Best Nurse Practitioner Programs in Fort Worth, TX (2026)

Most important takeaways…

Fort Worth metro NP students can choose from multiple public universities offering FNP, PMHNP, AGNP, PNP, and AGACNP tracks.
Public university tuition in the region is significantly lower than private alternatives, and HRSA and NHSC grants can reduce costs further.
Major employers like JPS Health Network and Texas Health Resources drive strong NP demand across Tarrant County.
Texas does not require a DNP for NP practice, so MSN and post-master's certificate pathways remain viable options in 2026.

Fort Worth sits at the center of the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington statistical area, home to more than 7.5 million people and one of the nation's fastest-growing healthcare labor markets. The Texas Board of Nursing reported nearly 18,000 active nurse practitioner licenses statewide in 2025, with a disproportionate share employed in the Metroplex. Major hospital systems including JPS Health Network, Baylor Scott & White, and Texas Health Resources employ hundreds of NPs across primary care, emergency, and specialty settings, yet medically underserved communities in Tarrant County continue to face provider shortages.

Fort Worth-area nurses can choose from programs spanning family, psychiatric-mental health, adult-gerontology primary care and acute care, pediatric, and women's health specialties, delivered through MSN, DNP, and post-master's certificate tracks. Those interested in the family track, for example, can explore online FNP programs in Texas that offer hybrid clinical options close to home. Some programs are based in Fort Worth proper; others operate out of Arlington, Dallas, Denton, and Weatherford, all within a one- to two-hour commute. Tuition at public universities in Texas generally runs lower than private and for-profit options, but clinical placement policies and residency requirements vary sharply.

The choice between an MSN and DNP carries practical weight. Texas does not require doctoral preparation for NP licensure, but an increasing number of health systems in the Metroplex have begun to favor or require the DNP for leadership and specialized roles.

NP Programs in the Fort Worth Metro Area

These nurse practitioner programs come from accredited colleges and universities inside the Fort Worth commuting radius, including options in Arlington, Fort Worth, Denton, Waco, Commerce, and Richardson. NP tracks are offered at the master's, doctoral, and post-master's certificate levels, with delivery ranging from fully online to hybrid and campus-based formats. Public schools generally carry lower in-state tuition, while private schools tend to have higher sticker prices and different net-price profiles after aid.

How we ranked these

Factors considered

Program delivery flexibility
Tuition and total cost
Institution-wide graduation rate
Clinical placement support

Data sources

Independent program research
NCES-IPEDS federal institutional data — nces.ed.gov
College Scorecard graduate earnings — collegescorecard.ed.gov
Internal program database

TH

The University of Texas at Arlington

Arlington, TX · $11,000/yr

Best for: Working DFW nurses needing online flexibility

UT Arlington is the largest public nursing educator in the Dallas-Fort Worth region, offering NP preparation at the MSN, post-master's certificate, and RN-to-MSN levels. Its online FNP track carries a total tuition of about $30,084 and pairs clinical hours with placement assistance in the student's home community, a practical fit for Fort Worth nurses. The institution-wide six-year graduation rate is about 54 percent, a figure that covers all undergraduates, not the nursing program specifically. As a public university, in-state tuition and a locked per-credit rate keep costs manageable.