Best Nurse Practitioner Programs in Boston, MA (2027)

Most important takeaways…

Boston metro NP programs span FNP, PMHNP, AGNP, PNP, WHNP, and AGACNP specialties at both MSN and DNP levels.
Nurse practitioners in the Boston area earn a median salary of roughly $141,000 per year.
MGH Institute of Health Professions alone offers six distinct NP specialty tracks for graduate students.
Most NP certification exams require 500 to 750 supervised clinical hours, and Boston's major health systems support local placement.

Which nurse practitioner programs are realistic options for working RNs in the Boston area?

Boston's concentration of academic medical centers, including Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women's, and Boston Children's, creates an unusually dense network of clinical training sites within a single metro area. That density translates directly into program variety: schools here offer FNP, PMHNP, AGNP, PNP, WHNP, and AGACNP tracks at MSN, DNP, and post-master's certificate levels, with formats ranging from fully online to hybrid and traditional campus schedules.

For nurses commuting from Worcester, Providence, or southern New Hampshire, the practical question is often which programs accommodate clinical placements closer to home while maintaining access to Boston's specialty rotations.

NP Programs in the Boston Metro Area

The Boston metro draws nurse practitioner students from across the region, and the schools below reflect that reach: city campuses in Boston and Chestnut Hill, suburban programs in Weston and Salem, and public universities in Lowell and Amherst that deliver most coursework online. Each entry notes the specialties, degree levels, and delivery formats available so you can see which pathways fit your schedule and career target.

How we ranked these

Factors considered

Student-to-faculty ratio
Earnings ten years after entry
Range of NP specialties offered
Online and hybrid flexibility
Institutional graduation rates

Data sources

Program-level records maintained in house
Independent editorial research
National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS) — nces.ed.gov
Federal College Scorecard outcomes data — collegescorecard.ed.gov

Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA · ~$38,000/yr (est.)

Best for: Career changers with non-nursing degrees

Boston College's Connell School of Nursing, on a Chestnut Hill campus about six miles from downtown, prepares nurse practitioners at both the master's and doctoral levels with five concentration options and four routes into the master's degree, including a direct entry path for students who hold a non-nursing bachelor's. Clinical placements are arranged at Boston hospitals, and psychiatric mental health students have a local post-graduate pathway through a VA Boston Healthcare System residency partnership with the school. The university reports a graduation rate above 90 percent.

Boston College

CCNE accredited

CCNE accredited; five concentration options
Four routes to a master's degree
Direct entry option for non-nursing bachelor's holders
No entrance exam required; test optional
$75 application fee; financial aid and scholarships
Clinical placements at Boston Children's Hospital

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Boston College

CCNE accredited

96 total credit hours
Starts in fall, spring, or summer
3.0 GPA minimum; two letters of recommendation
Pathway for RNs holding an associate degree
Full-time study option available

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Boston College

CCNE accredited

Psychotherapy across the lifespan
Case management for psychiatric disorders
Psychiatric consultation to primary care
Eligible for ANCC certification
Student-led DNP project

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Boston College

CCNE accredited

National certification track as a WHNP
Women's health care across the lifespan
Clinical placements at top Boston hospitals
Leadership and evidence-based practice focus
Holistic and compassionate care emphasis

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Boston College

CCNE accredited

73 total credit hours
750 clinical hours; capstone required
Multiple entry options available
Clinical experiences at top Boston hospitals
Graduates eligible for ANCC certification

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MCPHS University

Boston, MA · ~$27,000/yr (est.)

Best for: Working nurses who want online coursework

MCPHS sits in Boston's Longwood medical area and delivers most of its nurse practitioner tracks online, with short on-campus residencies in the city. Family and psychiatric mental health options are available at the master's and post-master's certificate levels, along with a bridge route for nurses who hold an associate degree. The 27-month format and clinical hour expectations carry across the family and psychiatric tracks, and the school reports strong first-time certification pass rates.

MCPHS University

CCNE accredited

27-month online program with two on-campus residencies
750 clinical hours required
Fall, spring, and summer start terms
First-time certification pass rates in the low 90s
Per-credit tuition; CCNE accredited

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MCPHS University

Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies, 27 months
750 clinical hours required
Online coursework with in-person residencies
Individualized study plans
Requires a graduate nursing background

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MCPHS University

CCNE accredited

Online MSN completed in 27 months
Two on-campus residencies
750 clinical hours required
Prepares for PMHNP certification exams
ANCC first-time pass rate reported at 100 percent in 2024

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MCPHS University

Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies
27-month online program
Two on-campus residencies included
Individualized study plans and gap analysis
State eligibility restrictions apply

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MCPHS University

CCNE accredited

Bridge year of coursework before the MSN
Designed for nurses with an associate degree
Starts in fall
91.3 percent ANCC first-attempt pass rate
92 percent AANPCB first-attempt pass rate

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University of Massachusetts-Amherst

Amherst, MA · $15,000 – $20,000/yr (est.)

Best for: Psychiatric nurses adding a certificate

Amherst sits roughly ninety miles west of Boston, and UMass Amherst's Elaine Marieb College of Nursing delivers its advanced practice offerings entirely online, including a psychiatric mental health post-master's certificate for nurses who already hold a graduate degree and DNP tracks in family and psychiatric mental health practice. The doctoral pathways run across four to five years with three start dates a year and a substantial clinical component. Licensure restrictions apply in a handful of states, so Massachusetts students should confirm eligibility before applying.

University of Massachusetts-Amherst

28 to 30 credits, fully online
For nurses who already hold a master's degree
Clinical experience in behavioral health settings
Admissions prefer psychiatric nursing experience
Meets licensure requirements in many states

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University of Massachusetts-Amherst

CCNE accredited

Four-year program; 75 total credit hours
752 clinical hours
Three start dates per year
Post-baccalaureate entry from a BSN
DNP project sequence across five courses

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University of Massachusetts-Amherst

CCNE accredited

Four-year or five-year plan of study
728 clinical hours
Completely online with no campus visits required
3.0 GPA minimum
Priority admission deadline of October 15

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University of Massachusetts-Lowell

Lowell, MA · ~$16,000/yr (est.)

In Lowell, roughly thirty miles northwest of Boston, UMass Lowell offers master's tracks in family health and adult-gerontological primary care plus several DNP options for nurses entering from a BSN or returning with a master's degree. Coursework runs online and hybrid with a small number of on-campus days, and tuition is set per credit. The doctoral tracks are built around clinical leadership, a scholarly project, and interdisciplinary coursework in finance and informatics.

University of Massachusetts-Lowell

CCNE accredited

45 credits across 15 courses
$610 per credit for online coursework
Four on-campus days
750 clinical hours
No GRE required; $50 application fee

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University of Massachusetts-Lowell

CCNE accredited

45 total credit hours; two-year full-time plan
Rolling admissions; test optional
Full-time and part-time options
Transfer up to 6 credits
No thesis or capstone required

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University of Massachusetts-Lowell

CCNE accredited

60 total credit hours
Four-year program with part-time option
Hybrid delivery with on-campus intensives
Capstone required
Admission interview required

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University of Massachusetts-Lowell

CCNE accredited

75 total credit hours across 26 courses
Completes in two years full time or three years part time
Four two-day on-campus intensives
Designed for advanced practice nurses
Not open to international applicants

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University of Massachusetts-Lowell

CCNE accredited

Four years full time or five years part time
Interdisciplinary curriculum in leadership and policy
Faculty chair guides the scholarly project
Fast Track for UMass Lowell graduates
Massachusetts RN license required

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Simmons University

Boston, MA · $25,000 – $30,000/yr (est.)

Women's college

Simmons University's Boston campus anchors one of the widest NP portfolios in the city, ranging from direct entry programs for people who are not yet nurses through MSN and post-graduate certificates to the DNP. Family and psychiatric mental health tracks are offered online, on campus, and in hybrid formats, and the school arranges clinical placements through a large network of Boston-area training sites. Several programs report licensure pass rates in the high 90s.

Simmons University

CCNE accredited

Online MSN for RNs with a BSN
Rolling admissions with three start dates a year
Financial aid available
Prepares for FNP certification

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Simmons University

CCNE accredited

49 credits; 24 months full time or 32 months part time
756 clinical hours
Online delivery with January, May, and September starts
Eligible for ANCC certification

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Simmons University

CCNE accredited

91 credits over three years for non-nurses
On-campus pre-licensure terms; online after term five
714 MSN clinical hours plus 756 PMHNP clinical hours
NCLEX-RN eligibility after term four
More than 1,400 total clinical hours

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Simmons University

27 credits; 756 clinical hours
16 months full time or 20 months part time
For current APRNs with a graduate degree
Rolling admissions with three start dates a year

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Simmons University

For nurses who already hold an MSN or DNP
Online format with clinical placement assistance
No GRE required; rolling admissions
Prepares for ANCC board certification

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Simmons University

CCNE accredited

104 credits over three years
1,400 clinical hours
97 percent licensure pass rate reported
Clinical network includes Boston hospitals

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Simmons University

CCNE accredited

108 credits over three years
Earn the MSN before the DNP
Hybrid online and campus format
Prepares for NCLEX and PMHNP certification

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Simmons University

CCNE accredited

Three concentration options
No entrance exam; test optional
$50 application fee, reduced to $30 before the priority deadline
Prepares for ANCC or AANP FNP board certification

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Regis College

Weston, MA · $15,000 – $20,000/yr (est.)

Regis College in Weston, about fifteen miles west of Boston, runs a set of online NP programs spanning pediatrics, women's health, adult-gerontology acute care, and family practice at the master's and DNP levels. The school describes its BSN-to-DNP pathway as the first DNP program in the Boston area, and coursework is delivered fully online with clinical placements coordinated near where students live. Tuition is charged per credit, with discounts for military members and partner employees.

Regis College

No entrance examMilitary benefitsEmployer tuition reimbursement

100 percent online; 26 to 38 months
$1,061 per credit; no GRE required
Prepares for PNCB certification
Three entry points, including ADN to MSN
Clinical placements arranged in your area

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Regis College

600 clinical hours
Meets ANCC and AACN certification criteria
Practicum in urgent care, emergency, and critical care
Care for acutely ill and physiologically unstable adults

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Regis College

No entrance examMilitary benefitsEmployer tuition reimbursement

100 percent online with no campus visits
100 percent licensure pass rate reported
Prepares for ANCC certification
Faculty advisor and clinical placement assistance

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Regis College

No entrance examMilitary benefits

$1,025 per credit
40-month program
800 clinical hours
Transfer up to 9 graduate credits

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Regis College

No entrance examMilitary benefitsTest optionalEmployer tuition reimbursement

73 total credit hours
600 clinical hours; capstone required
10 percent partner or alumni tuition discount
Three start dates per year

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Regis College

No entrance examMilitary benefits

One year of critical care experience required
Clinical coordinator assists with placement
No campus visit required
Faculty advisor assigned each semester

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Salem State University

Salem, MA · $5,000 – $10,000/yr (est.)

Salem State University, on the North Shore roughly twenty miles from Boston, offers a part-time MSN in adult-gerontology primary care delivered through hybrid evening classes. The three-year, 42-credit format is built for nurses who keep working while they study, and the program notes that students are advised to limit work hours during the final clinical year. No entrance exam is required, and up to nine transfer credits may be accepted.

Salem State University

CCNE accredited

42 credits over three years, part time
Hybrid evening classes
No entrance exam required
Transfer up to 9 credits
Non-matriculated students welcome

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University of Massachusetts-Boston

Boston, MA · ~$20,000/yr (est.)

UMass Boston's Manning College of Nursing and Health Sciences prepares family nurse practitioners at the MSN, post-master's certificate, and DNP levels, with an adult-gerontology primary care track inside the DNP. Most programs are hybrid or online, and BS-to-DNP and MS-to-DNP entry routes are available, with an emphasis on health policy and care for underserved populations. The university reports a graduation rate near 50 percent.