Salisbury University offers 4 Family Nurse Practitioner Tracks:
- MSN
- BSN-DNP
- Post-Master’s DNP
- Certificate of Advanced Study (Post-DNP)
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN | $30.7K | 3–4 years (6–8 semesters) | 52 |
| BSN-DNP | $69.2K | 4 years (8 semesters) | 80 |
| Post-Master’s DNP | $58.8K+ | 3–4 years (6–8 semesters) | 68+ |
| Certificate | $18.0K–$29.9K | 2–3 years (4–6 semesters) | 30–31 |
Tuition estimates use Salisbury’s 2026–27 fee-inclusive online MSN ($590) and DNP ($865) per-credit rates, and its standard graduate tuition plus per-credit mandatory fees for the certificate.
Salisbury’s cheaper FNP degree carries more patient-care hours. The 52-credit MSN requires 750 direct-care FNP hours at about $30.7K, while the 80-credit BSN-DNP requires 600 direct-care FNP hours plus 400 doctoral practicum hours at about $69.2K. Both rates are flat for every state of residence and already include university fees.
The trade-off is reach. Salisbury’s APRN programs are approved by the Maryland Board of Nursing only, and the school says it has not sought approval in any other state. Nurses planning to practice outside Maryland need to confirm their own board will license them by endorsement.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | MSN, BSN-DNP, post-master’s DNP, post-DNP Certificate of Advanced Study |
| Format | Mostly Online: mix of synchronous and asynchronous distance classes; no campus visits published |
| Clinical Hours | MSN 750 direct care; DNP 1,000 (600 FNP direct care + 400 practicum); certificate 600 |
| Clinical Placement | Students work with the FNP Coordinator to set placements; no guarantee published |
| Population | Family/individual across the lifespan |
| Distinctive Coursework | MSN: 6-credit Primary Care Across the Lifespan practicum; DNP: health care finance and leadership core |
| Concentrations | DNP is a Leadership with FNP concentration; no other FNP options |
| RN License Requirements | Maryland or compact-state RN license; extra license for clinical sites in non-compact states |
| Tuition | $590/credit MSN; $865/credit DNP; both fee-inclusive and residency-blind |
| Accreditation | CCNE (MSN and DNP); Middle States (institution) |
| Start Term | Fall only; priority deadline March 1, final deadline May 1 |
| Licensure Approval | APRN programs approved in Maryland only; other states by endorsement |
Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner
The estimated tuition for the MSN at Salisbury University is approximately $30,680 (52 credits at $590/credit). The program can generally be completed in about three to four years, which works out to roughly 6–8 fall and spring semesters (derived; Salisbury publishes years only).
Official program: Nursing, M.S.N. Family Nurse Practitioner Concentration
MSN Curriculum
Structure. The MSN runs in three blocks. A 12-credit research core comes first, then the three “P” prerequisites, which must be finished before any practicum course opens. The final block is 24 credits of practicum courses plus a 3-credit role and licensure course.
What stands out. The MSN uses the same adult, women’s, and children’s management sequence as Salisbury’s DNP, then adds a 6-credit Primary Care Across the Lifespan course. That added course is why the master’s carries 150 more direct-care hours than the doctorate’s FNP block. The MSN also has no thesis or capstone in its published checklist, unlike Salisbury’s other MSN tracks.
- NURS 515 Epidemiology (3)
- NURS 542 Qualitative Research and NURS 544 Quantitative Research (3 each)
- NURS 510, 522, 552 Advanced Assessment, Pharmacotherapeutics, Pathophysiology (3 each)
- NURS 516 Family Nursing (3)
- NURS 549 Advanced Health Assessment Practicum (3)
- NURS 550 Adult Health Care Management (6)
- NURS 551 Women’s and NURS 553 Children’s Health Care Management (3 each)
- NURS 568 Primary Care Across the Lifespan (6)
- NURS 555 Issues in Advanced Practice Nursing (3)
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- The published course list totals 48 credits, not the advertised 52. Ask the School of Nursing which 4 credits are missing before budgeting.
- The MSN FNP track does not appear in the 2024–25 graduate handbook, which lists only the Nurse Educator and Health Care Leadership MSNs. Treat it as a recently added track with no published outcomes data yet.
- Courses run on a rotation schedule, so the 3–4 year range depends on when each course is offered.
MSN Clinical Requirements
- 750 direct-care hours across six practicum courses (NURS 516, 549, 550, 551, 553, 568)
- Per-course hours are not published for the MSN
- Settings: adult, women’s health, pediatric, and primary care
- Placement: FNP students work with the FNP Coordinator to determine clinical placements
- A clinical site in a non-compact state requires an RN license in that state
- Students supply their own transportation to sites
At 750 hours, the MSN sits 250 hours above the 500-hour certification floor and above the common 600–700 range. If its first five practicum courses mirror the DNP’s published hours, each 150–200-hour course equals roughly 10–13 hours a week over a 15-week term. The coordinator model means Salisbury takes part in placement, but the school does not promise a site, so nurses outside the Eastern Shore should ask how placements work in their area.
You Should Know
- Salisbury’s MSN page says graduates can pursue licensure “in Maryland and other states,” but the School of Nursing states it has sought APRN program approval in Maryland only.
- The 150-hour figure for NURS 568 is an inference from the DNP’s published hours, not a Salisbury figure.
MSN Admissions
Admission is competitive, requires an interview, and opens for fall only. No RN work experience is required.
- BSN from a nationally accredited program, cumulative GPA 3.0 or higher
- Current, unencumbered U.S. RN license
- Resume or CV and official transcripts
- Goals essay and two professional references
- Interview with the Graduate Program Director or committee
- Deadlines: March 1 priority, May 1 final
You Should Know
- The catalog asks for a 500–750-word essay; the 2024–25 handbook asks for 750–1,000 words with APA citations. Write to the longer standard.
- The catalog accepts an RN license from the state where you practice at enrollment, but the handbook requires a Maryland or compact-state license.
BSN to DNP, Leadership with Family Nurse Practitioner Concentration
The estimated tuition for the BSN-DNP at Salisbury University is approximately $69,200 (80 credits at $865/credit). The program can generally be completed in about four years of full-time fall and spring study with a lighter summer load, or 8 primary semesters.
Official program: Doctor of Nursing Practice, Post-Bachelor’s to D.N.P.
BSN-DNP Curriculum
Leadership first. Salisbury builds its DNP as a leadership doctorate with an FNP concentration. Beyond the FNP sequence, students take health care finance, public administration or organizational leadership, informatics, quality improvement, genetics, population health, and an interdisciplinary non-nursing elective.
Project sequence. The DNP project runs across four 1-credit courses: topic, proposal, implementation, and dissemination. A grade below B in any of them, or in the DNP practicum, means dismissal without a repeat.
- MATH 502 Applied Statistics and NURS 515 Epidemiology
- FINA 535 Health Care Finance
- NURS 742 Quality Improvement and NURS 744 Evidence-Based Practice
- NURS 815 Genetics and Genomics
- NURS 858 Population Health and Clinical Prevention Services
- NURS 716 Family Nursing (4)
- NURS 750 Adult, NURS 751 Women’s, NURS 753 Children’s Health Care Management
- NURS 880 DNP Evidence-Based Practicum and NURS 881–884 DNP Project
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- The BSN-DNP is designed for full-time study. Part-time students take longer, and no part-time timeline is published.
- The 2024–25 handbook lists a combined NURS 771 Leadership and Finance course in place of FINA 535 and POSC 540. Confirm which core applies to your entry year.
BSN-DNP Clinical Requirements
- 1,000 total hours
- 600 FNP direct-care hours: NURS 716 (50), 749 (150), 750 (200), 751 (100), 753 (100)
- 400 hours of NURS 880 DNP practicum at 100 hours per credit, in at least two areas of focus
- Placement: FNP students work with the FNP Coordinator
- Typhon clinical tracking required, with logs due within 7–10 days
The 600 FNP direct-care hours land inside the common 600–700 range, and the extra 400 hours are doctoral practicum work that can include indirect care. That makes the DNP’s patient-care load 150 hours lighter than the MSN’s. Choose the DNP for the leadership credential, not for more clinical time.
You Should Know
- The 2024–25 handbook sets the DNP-FNP direct-care minimum at 500 hours, while its own course list totals 600. The 600 figure matches the course-level hours and the School of Nursing page.
BSN-DNP Admissions
Admission is competitive, requires an interview, and opens for fall only. No RN experience is required.
- BSN from a nationally accredited program
- GPA 3.5 or higher gets first priority; 3.0–3.49 considered individually
- Undergraduate statistics and research, grade C or higher
- Current, active U.S. RN license
- Three references and a 750–1,000-word DNP essay with APA citations
- Interview with the Graduate Program Director, Department Chair, or committee
You Should Know
- The 2024–25 handbook adds a five-year recency limit on statistics and research coursework. The current program page does not mention it.
Post-Master’s to DNP, Family Nurse Practitioner Focus
The estimated tuition for the Post-Master’s DNP at Salisbury University is approximately $58,820 (68 credits at $865/credit). The program can generally be completed in about three to four years at six to nine credits per semester.
Official program: Doctor of Nursing Practice, Post-Master’s to D.N.P. – FNP Focus
Post-Master’s DNP Curriculum
This track serves MSN holders without FNP preparation. It combines the DNP leadership core with the full FNP sequence, and each plan comes from a gap analysis of the prior master’s transcript. The more coursework that transfers, the fewer credits you pay for, but transfers cap at one-third of program credits.
- DNP core: finance, informatics, quality improvement, evidence-based practice, genetics, population health
- Three “P” courses, unless completed within three years of the FNP practicum courses
- FNP sequence: NURS 716, 749, 750, 751, 753, 755
- NURS 880 practicum and NURS 881–884 DNP project
- One interdisciplinary graduate elective
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- Salisbury publishes 68 minimum credits on its program pages but 74 credits in the 2024–25 handbook. At $865/credit, the gap is about $5,190.
- One School of Nursing page says this track takes a minimum of four years; the program page says three to four.
Post-Master’s DNP Clinical Requirements
- 1,000 post-baccalaureate hours across the MSN and DNP combined
- Includes 600 FNP direct-care hours and 400 other direct or indirect hours
- At least 400 hours must be NURS 880 practicum completed at Salisbury
- Students with fewer than 600 MSN clinical hours add NURS 694 Doctoral Practice Experience credits
Because prior master’s hours count toward the 1,000, two applicants can face very different clinical loads. A nurse educator MSN with 200–400 practicum hours will need far more NURS 694 time than a clinical MSN.
Post-Master’s DNP Admissions
- MSN or MS in nursing from a nationally accredited program, GPA 3.0 or higher
- Master’s-level statistics
- Separate graduate quantitative and qualitative research courses, or one added course
- Three references, essay, and interview
Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate of Advanced Study (Post-DNP)
The estimated tuition for the Certificate at Salisbury University is approximately $18,042 to $29,946 (31 credits at $582–$966/credit, derived). The program can generally be completed in about two to three years.
Official program: Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate of Advanced Study
Certificate Curriculum
The certificate is open only to nurses who already hold a DNP. It is the DNP’s FNP block on its own: the three “P” courses, the four management practicums, and the role course. It skips the MSN’s Primary Care Across the Lifespan course.
- NURS 510, 522, 552 (3 each; may be waived if completed within five years)
- NURS 716 Family Nursing (4)
- NURS 749 Advanced Health Assessment Practicum (3)
- NURS 750 Adult Health Care Management (6)
- NURS 751 Women’s and NURS 753 Children’s Health Care Management (3 each)
- NURS 755 Issues in Advanced Practice Nursing (3)
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- The handbook calls this a 30-credit certificate, but its course list sums to 31.
- Salisbury says the certificate does not itself confer the FNP credential. It documents eligibility to sit for the national exam.
- Students have a five-year limit from the first “P” course.
Certificate Clinical Requirements
- 600 direct-care hours: NURS 716 (50), 749 (150), 750 (200), 751 (100), 753 (100)
- Placement through the FNP Coordinator, as in the degree tracks
The certificate’s 600 hours meet the common range, but they are 150 fewer than the MSN’s. That matters only if your state board or employer sets a higher threshold.
Certificate Admissions
Admission is cohort-based, limited in size, and requires an interview.
- DNP from a nationally accredited program, GPA 3.0 or higher
- Unencumbered U.S. RN license with eligibility for Maryland licensure
- Three references and a 750–1,000-word FNP essay
- Students enroll through the non-degree registration form
You Should Know
- The certificate page lists a March 1 priority and May 1 final deadline, while the School of Nursing DNP page sets March 30 for fall. Apply by March 1 to be safe.
- State boards set their own rules for adding an APRN population focus. Confirm your board accepts a post-DNP certificate route.
Tuition
Salisbury charges $590 per credit for the MSN and $865 per credit for the DNP in 2026–27. Both rates are published as inclusive of all tuition and mandatory fees, and both apply regardless of residency. The certificate has no published program rate; the estimate below uses Salisbury’s standard graduate rate plus mandatory per-credit fees ($582 resident, $966 non-resident).
| Track | Credits | Rate | Estimated Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN | 52 | $590 | $30,680 |
| BSN-DNP | 80 | $865 | $69,200 |
| Post-Master’s DNP | 68 | $865 | $58,820 |
| Certificate (resident) | 31 | $582 | $18,042 |
| Certificate (non-resident) | 31 | $966 | $29,946 |
Certificate fee stack (standard graduate, per credit): $453 resident or $837 non-resident tuition, plus $24 technology, $28 athletics, $40 facilities, $6 health and wellness, $20 student life, $10 activities, and $1 sustainability ($129 in fees).
Confirmed costs:
- MSN: $590/credit, fee-inclusive, all residencies
- DNP: $865/credit, fee-inclusive, all residencies
- Graduate application fee: $65
- Nursing lab fee: $65–$100 per course
- Liability insurance: billed each semester in a clinical course ($10–$40)
- Typhon clinical tracking: one-time fee (DNP required; MSN optional)
- Background check, drug screen, and CastleBranch health tracking: student-paid
Full schedule: Salisbury University Tuition and Fee Schedules
Be aware that:
- The $590 rate is labeled “Online Masters Nursing.” Salisbury lists the MSN FNP among its online programs, but confirm the FNP track bills at this rate.
- The MSN total uses the advertised 52 credits. At the 48 credits in the published course list, it would be $28,320.
- The Post-Master’s DNP rises to about $64,010 at the handbook’s 74 credits, and varies with transfer credit and NURS 694 hours.
- The certificate rate is an assumption. It could bill at the $865 DNP rate ($26,815), since its courses are doctoral-level.
- The BSN-DNP estimate assumes all 80 credits, including 500-level courses, bill at $865.
- Rates are 2026–27 estimates and subject to change by Salisbury or the USM Board of Regents.
The flat, fee-inclusive rates make Salisbury’s costs easy to predict, and out-of-state nurses pay the same as Marylanders. The real decision is between degrees: the BSN-DNP costs about $38,520 more than the MSN and delivers 150 fewer direct-care FNP hours. That premium buys the doctorate and its leadership training, not more clinical preparation.
Why Choose This FNP Program?
Best suited for nurses in Maryland or a compact state who want a high clinical-hour FNP at a flat, residency-blind price, and who can decide up front whether a leadership doctorate is worth the extra cost.
Clinical depth at a master’s price. The MSN’s 750 direct-care hours exceed the common 600–700 range, and its $30.7K total is fixed regardless of where you live. For a nurse whose goal is FNP certification and practice, this is the stronger value inside Salisbury’s lineup.
A doctorate built for leadership. The BSN-DNP adds finance, public administration, quality improvement, and a four-part project to the FNP block. It suits nurses who expect to run a practice, lead a clinic, or teach, and who want the terminal degree now rather than returning later.
Honest drawbacks. The MSN FNP is a recently added track, and its published credit list does not reconcile with its advertised total. Salisbury has sought APRN approval only in Maryland, offers a single fall start, and promises coordination rather than guaranteed placements. Nurses outside Maryland should verify licensure by endorsement with their own board before applying.
Accreditation
Salisbury University’s School of Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The school’s pages identify both the MSN and DNP programs as CCNE-accredited. The post-DNP certificate is not named separately in the accreditation statements reviewed.
Salisbury University is institutionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Institutional accreditation supports federal financial aid eligibility and the transfer of credits.
The Maryland Board of Nursing approves Salisbury’s APRN specialties and programs. Graduates are eligible for APRN certification in Maryland.
Graduates of each FNP track are eligible to sit for the national FNP certification exam (AANP or ANCC).
More FNP Programs in Maryland
- Coppin State University - Baltimore
- Frostburg State University - Frostburg
- Johns Hopkins University - Baltimore
- Notre Dame of Maryland University - Baltimore
- University of Maryland - Baltimore