $147,280 | -$22,130 | -15.03% |
| Pharmacist | $131,200 | -$6,050 | -4.61% |
| Pediatric Nurse Practitioner | $125,150 | $0 | 0.00% |
| Veterinarian | $123,000 | +$2,150 | +1.75% |
| Physician Assistant | $119,760 | +$5,390 | +4.50% |
| Physical Therapist | $98,970 | +$26,180 | +26.45% |
| Radiation Therapist | $98,230 | +$26,920 | +27.41% |
| Occupational Therapist | $92,870 | +$32,280 | +34.76% |
| Audiologist | $91,330 | +$33,820 | +37.03% |
| Speech-Language Pathologist | $88,790 | +$36,360 | +40.95% |
| Chiropractor | $86,590 | +$38,560 | +44.53% |
| Dental Hygienist | $77,010 | +$48,140 | +62.51% |
| S.No. | Accrediting Agency |
| 1 | Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) |
| 2 | Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) |
| 5 |
| $60.17 |
| $2,407 |
| $10,430 |
| $125,150 |
| 10-Year Job Outlook (2020-2030) |
| +42.70% |




