Best Online PNP Programs in Virginia for 2026

Pediatric nurse practitioner is among the most specialized NP credentials available, and Virginia has only a handful of programs that offer it fully online. That scarcity matters: prospective students often spend months evaluating general NP programs before realizing PNP seats are limited and admission timelines run 12 to 18 months out.

The specialty also splits into two distinct credentials: primary care (PNP-PC) and acute care (PNP-AC). Each targets a different patient population, requires different clinical training, and opens doors to different employer types. Confusing them early in the process costs real time. If you are still getting oriented to the role, our overview of the pediatric nurse practitioner career path is a good starting point.

Virginia's reduced practice authority adds another layer. New PNPs entering the workforce must operate under a practice agreement, which affects where you can work and how quickly you can build an independent caseload. Understanding that constraint before you choose a program is as important as comparing tuition.

Virginia's Leading Online Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Programs for 2026

To build this list, we evaluated Virginia's online PNP programs using a composite that factors in institutional graduation rates, graduate earnings, net price, and online delivery format. Both programs below use a hybrid model that pairs online coursework with focused in-person experiences, so working nurses can keep their current positions while earning an advanced pediatric credential.

UN

University of Virginia#1

Charlottesville, VA · $22,000/yr (net price)

★Best for: Nurses seeking acute care specialization

The University of Virginia pairs one of the nation's highest institutional graduation rates (95.6%) with deep clinical affiliations at UVA Health, including UVA Children's Hospital. The School of Nursing offers both a PNP Primary Care DNP and a PNP Acute Care DNP, making it one of the few Virginia schools where you can choose between population tracks under the same roof. UVA Nursing alumni receive guaranteed admission, and clinical placements are arranged collaboratively with faculty across Virginia and the Washington, D.C., region.

• Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Primary Care (DNP)Hybrid→

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Primary Care (DNP) — Hybrid

University of Virginia

• Hybrid DNP: online courses plus one in-person class per month
• $914 per credit hour; 3-year full-time track available
• Full-time and part-time scheduling options
• 750 clinical hours with placements at UVA Health
• Prepares for ANCC or PNCB primary care certification
• 3.0 GPA minimum; $85 application fee
• Capstone project required for graduation

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• Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Acute Care (DNP)Hybrid→

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Acute Care (DNP) — Hybrid

University of Virginia

• Hybrid DNP focused on acutely and critically ill pediatric patients
• 750 clinical hours across VA and DC children's hospitals
• Prepares for PNCB Acute Care PNP certification
• Post-professional certificate option available for current NPs
• BSN required for entry; collaborative clinical placement model
• January 5 application deadline for fall cohort

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OL

Old Dominion University#2

Norfolk, VA · $13,000 – $34,000/yr

★Best for: Budget-conscious RNs pursuing primary care

Old Dominion University delivers a more affordable MSN pathway to pediatric primary care practice, with in-state tuition starting around $15,390 per year and a net price of roughly $14,638. The program reports a 100% certification pass rate and a 100% degree completion rate, along with a 91% job placement rate. ODU partners with Eastern Virginia Medical School's Standardized Patient Program to sharpen clinical skills, and traineeship grants may be available depending on funding.

• Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (MSN)Hybrid→

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (MSN) — Hybrid

Old Dominion University

• Hybrid MSN with synchronous and asynchronous online options
• 560 clinical hours in primary care and specialty settings
• 100% licensure pass rate; 100% degree completion rate
• No GRE required for applicants with a 3.5+ GPA
• Clinical placement assistance provided by the program
• On-campus simulation sessions held at the Virginia Beach site
• Collaboration with EVMS Standardized Patient Program
• Traineeship grants may offset costs when funding is available

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Primary Care vs. Acute Care: Which PNP Track Fits Your Career Goals?

Choosing between the primary care (PC) and acute care (AC) tracks is one of the earliest and most consequential decisions you'll make as a prospective pediatric nurse practitioner. Your choice will determine not only the types of patients you see but also the clinical environments where you'll feel most at home. Below is a breakdown of the key differences so you can map the path that matches your strengths and ambitions.

Understanding the Two Paths

Pediatric nurse practitioners in primary care (PNP-PC) focus on health promotion, disease prevention, and management of common acute and chronic conditions in children from birth through young adulthood.¹ Work settings typically include outpatient clinics, private pediatric practices, school-based health centers, and community clinics. Their scope encompasses well-child visits, immunizations, developmental screenings, and ongoing management of conditions like asthma, diabetes, and ADHD.

Acute care PNPs (PNP-AC), by contrast, care for children with complex, critical, or rapidly changing conditions in hospitals and specialty units.² You'll find them in emergency departments, neonatal and pediatric ICUs, and inpatient specialty services. Their expertise lies in stabilizing acutely ill patients, coordinating multidisciplinary care, and performing advanced procedures. If you thrive in fast-paced, high-acuity environments, this track likely aligns with your goals. For a broader look at the acute care role across specialties, see our guide to acute care nurse practitioner careers.

Certification Requirements: What You Need to Know

Both certifications are administered by the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB).³ The CPNP-PC and CPNP-AC exams each contain 175 questions, with a three-hour time limit. Candidates must complete a minimum of 500 supervised clinical hours in their chosen population focus during their graduate program.¹² While the structure is identical, historical pass rates hint at differing difficulty levels: in 2016, the first-time pass rate for the CPNP-PC exam was 92%, compared to 74% for the CPNP-AC exam. More recent data has not yet been published, but this gap underscores the need for strong, focused preparation, particularly in the acute care realm. Note that the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) does not offer a separate PNP exam; PNCB is the sole certifying body for both tracks.

Finding the Right Program Track in Virginia

Not all online PNP programs offer both tracks. As you review the ranked schools earlier in this article, pay close attention to the concentration options each provides. Some programs are exclusively PC, while others offer both PC and AC pathways. Because acute care placements require access to specialized hospital units, online programs with a local presence or established clinical partnerships in Virginia may provide stronger support for securing these rotations. Statewide job demand data does not differentiate between tracks, but both primary and acute care PNPs are essential in Virginia's growing healthcare system. Your career goals, whether rooted in community-based primary care or hospital-based critical care, should guide your selection of a program that meets not only accreditation standards but also your professional vision.

Questions to Ask Yourself

What 'Online' Really Means: Hybrid Requirements, Campus Visits, and Asynchronous Coursework

Asynchronous coursework you can complete at 2 a.m. versus monthly campus immersions that require time off work: understanding this spectrum is essential before you commit to a Virginia PNP program. Every online pediatric nurse practitioner program requires in-person clinical hours, so the "online" label refers specifically to how didactic content is delivered, not whether you can earn your degree entirely from home.

The Didactic Delivery Spectrum

Virginia's two online PNP programs fall at different points on the flexibility scale. Some programs offer fully asynchronous lectures, allowing you to watch recorded content, complete discussion boards, and submit assignments on your own schedule. Others blend asynchronous material with synchronous virtual sessions, requiring you to log in at specific times for live class discussions or case presentations. Before enrolling, ask admissions whether you need to be available during set hours each week, and whether those sessions are recorded for later viewing if your shift runs late.

Campus Visit Requirements by Program

The University of Virginia's DNP pediatric nurse practitioner program operates as a hybrid model with substantial on-campus expectations. Students attend campus approximately once per month, which means planning for roughly 10 to 12 travel days per academic year depending on the semester schedule. These visits typically include simulation labs, skills checkoffs, and collaborative learning experiences that cannot be replicated virtually. UVA offers both primary care and acute care concentrations, and both tracks follow this monthly immersion structure.

Old Dominion University's primary care PNP program is primarily online but still requires campus visits for training or testing at critical points in the curriculum.³ While ODU's approach involves fewer mandatory on-site days than UVA's monthly model, you should expect periodic trips to Norfolk for simulation assessments, orientation, or competency evaluations.

Planning for Travel and Costs

Working nurses need realistic estimates before committing. For UVA's monthly visits, factor in lodging (one to two nights per trip), transportation, meals, and lost wages if you are using personal time. Over a two- to three-year program, monthly visits could add up to 24 to 36 travel days total. ODU's less frequent requirements may involve fewer trips but could cluster around intensive testing periods, making short-notice schedule changes difficult.

Beyond campus days, remember that all Virginia PNP students complete substantial clinical hours: 750 hours for UVA and 560 hours for ODU.³ These placements occur in Virginia and require your physical presence at healthcare sites, adding another layer of scheduling and potentially commuting considerations. Build a travel budget alongside your tuition budget, and discuss flexibility with your current employer before your first semester begins.

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Clinical Placements for Virginia PNP Students: Preceptors, Sites, and Support

How many clinical hours do Virginia PNP programs require, and who finds your placement sites? Most pediatric nurse practitioner programs build in 500 to 700+ supervised clinical hours, typically spread across three to five semesters so you progress from focused pediatric primary or acute care rotations into a heavier capstone term. National accreditors set 500 hours as the floor for advanced practice preparation, and DNP tracks generally layer additional hours on top to reach the doctoral residency threshold.

Two Placement Models in Virginia

Virginia's two main online PNP pipelines take different approaches to setting up those clinical experiences.

• University of Virginia (PNP-AC): Uses a faculty-directed collaborative model. Faculty work with students to identify qualified preceptors and assign placements based on optimal learning experiences, student requests, and site availability.
• Old Dominion University (PNP-PC): Uses a student-assisted model with coordinator support. ODU's Student Clinical Services Coordinator helps locate sites and secure affiliation agreements, and the program maintains a list of preceptors willing to take students, but applicants are strongly encouraged to identify potential sites before they start.²

Neither approach is inherently better. Faculty-directed placement reduces logistical stress; student-driven placement gives you more control over geography and specialty exposure if you already have professional connections. For a broader look at how distance learners handle this process, see our guide on how online NP students arrange clinicals in their local area.

Where Virginia PNP Students Train

Clinical sites tend to cluster around the state's major pediatric centers and their referral networks:

• Children's hospitals: Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters in Norfolk (a long-standing ODU partner³), UVA Children's Hospital in Charlottesville, Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU, Inova Children's Hospital in Fairfax, Children's National Hospital in the DC metro, and Carilion Children's in Roanoke.
• Community and outpatient sites: Pediatric primary care practices affiliated with Sentara, Riverside Health System, and Bon Secours; independent practices like Capitol Pediatrics and The Pediatric Center of Richmond; KidMed Urgent Care; Virginia Department of Health school-based health centers; and Federally Qualified Health Centers.

Access is strongest in Northern Virginia, Richmond, Hampton Roads, and Charlottesville. Students in the Shenandoah Valley, Southwest Virginia, or the Eastern Shore often have to travel for pediatric specialty rotations.⁴

Practical Tips for Securing Preceptors

• Start outreach 6 to 12 months before your clinical sequence begins. Affiliation agreements take time.
• Leverage your current employer. If you work in a pediatric unit or clinic, ask your medical director early.
• Join the Virginia Council of Nurse Practitioners. Its regional chapters are a direct line to working PNPs who precept.
• Keep a backup site identified. Preceptors change jobs, and clinics close to students with little warning.

If you want a detailed walkthrough of the outreach process, our step-by-step guide to finding NP clinical preceptors covers everything from initial emails to follow-up etiquette.

Tuition and Net Price: What Virginia PNP Programs Actually Cost

Graduate tuition can vary significantly between Virginia's online pediatric nurse practitioner programs, and the sticker price rarely tells the whole story. The net price figures below reflect institution-wide averages after financial aid for all students, not a guaranteed quote for graduate nursing students specifically. To reduce your out-of-pocket costs, explore federal Direct Unsubsidized and Grad PLUS loans, the HRSA Nurse Corps Scholarship (which covers tuition plus a living stipend), employer tuition reimbursement benefits, and Virginia's state loan repayment programs for nurses serving in underserved areas.

The Path to PNP Licensure in Virginia: Education, Certification, and Board Requirements

Earning your pediatric nurse practitioner license in Virginia follows a clear sequence, but each step has specific requirements you need to plan for. Virginia operates under reduced practice authority, which means new PNPs must maintain a practice agreement with a Virginia-licensed physician, particularly for prescriptive authority. Here is the pathway from start to finish.

Pediatric NP Salaries, Employers, and Scope of Practice in Virginia

Full practice authority remains a pivotal issue for Virginia nurse practitioners, and it directly shapes both salary trajectories and employer demand across the state. BLS data for nurse practitioners (SOC 29-1171) shows Virginia's median annual wage is approximately $121,000, but pediatric specialty roles often align closely with these statewide figures.

Statewide Salary Benchmarks

According to the most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics release, nurse practitioners in Virginia earn a median annual wage of about $121,000. The top ten percent exceed $160,000, while the lowest decile earns around $88,000. These figures vary substantially by metro area:

• Northern Virginia (DC-Arlington-Alexandria): median near $128,000, reflecting the region's higher cost of living and competitive hospital networks.
• Richmond: approximately $118,000, driven by major academic medical centers.
• Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News: around $113,000, with demand concentrated in large health systems and military facilities.

Pediatric NP Earnings and Employer Insights

While BLS does not separate pediatric-specific salaries, surveys from the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) and the Virginia Council of Nurse Practitioners (VCNP) suggest that pediatric NPs earn salaries comparable to the statewide NP median. Many Virginia employers publicly post salary ranges, which can give you realistic expectations:

• Inova Health System lists pediatric NP roles starting between $105,000 and $135,000, with higher tiers for acute care.
• VCU Health offers $110,000 to $140,000 for experienced pediatric NPs in primary and specialty care.
• Sentara Healthcare reports a range of $108,000 to $138,000, often with sign-on bonuses for pediatric specialties.

Reviewing current job postings on health system career sites and aggregated boards provides the most actionable numbers. If you are still exploring program options, comparing MSN pediatric nurse practitioner programs can help you align your education with the credentials Virginia employers value most.

Scope of Practice and Its Effect on Earning Potential

Virginia's reduced-practice environment requires a collaborative agreement with a supervising physician for prescriptive authority. For a broader look at how states differ, see our breakdown of nurse practitioner practice authority by state. This regulatory framework can influence salary negotiation, as employers may weight physician oversight costs into compensation packages. The Virginia Board of Nursing website details the latest practice and prescriptive authority regulations, including any legislative updates that could expand autonomy and potentially raise earning ceilings.

How to Stay Current

• Virginia Board of Nursing: Scope-of-practice rules and prescriptive authority guidelines.
• BLS.gov: Updated wage data by state and metro area (search SOC 29-1171).
• Professional surveys: VCNP and AANP publish member-only salary reports that break out pediatric NP data.
• Employer career pages: Directly check Inova, VCU Health, Sentara, and other regional systems for posted ranges.

Virginia PNP Certification Exam Pass Rates and Program Outcomes

Passing the certification exam on your first attempt is the clearest signal that a program prepared you well. Before you commit to any pediatric nurse practitioner program in Virginia, it pays to understand both the national benchmarks and what individual schools can (and cannot) tell you about their graduates' success.

National Pass Rates: Where the Benchmarks Stand

The Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB) administers both the CPNP-PC (primary care) and CPNP-AC (acute care) exams. In the most recent reporting year (2024), the first-time pass rate for the CPNP-PC exam was 80.69 percent, based on 1,318 candidates tested.¹ The CPNP-AC exam, which draws a smaller pool of 691 candidates, had a first-time pass rate of 69.57 percent.¹ PNCB currently counts roughly 22,000 active primary care certificants and about 5,400 active acute care certificants nationwide.¹

These numbers give you a useful yardstick. A program that consistently lands above these national averages is doing something right in its curriculum and clinical training. A rate noticeably below them should prompt follow-up questions.

Do Virginia Programs Publish School-Level Pass Rates?

Here is where things get trickier. PNCB does not publicly release pass rates broken down by individual school.² That means you will not find an official PNCB webpage comparing the University of Virginia's exam outcomes against Old Dominion University's, for example.

Some programs choose to self-report their rates. Old Dominion University, for instance, highlights a 100 percent licensure pass rate and a 100 percent degree completion rate on its program materials, along with a 91 percent job placement rate. These are promising numbers, but they are self-reported, so it is fair to ask the program how they are calculated, over what time period, and how many graduates the figures represent.

If a program does not volunteer its pass rate, ask directly. Accredited programs track this data internally, and many will share it during an admissions conversation. Questions worth asking include:

• How many graduates sat for the PNCB exam in the most recent cohort?
• What was the first-time pass rate for that cohort?
• How does that rate compare over the past three to five years?
• Does the program offer any structured exam preparation, such as review courses or practice exams?

Looking Beyond Pass Rates: Program Outcomes That Matter

Certification exam performance is essential, but it is not the only outcome worth evaluating. Program-level graduate earnings and completion data offer a complementary view of how well a program sets you up for the workforce.

For the Virginia programs featured on this site, program-specific graduate earnings data is not yet available at the level of these particular PNP tracks. That does not mean the programs are underperforming; it simply reflects the way federal data is collected and reported, especially for smaller, specialized graduate programs. If you are still exploring your options nationally, reviewing online PNP programs across other states can help you compare outcomes more broadly. As more cohorts graduate and data matures, these figures should become accessible.

Similarly, program-level completion counts for these PNP tracks are not yet published in federal datasets. Old Dominion's self-reported 100 percent completion rate is encouraging, but prospective students should ask both UVA and ODU about the size of their recent graduating cohorts to get a sense of throughput. A program that graduates five students per year delivers a very different experience, in terms of faculty attention and peer collaboration, than one graduating 25.

Putting It All Together

When you are comparing Virginia PNP programs, treat certification exam pass rates as a critical but incomplete picture. Pair them with completion rates, employment outcomes, and your own conversations with current students and recent graduates. Programs that are transparent about all of these metrics tend to be the ones most confident in the education they deliver.