Southern New Hampshire University offers an MSN Family Nurse Practitioner track.
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN | $35.7K | 1.9–3.5 years (9–17 terms) | 51 |
Tuition estimates use SNHU’s published $659 online graduate rate plus the $2,000 NUR 600 immersion fee and $100 conferral fee.
SNHU sells a 51-credit FNP at one flat $659 per credit, with no in-state or out-of-state split, but only to residents of 17 states. Students must live in one of those states while taking FNP courses, and every practicum hour must be completed there too. The coursework is asynchronous, runs in 10-week terms, and starts five times a year.
The trade-off is front-loaded responsibility. Applicants need two years of current, full-time RN experience, must name a potential preceptor before admission, and must travel to New Hampshire for a week-long immersion at their own expense. SNHU’s own pages also disagree on the clinical total: 750 hours stated, 650 hours in the course descriptions.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | MSN (FNP track); RN-to-MSN entry via SNHU’s online RN-to-BSN |
| Format | Mostly Online. Asynchronous 10-week terms plus one week-long New Hampshire immersion. |
| Clinical Hours | 750 stated; the five practicum course descriptions total 650 |
| Clinical Placement | Student-sourced. Applicants must identify one potential preceptor before admission. |
| Population | Family, across the lifespan, in primary care settings |
| Distinctive Coursework | 30 hours of psychopharmacology, including controlled substances, inside Primary Care for Mental Health |
| Enrollment Restriction | Residents of 17 states only; practicum must also occur in those states |
| Experience Gate | Two years of current, full-time RN clinical practice |
| RN License Requirements | Active, unencumbered RN license; all held licenses must be unencumbered |
| Tuition | $659/credit for all residencies; $470/credit for active-duty military |
| Accreditation | CCNE (master’s nursing); NECHE (institutional) |
Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner Track
The estimated tuition for the MSN, Family Nurse Practitioner track at Southern New Hampshire University is approximately $35,709 (51 credits at $659/credit, plus the $2,000 immersion fee and $100 conferral fee). The program can generally be completed in just under 2 years (98 weeks over 9 terms) at two courses per term, or about 3.5 years (17 terms) at one course per term.
MSN Curriculum
Structure. The degree is 17 three-credit courses: a 15-credit MSN core shared with SNHU’s four non-clinical MSN tracks, then a 36-credit, 12-course FNP sequence. Because the core is shared, a nurse can start the MSN before committing to the FNP track.
Sequencing. Clinical work starts only after the immersion. Students finish advanced pathophysiology, health assessment, and the pharmacology course that contains the New Hampshire immersion, then move into five practicum courses that alternate with population courses (adult and gerontology, pediatrics, women’s health, mental health). Each practicum runs alongside or after the matching didactic content rather than in a single end-of-program block.
Distinctive content. Primary Care for Mental Health carries 30 hours of psychopharmacology, including controlled substances and addiction management. That matters for nurses heading into states that require documented psychopharmacology hours for prescriptive authority. The final practicum closes with a cumulative simulation.
- NUR 555 Advanced Clinical Pathophysiology
- NUR 560 Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Reasoning
- NUR 600 Advanced Pharmacology for the Prescriber, Immersion
- NUR 616 Primary Care of Adults and Gerontological Patients
- NUR 636 Primary Care of Infants, Children and Adolescents
- NUR 656 Primary Care of Women
- NUR 676 Primary Care for Mental Health
- NUR 626, 646, 669, 688, 696 Primary Care Across the Lifespan Practicum I–V
More curriculum details are available here.
MSN Clinical Requirements
- Stated total: 750 practicum hours across five practicum courses.
- Per-course hours in SNHU’s descriptions: 135 + 135 + 135 + 135 + 110 = 650.
- Hours are precepted by primary care providers; Practicum II specifies an APRN preceptor.
- Practicum sites can be local, but must be in one of the 17 approved states.
- Immersion: a multi-day, in-person simulation and assessment experience in New Hampshire within NUR 600.
- Proof of an individual malpractice policy is due at least two terms before clinicals begin.
- Site requirements may include background checks, drug screens, immunizations, and license verification, at student cost.
Either figure clears the 500-hour certification floor, and 650 sits inside the 600–700 range common among FNP programs, while 750 sits above it. In a 10-week term, 135 hours works out to about 13.5 hours a week, which a working nurse can usually fit around a full-time schedule. The bigger practical issue is placement: requiring a named preceptor at application tells you the search is largely on the student.
You Should Know
- SNHU states 750 hours in four places, but its five practicum course descriptions sum to 650. Ask admissions how the remaining 100 hours are earned before relying on the higher figure for a state board.
- SNHU describes the immersion as “multi-day” on the curriculum tab and as “week-long” in the admission requirements. Plan for a full week away from work.
- No SNHU-arranged placement or placement guarantee is published.
MSN Admissions
Admission is stricter than SNHU’s no-fee, no-essay application suggests: there is an experience gate, a preceptor requirement, and no provisional acceptance.
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited nursing program.
- Cumulative GPA of 3.0, calculated across the pre-licensure nursing degree and the BSN.
- GPA of 3.0 in applicable nursing science courses.
- Active, unencumbered RN license (NCLEX-RN or equivalent); every license held must be unencumbered.
- Minimum two years of current, full-time RN clinical practice.
- One potential preceptor identified for the clinical practicum.
- Availability for one week-long in-person immersion.
- Signed MSN Program Acknowledgement Form.
- Up to 12 transfer credits; at least 39 credits must be taken at SNHU.
- Five term starts a year; applications accepted until two days before a term begins.
You Should Know
- The FNP track is open only to residents of Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia. Students must reside in one of these states while taking FNP courses.
- SNHU nursing programs do not accept residents of Washington or U.S. territories. A move to a non-approved state mid-program can stop progress in FNP courses.
- An older SNHU admissions landing page lists only 11 approved states and says the track admits a limited number of students per term. The main program page, updated in 2026, lists 17.
- SNHU also offers an Accelerated RN-to-MSN pathway through its online RN-to-BSN, which an SNHU admissions page says reduces the MSN by 6 credits. Its FNP-specific terms are not detailed on the MSN page.
Tuition
SNHU charges $659 per credit for online graduate programs, with no residency differential. Active-duty service members and their spouses pay $470 per credit.
| Item | Standard | Active-Duty Military |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition (51 credits) | $33,609 | $23,970 |
| NUR 600 immersion fee | $2,000 | $2,000 |
| Conferral fee | $100 | $100 |
| Estimated total (derived) | $35,709 | $26,070 |
Tuition totals are published by SNHU; the estimated totals are derived by adding the two named fees. The $2,000 immersion fee raises the effective rate to about $700 per credit.
- $659 per credit; $1,977 per three-credit course.
- $2,000 immersion fee, charged on top of NUR 600 tuition.
- $100 conferral fee for all graduates.
- Transferring the maximum 12 credits lowers tuition to $25,701 (39 credits).
Be aware that:
- Travel, lodging, and meals for the New Hampshire immersion are not included.
- MSN students may be billed for ongoing licensure checks through a third-party vendor; amounts vary by state.
- Individual malpractice insurance, background checks, drug screens, and immunizations are student costs.
- Course materials vary by course and are billed separately.
- Rates are reviewed annually and may change during a 2–3.5 year program.
- The military rate cannot be combined with other SNHU discounts.
Expect roughly $36,000 to $38,000 all-in once immersion travel, insurance, and clinical compliance costs are added. Because the rate is the same in every eligible state, a nurse in Texas or Florida pays exactly what a New Hampshire resident pays, which is not true of most public FNP programs.
View SNHU online tuition and fees.
Why Choose This FNP Program?
A good fit for experienced RNs in one of SNHU’s 17 approved states who already know a willing preceptor and want a predictable, residency-blind price with a part-time option.
Predictable cost in any eligible state. One rate applies everywhere SNHU enrolls FNP students. Nurses outside New England get the same price as New Hampshire residents, and the published fee stack is short: tuition, one immersion fee, one conferral fee.
Flexible pacing for working nurses. Asynchronous 10-week terms, five starts a year, and a choice of one or two courses per term let students slow down during heavy work periods without leaving the program. The single campus trip is the only fixed date on the calendar.
The trade-offs. Placement is largely self-directed, the two-year full-time RN gate rules out newer nurses, and a move outside the approved states can halt the program. The 650 versus 750 hour discrepancy should be resolved in writing before enrolling, especially in states that look closely at clinical totals.
The screening question: Do you live in an approved state, have two full-time RN years, and already have a preceptor in mind? If yes, SNHU is a low-friction option. If not, it is likely the wrong program.
Accreditation
The master’s degree program in nursing at Southern New Hampshire University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The FNP is a track within that MSN, so it falls under the same accreditation.
SNHU is institutionally accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). Institutional accreditation supports federal financial aid eligibility and the transferability of credits.
SNHU is also accredited by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation as a provider of nursing continuing professional development. This is separate from program accreditation.
Graduates meet the educational requirements to sit for the national FNP certification exam (AANP or ANCC). Passing either exam allows graduates to apply for APRN licensure through their state board of nursing.
More FNP Programs in New Hampshire
- Rivier University - Nashua
- University of New Hampshire - Durham