14 Schools • 2 Fully Online • 8 Mostly Online • 3 Hybrid • 1 Campus
Fourteen Indiana schools offer 33 accredited FNP tracks across MSN, ASN-to-MSN, BSN-to-DNP, MSN-to-DNP, and post-graduate certificate pathways. Two programs run fully online, eight mostly online, three hybrid, and one on campus. Resident tuition stretches from roughly $3K for a short certificate to $75K for a private doctorate, with completion taking eight months to five years.
Highlights include:
- Saint Mary’s College pays a stipend to every DNP student’s clinical preceptor
- Purdue University keeps campus coursework because many Indiana facilities will not accept preceptors for fully online students
- Indiana Wesleyan requires 800 documented patient encounters alongside its 850 clinical hours
- University of Saint Francis allows clinical hours to be completed at the student’s own worksite
Compare Indiana Family NP Programs
| School | Online Format | Campus Commitment | Cost Per Credit | Degrees | Best For |
| Ball State University | Mostly Online | One 8-hour clinical day | $489 | MSN, MSN-DNP, BSN-DNP, certificate | Asynchronous study with three start terms |
| Goshen College | Campus | One late afternoon weekly | $765 | MSN | Faculty-arranged clinical placements |
| Indiana State University | Mostly Online | None; a few synchronous sessions per semester for the DNP | $462 | MSN, BSN-DNP, certificate | No-travel study at public rates |
| Indiana University | Hybrid | MSN mostly online with home-campus labs; DNP labs in Indianapolis | $466-$735 | MSN, BSN-DNP, certificate | Doctoral pricing identical in every state |
| Indiana Wesleyan University | Mostly Online | One residency weekend for master’s tracks; three or four for the DNP | $455-$859 | MSN, ASN-MSN, BSN-DNP, certificate | Encounter-based clinical verification |
| Marian University | Hybrid | Face-to-face and blended courses; frequency not published | $805 | BSN-DNP | Administrator-arranged placement |
| Purdue University | Hybrid | Blended courses most terms; one six-day doctoral block | $348 | MS, BSN-DNP, certificate | Lowest resident pricing in the state |
| Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College | Mostly Online | None; attend in person, live online, or by recording | $775 | MSN, certificate | Choosing how to attend each class |
| Saint Mary’s College | Mostly Online | Two immersions per year | $995 | BSN-DNP, MSN-DNP | Preceptor costs covered by the college |
| Trine University | Online | None | $575 | MSN | Flat pricing with eight-week starts |
| University of Indianapolis | Mostly Online | Periodic skills checkoffs; count not published | $828 | MSN, BSN-DNP, certificate | Part-time pacing by design |
| University of Saint Francis | Online | None for the MSN; two intensives per semester for the certificate | $682 | MSN, certificate | Clinical hours at your own workplace |
| University of Southern Indiana | Mostly Online | Possible competency visits; count not published | $547-$597 | MSN, BSN-DNP, certificate | Out-of-state nurses at near-resident rates |
| Valparaiso University | Mostly Online | Two intensives across the program | $715 | BSN-DNP | Dedicated procedural skills training |
CPC is derived and inclusive of mandatory per-credit fees at Indiana resident rates, rounded to the nearest dollar; several private schools here charge one residency-neutral rate, and flat-rate schools are shown at their published per-credit figure. Full rate breakdowns are on each school profile.
What’s the Best FNP Program for You?
Best Doctoral Value
Purdue University delivers a BSN-entry doctorate for about $37K at Indiana resident rates, roughly $13K below the next-cheapest BSN-entry option.
Best Placement Support
Goshen College faculty arrange clinical sites alongside students through regional health systems rather than leaving the preceptor search to the student.
Best for Out-of-State Nurses
The University of Southern Indiana charges distance students only $50 per credit above its resident rate, and Kentucky residents pay the resident rate outright.
Strongest Clinical Verification
Indiana Wesleyan measures readiness with 800 documented patient encounters and a mandated adult, pediatric, and women’s health case mix, not hours alone.
Best for Working Nurses
The University of Indianapolis runs its MSN part-time only, holding both degree tracks under seven credits per term across every published configuration.
Best Cost Predictability
Saint Mary’s College locks tuition for the length of the program, guarantees every incoming DNP student a renewable scholarship, and pays the preceptor stipend.
Indiana DNP FNP Programs
Ten schools award a doctorate across twelve tracks, and all but two require BSN entry. Resident cost spans $38K between the cheapest and most expensive BSN-entry route. Accreditation is not uniform: most carry CCNE, Indiana State holds ACEN continuing accreditation with conditions for 24 months, and Ball State’s DNP appears in no nursing accreditor’s directory.
| School | Estimated Tuition (resident) | Duration | Clinical Hours |
| Ball State University (MSN-DNP) | $24K-$39K | 2-2.7 years | 475 hrs |
| Purdue University | $37K | 3 years | 1,157+ hrs |
| Ball State University (BSN-DNP) | $39K | 3.3-4.3 years | 1,000 hrs |
| Indiana State University | $40K | 2.3 years | 1,100 hrs |
| University of Southern Indiana | $43K | 4-5 years | 750+ hrs |
| Valparaiso University | $50K | 3 years | 1,000 hrs |
| University of Indianapolis | $51K | 3.3 years | 1,050-1,250 hrs |
| Indiana University | $52K | 3-4 years | 1,005 hrs |
| Marian University | $57K | 3 years | Not clearly stated |
| Saint Mary’s College (MSN-DNP) | $63K | 3 years | 780 hrs |
| Indiana Wesleyan University | $65K | 4 years | 1,000+ hrs |
| Saint Mary’s College (BSN-DNP) | $75K | 3 years | 780 hrs |
Several totals above blend direct patient care with DNP project or residency hours, so ask each school for the direct-care split before comparing them against a state board’s licensure minimum.
- Lowest doctoral cost: Purdue University — $37K resident, estimated from 2026-27 flat-rate billing, against roughly $108K for non-residents.
- Accreditation gap: Ball State University — the DNP is listed by no nursing accreditor, though its MSN and certificate hold CCNE through June 2031.
- Least clinical detail: Marian University — 14 clinical credits with no published hour conversion, the only unstated total among Indiana doctorates.
- Preceptor costs covered: Saint Mary’s College — the college pays a stipend to every DNP student’s preceptor, unique among Indiana programs.
Find more doctoral options in our BSN-DNP program guide and MSN-to-DNP program guide.
Indiana MSN FNP Programs
Eleven schools offer master’s-level FNP preparation, and Indiana Wesleyan adds the state’s only associate-degree entry. Resident tuition nearly doubles across the group, from $21K to $41K, while published clinical hours run from 576 to 850. Entry gates vary more than curricula: some screen on recent RN practice hours, others on GPA alone.
| School | Estimated Tuition (resident) | Duration | Clinical Hours |
| Indiana University (regional campuses) | $21K | 2.3 years | 600-750 hrs |
| Purdue University | $22K | 2 years | 645 hrs |
| University of Southern Indiana | $24K | 2 years | 750 hrs |
| Trine University | $25K | 2 years | 576 hrs |
| Indiana State University | $26K | 2.5 years | Not clearly stated |
| Ball State University | $28K | 2-2.7 years | 690 hrs |
| University of Saint Francis | $31K | 1.5-2 years | 780 hrs |
| Indiana Wesleyan University | $33K | 2.3 years | 850 hrs |
| Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College | $36K | 3 years | 750 hrs |
| University of Indianapolis | $38K | 2.5 years | 750 hrs |
| Goshen College | $39K | 3 years | 750 hrs |
| Indiana Wesleyan University (ASN-MSN) | $41K | 3.4 years | 850 hrs |
- Lowest master’s cost: Indiana University — about $21K resident at the regional campuses’ graduate nursing rate, just below Purdue’s $22K full-time estimate.
- Most clinical hours without travel: University of Saint Francis — 780 hours, with sites eligible to be arranged at the student’s own workplace.
- Newest and least proven: Trine University — launched June 2026 with 576 clinical hours and FNP-track accreditation still only at the pre-accreditation stage.
- Only associate-degree entry: Indiana Wesleyan University — 17 bridge credits at the undergraduate rate, with no BSN awarded en route.
Compare more master’s options in our MSN FNP program guide.
Indiana Post-Graduate Certificate FNP Programs
Nine schools award a post-graduate FNP certificate, the widest certificate field of any credential level in Indiana. Pricing models split in two. Purdue, Indiana University, Ball State, and the University of Indianapolis set credits by transcript review, so cost is known only after analysis. The rest publish fixed credit counts you can price before applying.
| School | Estimated Tuition (resident) | Duration | Clinical Hours |
| Purdue University | $3K-$12K | From 0.7 years | 645 hrs |
| Ball State University | $8K-$14K | 0.7-1.3 years | 390-630 hrs |
| Indiana University | $14K-$21K | Varies | 780 hrs |
| Indiana State University | $15K | 1.3 years | Not clearly stated |
| University of Southern Indiana | $15K | 1.3-2 years | 750 hrs |
| Indiana Wesleyan University | $18K | 1.3-2.3 years | 850 hrs |
| Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College | $20K | 1.5 years | 750 hrs |
| University of Saint Francis | $21K | 1.5-2 years | Not clearly stated |
| University of Indianapolis | Varies by gap analysis | Varies by gap analysis | Not clearly stated |
- Lowest certificate cost: Purdue University — from $3K resident at the 10-credit floor when prior coursework aligns closely.
- Only shortened clinical route: Ball State University — 390 hours for adult and adult-gerontology NPs, against 630 for non-NP master’s holders.
- Heaviest clinical load: Indiana Wesleyan University — 850 hours, identical to its MSN, compressed into five courses.
- Priced only after review: University of Indianapolis — credits, cost, and length are all set by an individual gap analysis.
See additional certificate routes in our post-graduate certificate program guide.
National Online FNP Options
Indiana’s depth comes with geography attached. Five schools restrict where you may live or complete clinicals, from Saint Mary-of-the-Woods’ two-state licensure determination to the University of Indianapolis’ five-state admission rule and Marian’s Indiana-only determination. MSN-to-DNP entry exists at only two schools, and campus attendance of some kind applies almost everywhere.
Walden University lists RN-to-MSN, BSN-to-MSN, BSN-to-DNP, MSN-to-DNP, and post-master’s certificate FNP tracks online. Purdue Global, a separate institution from Purdue University’s West Lafayette School of Nursing, lists BSN-to-MSN, MSN-to-DNP, and post-master’s certificate tracks in FNP primary care. Both are CCNE-accredited and worth pricing against an in-state option that excludes your state.
FAQ
How many FNP programs are there in Indiana?
Fourteen schools offer 33 FNP tracks. Ball State and Indiana Wesleyan each run four; Indiana State, Indiana University, Purdue, the University of Indianapolis, and the University of Southern Indiana each run three.
Are there fully online FNP programs in Indiana?
Two. Trine University requires no campus visits, and the University of Saint Francis MSN is fully online, though its certificate adds two intensives per semester. Indiana State’s MSN and certificate also list no required campus visits.
Which Indiana FNP program has the lowest tuition?
For Indiana residents, Purdue University has the lowest certificate and BSN-entry doctorate, at roughly $3K and $37K. Indiana University’s regional MSN is the lowest master’s at about $21K, just below Purdue’s $22K. Non-residents pay close to three times these figures at both schools.
Which Indiana schools offer a DNP FNP program?
Ten: Ball State, Indiana State, Indiana University, Indiana Wesleyan, Marian, Purdue, Saint Mary’s College, the University of Indianapolis, the University of Southern Indiana, and Valparaiso. Only Ball State and Saint Mary’s admit master’s-prepared nurses.
Do Indiana FNP programs require campus visits?
Most do, but the amount varies widely. Valparaiso requires two visits across three years and Saint Mary’s two per year, while Goshen holds weekly evening classes. Trine, Indiana State, and the Saint Francis MSN require none.
Can I complete clinical hours near where I live?
Usually, though responsibility differs. Goshen and Marian arrange sites with students, the University of Indianapolis provides support staff, and Saint Francis permits worksite placement. Ball State, Indiana Wesleyan, Indiana State, and the University of Southern Indiana require self-arranged preceptors.
Can out-of-state nurses enroll in Indiana FNP programs?
It depends heavily on the school. Indiana State authorizes 35 states, the University of Indianapolis only five, and Saint Mary’s excludes six. Marian and Saint Mary-of-the-Woods have made licensure determinations for Indiana alone or Indiana and Illinois. Purdue requires an Indiana RN license before classes start.