12 Schools • 4 Fully Online • 7 Mostly Online • 1 Hybrid
Kentucky has 12 schools offering 25 Family Nurse Practitioner tracks across MSN, RN-MSN, BSN-DNP and post-graduate certificate pathways. Four programs are fully online, seven are mostly online and one is hybrid. Resident tuition runs from about $10,000 to $74,000. Most programs take one to three years, while part-time doctoral plans stretch to five. Nine schools charge every student the same rate regardless of residency.
Highlights include:
- University of Louisville provides a clinical preceptor to every APRN student
- Spalding University admits ADN-prepared nurses through two RN-MSN routes
- Western Kentucky University has the lowest-cost BSN-DNP and certificate in Kentucky
- Frontier Nursing University opens four admission cycles a year
Compare Kentucky Family NP Programs
| School | Online Format | Campus Commitment | Cost Per Credit | Degrees | Best For |
| Bellarmine University | Mostly Online | One NP intensive | $835–$920 | MSN, certificate | Kentucky residents needing placement |
| Eastern Kentucky University | Online | None | $801 | MSN, certificate | No-travel MSN |
| Frontier Nursing University | Mostly Online | Two campus visits | $726 | MSN, certificate | Home-community clinicals |
| Kentucky Christian University | Online | None | $525 | MSN | Lowest per-credit rate |
| Morehead State University | Mostly Online | One procedures course | $613 | MSN | Primary care focus |
| Murray State University | Mostly Online | One workshop plus brief visits | $669–$681 | BSN-DNP | Residency-blind DNP |
| Northern Kentucky University | Online | None | $592–$600 | MSN, certificate | Frequent start dates |
| Spalding University | Hybrid | Weekly class | $840 | MSN, RN-MSN, certificate | Louisville commuters |
| University of Kentucky | Mostly Online | Up to 6 days per semester | $842–$1,103 | BSN-DNP, certificate | Leadership-focused DNP |
| University of Louisville | Mostly Online | 4–6 sessions per semester | $811–$1,061 | MSN, BSN-DNP, certificate | School-provided preceptors |
| University of the Cumberlands | Online | None | $539 | MSN, second MSN | Non-NP MSN holders |
| Western Kentucky University | Mostly Online | 13 afternoon sessions (MSN) | $627–$727 | MSN, BSN-DNP, certificate | Lowest doctoral cost |
CPC is derived and inclusive of mandatory per-credit fees at Kentucky resident rates (the same rate for all residencies at nine of 12 schools), rounded to the nearest dollar; full rate breakdowns are on each school profile.
What’s the Best FNP Program for You?
Best Doctoral Value
Western Kentucky University’s BSN-DNP costs about $50,000 for Kentucky residents and shares its 750-hour FNP clinical block with the MSN.
Best Placement Support
University of Louisville provides a preceptor to every APRN student in all three tracks, in exchange for campus sessions four to six times a semester.
Best No-Travel Option
Eastern Kentucky University requires no campus visits, asks for 750 clinical hours and charges about $801 per credit in every eligible state.
Lowest Per-Credit Rate
Kentucky Christian University charges $525 per credit for all residencies, though its 528 clinical hours sit near the certification minimum.
Best for ADN-Prepared Nurses
Spalding University offers the only RN-MSN routes in Kentucky, with school-arranged clinical sites across the Louisville region.
Best for Rural Nurses
Frontier Nursing University runs clinicals in the student’s home community, backed by Regional Clinical Faculty and four start terms a year.
Kentucky DNP FNP Programs
Four public universities offer a BSN-DNP with an FNP focus, and each requires some campus time. Murray State runs a full-time, fall-only cohort with no part-time plan and charges every student the Kentucky rate. UK and WKU publish full-time and part-time plans, while UofL delivers its first year online. UK, UofL and WKU all bill non-residents more for doctoral credits.
| School | Estimated Tuition (resident) | Duration | Clinical Hours |
| Murray State University | $63K–$66K | 3 years | 855+ hrs |
| University of Kentucky | $74K | 3–5 years | 1,020 hrs |
| University of Louisville | $68K | 3 years | 1,086 hrs |
| Western Kentucky University | $50K | 3–5 years | 1,230 hrs |
UK, UofL and WKU totals include DNP project and role hours; their direct patient care hours are 780, 672 and 750, respectively.
- Lowest doctoral cost: Western Kentucky University — $50K resident, estimated from 2026–27 rates.
- Provided preceptors: University of Louisville — preceptor arranged for every DNP student.
- Same rate everywhere: Murray State University — Kentucky rate for all residencies, plus a per-term program fee.
Find even more doctoral options in our BSN-to-DNP FNP programs guide.
Kentucky MSN FNP Programs
Ten schools offer an FNP MSN, and two add alternate entry points. Spalding admits ADN-prepared nurses through a standard RN-MSN and a bridge for nurses with a non-nursing bachelor’s. Cumberlands routes nurses who already hold a non-NP master’s into a 33-credit second MSN. Four MSN programs require no campus visits, and published clinical hours run from 528 to 770.
| School | Estimated Tuition (resident) | Duration | Clinical Hours |
| Bellarmine University | $37K | 2 years | 720 hrs |
| Eastern Kentucky University | $35K | Not clearly stated | 750 hrs |
| Frontier Nursing University | $38K | 2–3 years | 750+ hrs |
| Kentucky Christian University | $27K | 2.3 years | 528 hrs |
| Morehead State University | $30K | 2.3 years | 600 hrs |
| Northern Kentucky University | $36K | 2.2 years | 750 hrs |
| Spalding University | $42K–$43K | 2–3 years | 770 hrs |
| Spalding University (RN-MSN) | $55K | 3–4 years | 770 hrs |
| Spalding University (RN-MSN Bridge) | $46K | 2.5–3.5 years | 770 hrs |
| University of Louisville | $44K | 2 years | 756 hrs |
| University of the Cumberlands | $26K | 2 years | 750 hrs |
| University of the Cumberlands (Second MSN) | $18K | 1.5 years | 750 hrs |
| Western Kentucky University | $25K–$29K | 2–3 years | 750 hrs |
- Lowest per-credit rate: Kentucky Christian University — $525 for all residencies.
- Fees and books included: University of the Cumberlands — $26K at a $539 all-inclusive rate.
- School-arranged sites: Spalding University — Louisville-area placements across 770 hours.
- Frequent starts: Northern Kentucky University — multiple 7-week session starts a year.
Find even more master’s options in our MSN FNP programs guide.
Kentucky Post-Graduate Certificate FNP Programs
Eight schools offer a post-graduate FNP certificate. At most of them, a review of prior pathophysiology, pharmacology and assessment coursework sets the final credit load and cost. First-time NPs complete the full clinical sequence at every school. UofL is the only program that publishes reduced hours for practicing APRNs adding the family focus. Nurses with a non-NP master’s can also weigh Cumberlands’ second MSN.
| School | Estimated Tuition (resident) | Duration | Clinical Hours |
| Bellarmine University | $15K–$23K | 1–1.5 years | 810 hrs |
| Eastern Kentucky University | $17K–$24K | Not clearly stated | 750 hrs |
| Frontier Nursing University | $28K | 1.5–2.25 years | 750+ hrs |
| Northern Kentucky University | $28K | 1.8 years | 750 hrs |
| Spalding University | $21K–$40K | 1–3 years | 770 hrs |
| University of Kentucky | $22K–$29K | 2.5 years | 780 hrs |
| University of Louisville | $27K–$36K | Varies | 504–756 hrs |
| Western Kentucky University | $10K–$12K | 1.5 years | 670–750 hrs |
- Lowest certificate cost: Western Kentucky University — $10K–$12K resident for 17 credits.
- Reduced hours for APRNs: University of Louisville — 504 hrs for nurses certified in another NP specialty.
- Year-round entry: Frontier Nursing University — four admission deadlines a year.
Find even more post-master’s options in our FNP certificate programs guide.
National Online FNP Options
Kentucky’s in-state programs leave three gaps. Only three schools arrange clinical sites, and each ties that support to Kentucky residence or the Louisville region. Several schools also bar students by state: NKU excludes 27 states plus D.C., WKU limits its MSN and certificate to Kentucky and Tennessee residents, and EKU and KCU both exclude Tennessee. No Kentucky DNP is fully online. Nurses who hit one of these limits can compare national programs such as Walden University and Purdue Global.
FAQ
How many FNP programs are in Kentucky?
Twelve schools offer 25 FNP tracks: 13 MSN routes, four BSN-DNP programs and eight post-graduate certificates. Frontier holds ACEN accreditation; the other 11 schools are CCNE-accredited.
Which Kentucky FNP programs are fully online?
Eastern Kentucky, Kentucky Christian, Northern Kentucky and the University of the Cumberlands require no campus visits. Seven more are mostly online, with campus time ranging from one intensive to several sessions a semester.
Which Kentucky FNP program has the lowest tuition?
Kentucky Christian has the lowest per-credit rate at $525. Western Kentucky has the lowest resident totals for a certificate ($10K–$12K) and a BSN-DNP ($50K).
Which Kentucky schools offer a DNP with an FNP focus?
Murray State, the University of Kentucky, the University of Louisville and Western Kentucky offer the BSN-DNP. All four include some campus attendance.
Do Kentucky FNP programs require campus visits?
Eight of 12 do. Spalding meets weekly, UofL and UK hold several campus days each semester, and Bellarmine and Frontier require one intensive and two visits, respectively.
Can I complete clinicals near home?
Most programs allow local clinicals, but students usually find their own preceptors. UofL provides preceptors to all APRN students, Bellarmine places Kentucky and nearby southern Indiana residents, and Spalding arranges Louisville-area sites. Frontier helps students search in their home communities.
Can out-of-state students enroll in Kentucky FNP programs?
Yes, and nine schools charge non-residents the Kentucky rate. Check state lists first: NKU, EKU, KCU, Murray State and Morehead State each exclude some states, and WKU’s MSN and certificate accept only Kentucky and Tennessee residents.