The University of Maine offers 2 Family Nurse Practitioner Tracks:
- MSN (Rural Health FNP)
- Certificate of Advanced Study
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN | $34.1K–$35.4K in-state / $94.0K–$97.6K out-of-state | 2.5–4 years (7+ semesters, including summers) | 49–51 |
| CAS | $23.1K+ in-state / $63.4K+ out-of-state | Not clearly stated | 33 minimum |
Tuition estimates use UMaine’s 2026–2027 graduate per-credit rate plus the $29/credit Infrastructure & Technology Fee and the $500 per-term nursing differential and activity fee.
755 clinical hours puts the University of Maine’s FNP above the 600 to 700 hours common among FNP programs. The MSN is built as a Rural Health FNP concentration, and clinicals can run at contracted sites anywhere in Maine, so students can train near home in rural and underserved communities.
Students find their own preceptors, working with course faculty, and must stay in Maine for clinicals. The Graduate School lists the MSN and CAS as on-campus programs, with weekly live sessions in most clinical courses.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | MSN (Rural Health FNP concentration); post-master’s Certificate of Advanced Study |
| Format | Hybrid: online non-clinical courses; weekly live clinical-course sessions on campus or by Zoom |
| Clinical Hours | 755 precepted hours (MSN) |
| Clinical Placement | Student-sourced with course faculty; any contracted site in Maine |
| Population | Rural and underserved Maine communities; neonates to older adults |
| Distinctive Coursework | Professional Issues (contracts, negotiation, reimbursement); Wellness and Resilience for APRNs |
| RN License Requirements | Active Maine RN, or proof of reciprocity, before the first class |
| Tuition | $625/credit in-state with I&T fee, plus $500 per term |
| Accreditation | CCNE (MSN and post-graduate APRN certificate) |
| Admission Cycle | Rolling deadline |
Master of Science in Nursing Leadership: Rural Health Family Nurse Practitioner
The estimated tuition for the MSN at the University of Maine is approximately $34,125 (49 credits at $625/credit, plus seven terms of per-term fees, in-state). The Master of Science in Nursing Leadership: Rural Health Family Nurse Practitioner Concentration can generally be completed in about 2.5 years full-time, including summers, or 3 to 4 years part-time.
MSN Curriculum
Rural focus across the program. UMaine integrates rural and underserved health issues throughout the curriculum rather than adding one rural course. The program’s federal ANEW grant adds training in LGBTQ+ care, substance use disorder treatment, and childhood obesity, and expands clinical sites at Indian Health Service locations and Federally Qualified Health Centers.
Practice-readiness courses. Two courses are uncommon in FNP curricula. NUR 506 covers FNP contracts, salaries, negotiation, reimbursement, and malpractice prevention. NUR 565 teaches resilience and burnout prevention, tied to patient safety.
Sequencing. Non-clinical and health assessment courses come first, so students can work full-time for the first two or three semesters. Four population-based clinical courses follow. Most students choose a non-thesis scholarly project; a thesis is optional.
- Health Assessment (with clinical component)
- Reproductive and Gynecological Health (150 clinical hours)
- Pediatrics (150 clinical hours)
- Adult 1 (150 clinical hours)
- Adult 2 (225 clinical hours)
- NUR 506: Professional Issues in Advanced Practice Nursing
- NUR 565: Wellness and Resilience for Advanced Practice Nursing
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- The program name differs by page: the School of Nursing uses “MSN Leadership: Rural Health FNP,” while the Graduate School uses “MSN-FNP.”
- A full course list with credits is not published on the program pages.
- UMaine is discussing a move to a DNP. No plan or timeline has been set.
MSN Clinical Requirements
- 755 precepted clinical hours
- Itemized minimums: 150 each in Reproductive/Gynecological Health, Pediatrics, and Adult 1; 225 in Adult 2 (675 total)
- Students find placements in collaboration with each course’s clinical faculty
- Sites must be in Maine and have a legal contract with the university
- Students confirm sites with the clinical coordinator before committing
- Most hours in primary care with an APRN preceptor; physicians and PAs also accepted
- Most clinical courses require weekly live participation, on campus or by Zoom
At 755 hours, UMaine exceeds the 500-hour certification floor by about half and sits above the common 600 to 700 range. The load is real: about 10 hours a week in each 150-hour course and 15 in Adult 2 (derived, assuming 15-week semesters). UMaine itself says working full-time once clinicals begin is very difficult. The statewide site rule suits nurses in rural Maine, but self-sourcing preceptors there can take time.
You Should Know
- The four itemized courses total 675 hours. Where the remaining 80 hours fall is not clearly stated.
- Clinicals cannot be completed outside Maine. Relocating mid-program would likely interrupt clinical progress.
- Instructors may require campus visits beyond the weekly sessions, announced in the first week of each course.
MSN Admissions
UMaine admits on a rolling basis with a holistic, rubric-based review, and recommends two years of RN experience for FNP applicants.
- BSN from an accredited nursing program, minimum 3.0 GPA
- B or better in undergraduate health assessment, nursing research/EBP/QI, and statistics
- C or better (77%) in all other core nursing courses
- Active Maine RN license, or proof of reciprocity, before the first class
- Two professional references
- Essay (one of two prompts) and current resume
- No international applicants; Canadian applicants considered if they complete clinicals in Maine and attend scheduled Orono campus meetings
- Applicants dismissed from a graduate nursing program for academic reasons within the past two years are ineligible
You Should Know
- RN experience is “recommended” on the School of Nursing page but listed as a requirement on the Graduate School page. Ask before applying as a new graduate.
- The program prepares graduates for licensure in Maine. Check other states’ APRN rules before enrolling if you plan to practice elsewhere.
- Reference counts conflict: the admissions criteria list two, the application checklist asks for contact details for three.
Certificate of Advanced Study, Family Nurse Practitioner
The estimated tuition for the Certificate of Advanced Study at the University of Maine is approximately $23,125 (33 credits at $625/credit, plus five terms of per-term fees, in-state). The Certificate of Advanced Study in Nursing has no published completion time.
Certificate Curriculum
The CAS is built for nurses who already hold an MSN or DNP. The FNP coordinator and student design an individual plan that builds on prior graduate study and meets national certification requirements. Every plan requires at least 33 credits of 500- and 600-level courses taken at UMaine, so transfer credit cannot reduce it below that floor.
You Should Know
- Required courses, clinical hours, and duration are not clearly stated. Expect the plan to include the MSN’s clinical sequence.
- The Graduate School lists the CAS as on-campus only.
Certificate Clinical Requirements
- Clinical hours: not clearly stated
- Plan must meet all national FNP certification requirements
Because the plan must satisfy certification standards, CAS students should expect hours comparable to the MSN’s 755. The same Maine-only site rules likely apply.
Certificate Admissions
The CAS sets a higher GPA bar than the MSN.
- MSN or DNP from an NLN- or CCNE-accredited program
- Minimum 3.25 graduate GPA
- Current Maine RN license
You Should Know
- State boards set their own rules for adding a second APRN population focus. Confirm recognition in your state if you already hold an APRN license.
Tuition
UMaine’s 2026–2027 graduate tuition is $596 per credit for Maine and Canadian residents and $1,817 for non-residents. Adding the mandatory $29/credit Infrastructure & Technology Fee gives a derived $625 per credit in-state and $1,846 out-of-state.
| Charge | In-State | Out-of-State | NEBHE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (per credit) | $596 | $1,817 | $1,043 |
| Infrastructure & Technology Fee (per credit) | $29 | $29 | $29 |
| Subtotal (per credit) | $625 | $1,846 | $1,072 |
| Nursing differential (per term, 6+ credits) | $425 | $425 | $425 |
| Graduate activity fee (per term, 6+ credits) | $75 | $75 | $75 |
Derived totals (credits × per-credit subtotal + $500 per term):
- MSN, 49 credits, 7 terms: $34,125 in-state; $56,028 NEBHE; $93,954 out-of-state
- MSN, 51 credits, 7 terms: $35,375 in-state; $58,172 NEBHE; $97,646 out-of-state
- CAS, 33 credits, 5 terms: $23,125 in-state; $37,876 NEBHE; $63,418 out-of-state
Confirmed costs:
- Graduate tuition: $596/credit in-state, $1,817 out-of-state
- Infrastructure & Technology Fee: $29/credit
- Nursing graduate differential: $425 per term (6+ credits) or $213 (under 6)
- Graduate activity fee: $75 per term (6+ credits) or $60 (under 6)
- Canadian residents and eligible veterans pay the in-state rate
Full rate tables are on UMaine’s 2026–27 Tuition and Fees page.
Be aware that:
- A $35/credit Online Fee applies to online courses. Most non-clinical courses are online, which could add up to $1,715 on the MSN.
- The MSN does not qualify for UMaine’s lower e-rate, which covers only approved fully online programs.
- Term counts are derived. Part-time study adds terms and per-term fees ($500 each at 6+ credits).
- The MSN credit total is listed as 49 and as 49–51. The two-credit swing is $1,250 in-state and $3,692 out-of-state.
- NEBHE eligibility for the FNP program is not confirmed. Check UMaine’s eligible-program list.
- Rates are set annually and may rise.
For Maine residents, about $34,000 to $37,000 all-in is a moderate public price for a 755-hour FNP. Out-of-state students pay nearly three times as much, and clinicals must happen in Maine anyway. The program makes financial sense mainly for Maine residents and Canadians eligible for the in-state rate.
Why Choose This FNP Program?
Best suited for Maine RNs, especially in rural areas, who want a high-hour public FNP and plan to practice in rural or underserved communities.
Clinical depth. 755 hours across four population-based clinical courses gives more supervised practice than most FNP programs require. Graduates enter practice with a broad range of patient ages and settings.
Train where you live. Any contracted site in Maine qualifies, and the Zoom option for weekly sessions reduces travel to Orono. The federal ANEW grant has expanded sites at IHS and FQHC locations and funded student support.
Honest drawbacks. You must find your own preceptors. The program is Maine-bound for licensure, clinicals, and practical cost. The 100% first-time pass rate is published without cohort years or sizes.
Can you keep working? Yes, during the first two or three semesters. Once clinicals start, plan for 10 to 15 clinical hours a week plus coursework and a weekly live session. Most working nurses will need to cut to part-time, and UMaine advises against full-time work near the end.
Accreditation
The University of Maine’s Master of Science in Nursing and post-graduate APRN certificate programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The accreditation statement covers both FNP tracks.
The MSN curriculum also meets the 2022 Criteria for Evaluation of Nurse Practitioner Programs from the National Task Force on Quality Nurse Practitioner Education.
Institutionally, the University of Maine is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). Regional accreditation supports federal financial aid eligibility and credit transfer, including later doctoral study.
Graduates are eligible to sit for the national FNP certification exam (AANP or ANCC).
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