5 Schools • 0 Fully Online • 4 Mostly Online • 1 Hybrid
South Carolina has five universities offering 11 online and hybrid FNP tracks. Every school offers an MSN and a BSN-DNP, and one adds a post-master’s certificate. Four programs are Mostly Online, with scheduled campus intensives or immersions; one meets in person weekly. Estimated resident tuition runs from about $20K to $93K, and most tracks take one to four years to finish.
Highlights include:
- Clemson assigns clinical placements, with Clemson Rural Health as a fallback site
- Anderson charges one per-credit rate regardless of residency
- Francis Marion’s BSN-DNP adds 300 clinical hours over its MSN, not only project time
- USC offers the state’s only post-master’s FNP certificate
Compare South Carolina Family NP Programs
| School | Online Format | Campus Commitment | Cost Per Credit | Degrees | Best For |
| Anderson University | Mostly Online | Intensives in select semesters | $805–$855 | MSN, BSN-DNP | Residency-neutral pricing |
| Clemson University | Hybrid | Every Thursday | $733–$1,029 | MS, BS-DNP | Assigned clinical placements |
| Francis Marion University | Mostly Online | Up to two trips per semester | $823 | MSN, BSN-DNP | Clinical-heavy doctorate |
| Medical University of South Carolina | Mostly Online | Orientation plus occasional immersions | $905 | MSN, BSN-DNP | Full-time students |
| University of South Carolina | Mostly Online | Immersions in four courses | $867 | MSN, BSN-DNP, certificate | Certified NPs adding FNP |
CPC is derived and inclusive of mandatory per-credit fees at South Carolina resident rates, rounded to the nearest dollar; Anderson charges all students the same rate. Full rate breakdowns are on each school profile.
What’s the Best FNP Program for You?
Best Placement Support
Clemson University assigns preceptors through Upstate health system affiliates, starts matching up to a year ahead, and falls back on Clemson Rural Health when no outside site is found.
Best MSN Value
Anderson University’s MSN costs about $41K at one rate for every student and can be finished in 1.7 years full-time.
Best Doctoral Clinical Depth
Francis Marion University’s BSN-DNP requires 1,080 clinical hours, with residencies that add precepted practice rather than project time alone.
Best for Full-Time Students
The Medical University of South Carolina bills full-time students a flat semester rate, saving about $8,400 on the MSN compared with its part-time plan.
Best for Certified NPs
The University of South Carolina’s certificate uses a gap analysis to waive core courses for certified APRNs, cutting the program to as few as 18 credits.
South Carolina DNP FNP Programs
All five schools offer a BSN-to-DNP with an FNP focus. Most layer doctoral coursework and project hours onto the same FNP clinical sequence their MSN uses, so the doctorate rarely means more patient-care training. Francis Marion is the exception. Plans run about 2.7 to 4 years, and Anderson publishes only a full-time schedule.
| School | Estimated Tuition (resident) | Duration | Clinical Hours |
| Anderson University | $66K | 3 years | 1,000+ hrs |
| Clemson University | $42K–$47K | 3 years | 1,000 hrs |
| Francis Marion University | $60K | 3 years | 1,080 hrs |
| Medical University of South Carolina | $76K–$93K | 2.7–3.7 years | 1,165 hrs |
| University of South Carolina | $74K | 3–4 years | 1,000+ hrs |
DNP totals include project or residency hours added to each school’s FNP clinical sequence.
- Lowest doctoral estimate: Clemson University — $42K–$47K resident, assuming the doctoral tuition rate applies.
- Fastest finish: Medical University of South Carolina — 2.7 years on the fall full-time plan.
- Added patient care: Francis Marion University — residencies add 300 clinical hours over its MSN.
- Same clinical training: University of South Carolina — the DNP costs about $26K more than the MSN with identical FNP patient-care hours.
Find more doctoral options in our guide to BSN-to-DNP FNP programs.
South Carolina MSN FNP Programs
Every school here offers a BSN-entry master’s, and all require at least 675 clinical hours, well above the 500-hour certification floor. Credit totals range from 46 at Clemson to 60 at MUSC, whose MSN carries a DNP-level core in economics, informatics, and policy. Plans run 1.7 to 3 years, with clinicals concentrated in the final semesters.
| School | Estimated Tuition (resident) | Duration | Clinical Hours |
| Anderson University | $41K | 1.7–2.7 years | 750 hrs |
| Clemson University (MS) | $43K–$47K | 2 years | 675–765 hrs |
| Francis Marion University | $47K | 2.5 years | 780 hrs |
| Medical University of South Carolina | $57K–$65K | 2–3 years | 765 hrs |
| University of South Carolina | $48K | 2.7 years | 784 hrs |
- Lowest master’s cost: Anderson University — $41K resident, with no surcharge for nonresidents.
- Fewest credits: Clemson University — 46 credits, finished in about two years.
- Most clinical hours: University of South Carolina — 784 hrs, just ahead of Francis Marion’s 780.
Find more master’s options in our guide to MSN FNP programs.
South Carolina Post-Graduate Certificate FNP Programs
The University of South Carolina is the only in-state school with a post-master’s FNP certificate. Certified APRNs complete a gap analysis that can waive the advanced practice core. MSN-prepared nurses without APRN certification take the full 34-credit sequence. Both paths carry the same clinical requirement as USC’s MSN, and several courses include campus immersions.
| School | Estimated Tuition (resident) | Duration | Clinical Hours |
| University of South Carolina | $20K–$35K | 1–2 years | 784 hrs |
- Gap-analysis pricing: University of South Carolina — $20K–$35K resident, depending on which core courses are waived.
- Full clinical load: University of South Carolina — 784 hrs, with no published reduction for certified NPs.
Find more certificate options in our guide to FNP certificate programs.
National Online FNP Options
South Carolina leaves several gaps. No in-state program is fully online, only Clemson assigns clinical placements, and none admits ADN-prepared nurses directly. Every school also limits who can enroll by state or license, and nonresidents pay roughly double at Francis Marion and USC.
Nurses who hit one of those limits can compare national online programs. Walden University and Purdue Global are two widely considered options; weigh their campus requirements, placement support, and total cost against the in-state schools. South University’s online RN-to-MSN FNP accepts ADN-prepared nurses and lists about $53K in tuition, though availability varies by state.
FAQ
How many online FNP programs are in South Carolina?
Five universities offer 11 FNP tracks: five MSNs, five BSN-DNPs, and one post-master’s certificate. Each school’s MSN and DNP hold CCNE accreditation.
Are any South Carolina FNP programs fully online?
No. Anderson, Francis Marion, MUSC, and USC are Mostly Online, with finite campus events. Clemson is Hybrid, with an in-person class every Thursday in Greenville.
Which school has the lowest tuition?
Anderson has the lowest MSN at about $41K resident. USC’s certificate starts near $20K for certified APRNs, and Clemson’s DNP estimate is lowest among doctorates if its doctoral rate applies.
Which schools offer a DNP?
All five offer a BSN-DNP with an FNP focus. MUSC also offers a post-MSN DNP, but it does not lead to FNP certification.
Do I have to visit campus?
Yes, at every school. Anderson holds 2- to 3-day intensives in select semesters, and Francis Marion’s hybrid courses require up to two trips per semester. MUSC schedules a DNP orientation and occasional immersions, while USC builds immersions into four courses.
Can I complete clinicals near home?
Usually, if you can find preceptors. Anderson, Francis Marion, and USC expect students to locate their own, with school support, and MUSC needs an affiliation agreement for each new site. Clemson assigns sites but limits them to South Carolina, within 150 miles of Greenville or the student’s home.
Can out-of-state nurses enroll?
Often, with limits. USC admits from 17 states plus D.C., Francis Marion requires a Nurse Licensure Compact license, and Clemson requires a South Carolina RN license. Anderson excludes Arizona, Louisiana, New York, Oregon, and Tennessee; MUSC excludes Arizona, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oregon, and Washington.