Top Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner Programs 2024
A women’s health nurse practitioner (WHNP) is an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) who specializes in women’s comprehensive care throughout the lifespan. Although WHNP school lasts 1-2 years, becoming a WHNP can take 8 total years. However, the rewarding career, salary expectations, and growth opportunities make it well worth your time.
In this article, we’ll rank the top 10 women’s health nurse practitioner programs by tuition costs, graduation and acceptance rates, accreditation, and more to curate your best options. We’ve included in-person, online, and hybrid options to accommodate all lifestyles.
Read on to find your WHNP program!
Popular Online Nurse Practitioner (NP) Programs
Walden’s online programs for nursing meet rigorous standards for academic quality and integrity, and the School of Nursing teaching faculty all hold doctorates. With three degree completion options, you can choose a bachelor’s in nursing path that makes sense for your busy, unpredictable schedule.
Accreditation
CCNE
Location
Online
Prerequisite
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide, excluding NY, RI and CT. Certain programs have additional state restrictions. Check with Walden for details.
GCU’s College of Nursing and Health Care Professions has a nearly 35-year tradition of preparing students to fill evolving healthcare roles as highly qualified professionals. GCU offers a full spectrum of nursing degrees, from a pre-licensure BSN degree to a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program.
Accreditation
CCNE
Location
Online
Prerequisite
RN Required
At Purdue Global, discover a faster, more affordable way to earn your Nursing degree. Purdue Global is committed to keeping your tuition costs as low as possible and helping you find the most efficient path to your degree.
Accreditation
CCNE
Location
Online
Prerequisite
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide, but certain programs have state restrictions. Check with Purdue for details.
Nursing@Georgetown delivers Georgetown University’s MS in Nursing program online, preparing RNs with a BSN to pursue certification in an APRN specialty. Students can earn their degree in as few as 19 months.
Accreditation
CCNE
Prerequisite
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide, excluding NY and WA.
|
Salary |
$129,650 per year (BLS) |
|
Program Length |
2-3 years full time Up to 5 years part-time |
|
Requirements |
|
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Our ranking algorithm uses the latest and most robust U.S. government data sets, specifically the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and College Scorecard. We consider factors such as graduation rate, student-faculty ratio, program focus, and more to help you find the best WHNP program for you.
|
Program |
Accreditation |
Program Length |
Tuition |
|
University of Pennsylvania |
CCNE |
2-3 years |
Full-time: $93,144 Part-time 2 years: $95,482 Part-time 3 years: $98,771 |
|
Duke University |
CCNE |
2.5 years |
$2,166 per credit hour |
|
Vanderbilt University |
CCNE |
Full-time: 12 months Part-time: 24 to 36 months |
$1,997 per credit hour |
|
Emory University |
CCNE |
Full-time: 4 semesters Part-time: 6 semesters |
$2,082 per credit hour |
|
Case Western University |
CCNE |
Full-time: 5 semesters |
$2,308 per credit hour |
|
Loyola University Chicago |
CCNE |
4 semesters |
$1,130 per credit hour |
| University of Cincinnati – Main Campus |
CCNE |
24 months |
Resident: $892 per credit hour Non-resident: $907 per credit hour |
|
Thomas Jefferson University |
CCNE |
2-5 years |
$1,298 per credit hour |
|
Rutgers University |
CCNE |
4-5 years |
Part-time: $991 per credit hour Full-time: $1,444 per credit hour |
|
Yale University |
CCNE |
2 years |
$2,001 per credit hour |
1. University of Pennsylvania
Earning an NP degree from an Ivy League school opens many doors for students. This program focuses on women’s primary healthcare needs from adolescence through the advanced years but also includes gender-related studies.
All students in the Women’s Health/Gender Related graduate programs can elect courses with experiences in Thailand or Honduras.
Students also have the unique opportunity to participate in “Mountains of Hope” as part of a cancer prevention coalition, and students and faculty from Penn’s Women’s Health Care Studies Program provide education, care, and services in West Virginia.
- Tuition:
- Full-time: $93,144
- Part-time 2 years: $95,482
- Part-time 3 years: $98,771
- Application Deadline:
- Full-time: November 4th
- Part-time:
- Spring: October 15th
- Summer: March 15th
- Fall: April 1st
- Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE),
- Program Length: 2-3 years
- Contact Information:
- Online Options Available: Hybrid
2. Duke University
Duke University offers the only women’s health NP program in North Carolina and also offers short-term clinical placement at various international clinical sites. Students also earn certification through the Centering Group Facilitation Workshop, which allows graduates to stand out from other women’s health specialists.
With two possible start dates, one in the fall and the other in the spring, this program is almost entirely online. However, there are on-campus intensive group learning experiences each semester to complement online learning and clinical practicum experiences.
- Tuition: $2,166 per credit hour
- Application Deadline:
- Priority: December 1st
- Final: Space as available
- Accreditation: CCNE
- Program Length: 2.5 Years
- Contact Information:
- Phone: (877) 415-3853
- Email: SONAdmissions@dm.duke.edu
- Online Options Available: Hybrid
>> Show Me Online Nurse Practitioner Programs
3. Vanderbilt University
This highly competitive program only admits 15 students per year in order to provide top-notch education to students. This program is offered via a modified distance learning module so that students do not have to relocate to Nashville or give up employment.
However, students in the Nashville area will have access to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, which is one of the nation’s top academic medical centers in the country.
The program at Vanderbilt is a dual-focus program: Women’s Health and Gender-Related. This highly competitive program only admits 15 students per year to provide top-notch education to students. This program is offered via a modified distance learning module so students do not have to relocate to Nashville or give up employment.
However, students in the Nashville area will have access to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, one of the nation’s top academic medical centers.
- Tuition $1,997 per credit hour
- Application Deadline: October 15th
- Accreditation: CCNE
- Program Length:
- Full-time: 12 months
- Part-time: 24-36 months
- Contact Information:
- Online Options Available: Hybrid
4. Emory University
Emory’s Women’s Health NP program is primarily online. However, students must attend campus once or twice a semester for simulations, skills labs, and competency validations.
Students must also complete a minimum of 630 in-person clinical hours. While clinical hours do not need to be completed in the Atlanta area, Emory will assist in finding placement if students choose to complete them locally. There are also opportunities to participate in service-learning projects, such as providing cancer screenings in rural areas of Peru.
- Tuition: $2,082 per credit hour
- Application Deadline:
- Round 1: August 1st
- Round 2: October 1st
- Round 3: December 1st
- Accreditation: CCNE
- Program Length:
- Full-time: 4 semesters
- Part-time: 6 semesters
- Contact Information:
- Phone: (404) 727-7980
- Email: nursingquestions@emory.edu
- Online Options Available: Hybrid
Popular Online Nurse Practitioner (NP) Programs
Walden’s online programs for nursing meet rigorous standards for academic quality and integrity, and the School of Nursing teaching faculty all hold doctorates. With three degree completion options, you can choose a bachelor’s in nursing path that makes sense for your busy, unpredictable schedule.
Accreditation
CCNE
Location
Online
Prerequisite
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide, excluding NY, RI and CT. Certain programs have additional state restrictions. Check with Walden for details.
GCU’s College of Nursing and Health Care Professions has a nearly 35-year tradition of preparing students to fill evolving healthcare roles as highly qualified professionals. GCU offers a full spectrum of nursing degrees, from a pre-licensure BSN degree to a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program.
Accreditation
CCNE
Location
Online
Prerequisite
RN Required
At Purdue Global, discover a faster, more affordable way to earn your Nursing degree. Purdue Global is committed to keeping your tuition costs as low as possible and helping you find the most efficient path to your degree.
Accreditation
CCNE
Location
Online
Prerequisite
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide, but certain programs have state restrictions. Check with Purdue for details.
Nursing@Georgetown delivers Georgetown University’s MS in Nursing program online, preparing RNs with a BSN to pursue certification in an APRN specialty. Students can earn their degree in as few as 19 months.
Accreditation
CCNE
Prerequisite
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide, excluding NY and WA.
5. Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University’s women’s health NP program is globally recognized for its leadership in nursing, education, and nursing research. Case Western Reserve is one of the best nursing schools in the country and students that are blended into the midwifery program are eligible for dual-certification.
- Tuition $2,308 per credit hour
- Application Deadline:
- Fall/Summer: March 15th
- Spring: October 1st
- Accreditation: CCNE
- Program Length:
- Contact Information:
- Online Options Available: Hybrid
6. Loyola University Chicago
The women’s health NP program at Loyola University Chicago is a hybrid learning format with both online and in-person instruction. Clinical placements for students in these programs are in the Chicago area, and students must have an RN license in the state of Illinois before they begin the clinical portion of the program.
Admission is highly competitive and is based on submitted application materials, personal interviews, and bedside experience.
- Tuition: $1,130 per credit hour
- Application Deadline:
- Fall: July 1st
- Spring: December 1st
- Accreditation: CCNE
- Program Length: 4 semesters
- Program Contact:
- Online Options Available: Hybrid
7. University of Cincinnati – Main Campus*
Unlike some Women’s Health NP programs, the University of Cincinnati’s WHNP program is entirely online. There are no on-campus requirements, and the only in-person requirements are clinical hours. There are three start dates throughout the year and the program is taught entirely by doctorally prepared faculty who are practicing nurses and are up-to-date clinically.
Unfortunately, the University of Cincinnati’s online graduate nursing program is not currently available to students located in Arizona, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Tennessee.
- Tuition:
- Resident: $892 per credit hour
- Non-resident: $907 per credit hour
- Application Deadline:
- Spring: November 1st
- Summer: March 15th
- Accreditation: CCNE
- Program Length: 24 months
- Contact Information: (833) 556-7400
- Online Options Available: Hybrid
8. Thomas Jefferson University
At Thomas Jefferson University, students have access to some of the top hospitals in the country to complete their clinical rotations. Students must complete at least 16 hours a week during the three clinical courses.
Before the start of the program, all students must attend a one-day orientation.
- Tuition: $1,298 per credit hour
- Application Deadline:
- Spring:
- Priority: August 1st
- Final: October 15th
- Summer:
- Priority: October 1st
- Final: February 15th
- Fall:
- Priority: February 1st
- Final: June 1st
- Spring:
- Accreditation: CCNE
- Program Length: 2-5 years
- Contact Information:
- Phone: (215) 951-2800
- Email address: enroll@jefferson.edu
- Online Options Available: No
>> Show Me Online Nurse Practitioner Programs
9. Rutgers University
Students enrolled in the WHNP program at Rutgers can complete the program in either four or five years and must complete a minimum of 630 clinical hours. Classes meet in person at the Newark campus and students are awarded a terminal DNP degree at the completion of the program.
- Tuition:
- Part-time: $991 per credit hour
- Full-time: $1,444 per credit hour
- Application Deadline: April 15th
- Accreditation: CCNE
- Program Length: 4-5 years
- Contact Information:
- Online Options Available: No
10. Yale University
The WHNP program at Yale University, a top Ivy League university, offers students unparalleled access to some of the best faculty and hospitals in the country.
Students complete a variety of classes as well as in-person simulation days. During the final year, students can gain experience in a “sub-specialty” area such as high-risk pregnancy care and/or care for LGTBQ+ patients.
- Tuition: $2,001 per credit hour
- Application Deadline: September 15th
- Accreditation: CCNE
- Program Length: 2 years
- Contact Information:
- Phone: (203) 785-6437
- Email address: ysn.admissions@yale.edu
- Online Options Available: Hybrid
Popular Online Nurse Practitioner (NP) Programs
Earn your nursing degree from one of the largest nursing education providers in the U.S. Walden University’s BSN, MSN, post-master’s APRN certificate, and DNP programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Get enhanced practicum support with our Practicum Pledge.
Accreditation
CCNE
Location
Online
Prerequisite
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide, excluding NY, RI and CT. Certain programs have additional state restrictions. Check with Walden for details.
GCU’s College of Nursing and Health Care Professions has a nearly 35-year tradition of preparing students to fill evolving healthcare roles as highly qualified professionals. GCU offers a full spectrum of nursing degrees, from a pre-licensure BSN degree to a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program.
Accreditation
CCNE
Location
Online
Prerequisite
RN Required
At Purdue Global, discover a faster, more affordable way to earn your Nursing degree. Purdue Global is committed to keeping your tuition costs as low as possible and helping you find the most efficient path to your degree.
Accreditation
CCNE
Location
Online
Prerequisite
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide, but certain programs have state restrictions. Check with Purdue for details.
Nursing@Georgetown delivers Georgetown University’s MS in Nursing program online, preparing RNs with a BSN to pursue certification in an APRN specialty. Students can earn their degree in as few as 19 months.
Accreditation
CCNE
Prerequisite
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide, excluding NY and WA.
Women’s Health NP programs focus on specialized care of women throughout their lives. While students will learn about adolescence, the primary focus is on adulthood, especially during childbearing years.
Admission Requirements
Admission requirements will vary on the women’s health NP program but include,
- BSN degree
- Unrestricted RN license
- Minimum GPA of 3.0 in previous coursework
- 1-2 years of relevant experience
- Letter(s) of recommendation
- Personal statement
- Resume/CV
- GRE, if applicable
Classes & Coursework
Coursework is directly related to the care of women of all ages and gender-related issues for dual-focus programs. All programs will require students to complete a minimum number of in-person clinical hours. Specific courses may include,
- Advanced pharmacology
- Advanced health assessment
- Advanced pathophysiology
- Ethical decision making
- Contemporary healthcare issues
- Health research
- Leadership
- Quality and safety
- Biostatistics
- Professional issues for NPs
- Clinical and diagnostic reasoning
Choosing a Women’s Health NP program can be overwhelming, especially with the increased number of options available to students. Some factors to consider include,
- Tuition (resident vs. non-resident)
- Program Availability (in-person vs. online)
- Program Length
- Accreditation
- Graduation rate
- National certification pass rate
- Student-faculty ratio
- Clinical placement assistance
- Attrition rate
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