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Every school and family nurse practitioner program listed on this site is accredited, and these colleges and universities offer flexible online and on-campus degree plans in order to help nurses continue their education and further their career. Read more
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Average Salary For an FNP

As a family nurse practitioner, you’ll have job options around the country. This job requires at least a master’s degree, so it does require a certain level of schooling – but when you see salary rates in this field, the extra time in college might be worth it! On top of earning a higher salary with an advanced degree, you also have the ability to specialize in a particular area of nursing. This gives advanced practice nurses the opportunity to work in a specialty that most interests them and allows them to focus their training in a particular area, as opposed to general nursing. Some areas include:

Family nurse practitioner
Pediatrics
Geriatrics
Adult health
Women’s health/midwifery
Obstetrics/gynecological
Acute care

As a family nurse practitioner, you are in the position to provide care to entire families on an ongoing basis. You are their primary care provider, seeing their health and treatments at a more involved level. This gives you the opportunity to educate your patients are preventative medicine and healthy lifestyle choices and followup with them as needed. Let’s take a look at the average salary you can expect as a family nurse practitioner.

Average Nursing Salary for Family Nurse Practitioners

According to a study by the Health Resources and Services Administration in 2010, family nurse practitioners made an average of $66,973 annually as of 2008, up more than 15 percent from 2004. This rate depends on a number of factors including location, employer type, employer size, and experience in the nursing field. Some family nurse practitioners also make more money by earning specialized certifications. Where you work plays a big role in the salary you can expect to earn, as well as whether you work in a rural or metropolitan area.

Nursing Salary by Location

In general, registered nurses can earn the most money in California, Massachusetts, Hawaii, Alaska, and Maryland. More specifically, nurses can make the most money in the following cities:

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA: $116,150
Oakland-Fremont-Hayward, CA: $100,900
San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA: $97,600
Salinas, CA: $97,450
Napa, CA: $97,090

These salary rates are for all registered nurses, including those with just associate’s degrees or bachelor’s degrees, so as a family nurse practitioner with a master’s degree or even a doctorate, you can expect to earn even higher than the average rate.

Nurses also have the option of going location independent, so to speak. While you can’t really work from home as a family nurse practitioner, you can work as a travel nurse, which allows you to move from location to location, going wherever you’re most needed on a temporary basis. This kind of lifestyle might not be for everyone, but it does allow you to make a much higher salary in most cases.

Nursing Salary by Employer Type

Most family nurse practitioners are hired by hospitals or physicians’ offices, but higher salaries can be made with other employers. On average, nurses review the highest salaries with personal care services, the government, pharmaceutical and medical equipment manufacturing companies, and colleges. Keep in mind that the benefits package you’re offered should also be factored when weighing your job options. Sometimes better benefits make up for a slightly lower salary. Cost of living is also something to keep in mind when calculating your potential salary. Some areas may pay higher salaries, but factoring in the costs of living their is important as well.

Top Online Family Nurse Practitioner Degrees

Family nurse practitioners are advanced practiced registered nurses (RN) who work closely with pediatricians and other healthcare specialists to provide care for families. Typically, an FNP will have knowledge of pediatrics and neonatal nursing. To become an FNP, a master's degree in nursing is required. The following schools all offer Master of Science in nursing degrees through online accredited programs.

MSN: Family Nursing	Georgetown University . Georgetown University's online MSN: family nurse practitioner program propels licensed registered nurses (with a BSN) to their graduate degrees in 17-24 months. Students study through a combination of live online seminars and hands-on clinical opportunities (coordinated near students' homes), also gaining all the benefits of being a Georgetown student, including access to the university's prestigious alumni network.
MSN: Nurse Administration MSN: Nurse Education	Kaplan University . The MSN program at Kaplan University is designed for family nurses seeking to grow their leadership skills within the healthcare field. Once a candidate has completed the program, he or she will be prepared to pursue positions in administration, faculty, or staff development. Students will be challenged in this program with courses ranging from organizational theory, health care finance, human resources, amongst others that them to meet the demands of healthcare management.
MSN: Women's Nursing MSN: Nurse Midwifery	University of Cincinnati . The Adult Nursing, Nurse Midwifery, Nurse Administration, and Women's Health Nursing programs offered by the University of Cincinnati are excellent programs for an RN seeking to expand his or her career opportunities. These programs are designed to provide and challenging and stimulating classroom environment preparing students for a wide range of careers ranging from family nursing, adult care, and prominent leadership roles.
MSN: Nurse Education RN-MSN: Nurse Education	Capella University . The MSN in Nurse Education from Capella University prepares family nurses to educate future generations of nurses in methods that have been proven highly successful. As the demand for nurses continues to grow, the demand for instructors to teach them will also grow. The MSN in Nurse Education Bridge program allows nurses with a Bachelor degree in a field other than nursing to pursue a Master of Science in Nursing.
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MS in Midwifery	Philadelphia University . The MS program in Midwifery is a two-year distance education program designed for registered nurses (RN) and CM Pathway applicants. This program integrates components of theory and practices and includes four terms of clinical experience and two on-campus sessions. Following completion of the program, graduates can successfully take the American Midwifery Certification Board exam to earn the credential CNM or CM.
MSN: Adult Acute Care MSN: Clinical Nursing MSN: Nurse Leadership	Drexel University . An MSN in Adult Acute Care at Drexel University helps prepare family nurse practitioners to manage patient populations in medical, surgical, and critical care. The
MSN: Nurse Education MSN: Nurse Leadership MSN/MBA: Nurse Leadership	Grand Canyon University . A MSN in Nurse Education from Grand Canyon University prepares family nurses that want to teach the upcoming nurses to become highly effective educators. The school also offers a MSN in Nurse Leadership. This program teaches the fundamentals of how to work in hospital administration. The MSN/MBA in Leadership prepares family nurses to take their career to the next level and land more advanced positions in the healthcare environment.