The University of Washington offers a DNP (BSN or MSN entry) Family Nurse Practitioner Track.
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| DNP | $105.3K (WA and non-WA) | 3 years (10 quarters) full-time; 4 years part-time | 96 |
Tuition estimates use UW’s 2026-27 published DNP rate of $1,097 per credit multiplied by the 96-credit autumn 2027 curriculum.
UW arranges every clinical placement for its DNP-FNP students, drawing on UW Medicine and a statewide partner network. Students never search for their own preceptors, and residents and non-residents pay the same per-credit rate.
Those placements are all in Washington state. Coursework is remote for the first year and a half, but from spring of year two (year three part-time) students must be able to attend clinicals in Washington. Required live sessions also run on a set weekday during daytime hours, which working nurses need to plan around.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | DNP, open to BSN- and MSN-prepared nurses |
| Format | Mostly Online: weekday daytime live sessions plus up to one 2-4 day campus intensive per quarter |
| Clinical Hours | 750 |
| Clinical Placement | Arranged by UW School of Nursing; all sites in Washington state |
| Population | Individuals and families, infancy through older adulthood |
| Distinctive Coursework | About 11 credits of pediatric, growth, reproductive, and childbearing content |
| Concentrations | None stated |
| RN License Requirements | Active Washington RN or Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) license before starting |
| Start Term | Autumn, one application cycle per year |
| Tuition | $1,097/credit, same for residents and non-residents |
| Accreditation | CCNE (DNP); NWCCU (institution) |
Doctor of Nursing Practice, Family Nurse Practitioner
The estimated tuition for the DNP Family Nurse Practitioner track at the University of Washington is approximately $105,312 (96 credits at $1,097/credit). The program can generally be completed in about 3 years (10 quarters) full-time, or 4 years on the part-time plan.
The full-time grid runs autumn of year one through winter of year three, so the published “three years” is closer to 2.5 calendar years of enrollment, with summers included.
DNP Curriculum
Year one is shared doctoral core. Students take health systems, health equity, policy, evidence translation, and leadership alongside DNP students from all eight UW tracks. Pathophysiology, pharmacology, and health assessment are split across winter and spring rather than front-loaded.
The FNP specialty leans further into children and reproductive health than many family programs. Pediatric diagnostic assessment, sexual and reproductive health, growth and development, childbearing theory, acute child management, and pediatric pharmacology add up to about 11 credits. Adult management accounts for 6. Nurses who want strong pediatric and women’s health preparation inside a family NP credential will find it here.
Clinical training is concentrated at the end. All 29 practicum credits fall in the final four quarters (about 30% of the program), ending with an 8-credit clinical immersion while the DNP Project is evaluated.
- NCLIN 502: Pediatric Diagnostic Health Assessment (2)
- NURS 541: Sexual and Reproductive Health (2)
- NURS 542: Theoretical Foundations of Advanced Practice Nursing: Childbearing I (2)
- NURS 518: Child Management I: Acute Conditions in Primary Care (3)
- NSG 566: Pediatric Pharmacology (1)
- NSG 562 and NSG 563: Management of Adults I and II (3 each)
- NCLIN 521: Diagnostic Decision Making and Clinical Skills Lab (2)
- NSG 567: Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics in Complex Case Management (1)
- NCLIN 516, 517, 518, and 801: Advanced Clinical Practicum I-III and Immersion (29 total)
- NMETH 801: Practice Doctorate Project, Planning through Evaluation (6 total)
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- The published grid applies to cohorts starting autumn 2027. Earlier cohorts may follow a different plan.
- Some courses taken outside the School of Nursing may meet in person and require campus attendance beyond the quarterly intensive.
- The part-time plan is published as four years, but its quarter-by-quarter sequence is not reproduced in the source material.
DNP Clinical Requirements
- 750 clinical hours across four practicum courses (29 credits): NCLIN 516 (6), 517 (7), 518 (8), and 801 immersion (8)
- Clinicals start spring quarter of year two (year three part-time) and run four consecutive quarters
- All placements arranged by the UW School of Nursing, which holds sole authority over placement decisions
- All sites located in Washington state, through UW Medicine and community partners
- Preceding didactic coursework must be completed before each practicum
- Students must stay compliant with School and clinical-site onboarding requirements, monitored quarterly
At 750 hours, UW sits above the 500-hour certification floor and slightly above the 600-700 hours common among FNP programs. Spread over four quarters, that averages about 190 hours per quarter, or roughly 17-19 hours per week (derived, assuming 10-11 week quarters). That is manageable alongside part-time work but hard to pair with full-time employment. The placement model is a true placement, not search assistance, which removes the most common source of FNP program delays. The trade-off is control: students go where UW assigns them.
You Should Know
- UW does not publish per-course clinical hours. The 750-hour total works out to about 25.9 hours per practicum credit, which does not match a standard ratio, so the hour split by course is not clearly stated.
- Washington-only placements mean out-of-state students must relocate or commute for the final four quarters.
- Rural rotations appear in graduate testimonials, but UW does not state that a rural or underserved rotation is required.
DNP Admissions
Admission runs on one autumn-start cycle with a licensure requirement that effectively limits the applicant pool to Washington and compact-state nurses.
- Completed BSN or MSN from a CCNE, NLN, or ACEN accredited program, finished before the program begins
- Minimum 3.0 GPA in the last 60 semester or 90 quarter graded credits
- Approved graded statistics course (3 credits minimum) completed within 5 years of the start date
- Active, unrestricted Washington RN license or NLC multistate license before starting
- Any ARNP license held must be active and unrestricted in Washington
- International applicants need an active, unrestricted U.S. RN license at application
- No separate School of Nursing application fee; the UW Graduate School application fee applies
- Application opens early September; priority deadline January 15 (full-time only); space-available deadline May 1 (full-time and part-time, select tracks)
- Decisions released in March (priority) and June (space-available)
You Should Know
- Part-time applicants can only apply by the May 1 space-available deadline, and part-time seats depend on availability.
- UW does not state whether MSN-prepared applicants receive reduced credits or a shorter plan. The published 96 credits apply to the standard plan.
- No minimum RN experience requirement is stated.
- Waitlist offers can arrive as late as one to two weeks before the quarter starts.
Tuition
The UW DNP-FNP costs $1,097 per credit (published, 2026-27). The FNP track is a fee-based program run with UW Continuum College, so residents and non-residents pay the same rate.
| Year | Credits | Tuition (derived) |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 37 | $40,589 |
| Year 2 | 39 | $42,783 |
| Year 3 | 20 | $21,940 |
| Total | 96 | $105,312 |
- Per-credit rate: $1,097, same for Washington residents and non-residents
- Estimated program tuition: $105,312 (96 × $1,097, derived)
- Average quarterly bill: about $10,500; ranges from $5,485 (5-credit quarter) to $12,067 (11-credit quarter)
- Clinical onboarding account (CPNW) registration: $75-$115
Be aware that:
- The $1,097 rate is for 2026-27, while the curriculum shown is for autumn 2027 starters. A 2027-28 rate is not yet published, and UW does not state a cohort price lock for DNP students.
- UW states that tuition-based program rates include the technology, services and activities, and U-PASS fees. It does not state whether the fee-based $1,097 rate includes them.
- Immunization, compliance, and clinical-site costs are additional. UW lists them on its compliance page without a program total.
- Travel for quarterly campus intensives and for Washington clinical placements is not included.
- Whether the UW and Washington state employee tuition exemption applies to fee-based DNP enrollment is not clearly stated.
For a Washington nurse, the real cost is roughly $105,000 in tuition plus compliance costs and intensive travel. For a non-resident, the equal rate removes the usual out-of-state premium, but relocation for the final four quarters can add more than any tuition difference would. Review current rates on the UW School of Nursing costs page.
Why Choose This FNP Program?
Best suited for Washington nurses who want a doctorate, guaranteed clinical placements, and stronger pediatric and reproductive health preparation than a typical family track provides.
Placement certainty. UW assigns every clinical site. For nurses who have seen colleagues lose a semester hunting for preceptors, this matters more than almost any curriculum detail. The cost is choice: students do not pick their sites, and UW holds final authority.
Doctoral preparation with a pediatric tilt. About 11 credits of pediatric, growth, and reproductive coursework give graduates depth with children and families. Nurses planning to work in community health centers or family clinics with many young patients benefit most. Those focused mostly on adults may prefer UW’s adult-gerontology primary care track.
The geographic verdict. This is a Washington program delivered mostly online, not a national online program. Nurses who live and plan to practice in Washington get a remote first 18 months, statewide placements, and in-state access to a large academic health system. Nurses outside Washington get the same tuition but must reach Washington clinical sites for the final year, hold a compact or Washington license, and keep weekday daytime hours open for live sessions.
Accreditation
The UW Doctor of Nursing Practice program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The FNP track is part of that DNP program, so CCNE accreditation covers it.
The University of Washington is institutionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), which has accredited UW since 1918. UW completed its most recent mid-cycle review in spring 2024. Institutional accreditation supports federal financial aid eligibility and the recognition of UW credits and degrees.
Graduates are eligible to sit for the national FNP certification exam (AANP or ANCC), earning either the FNP-BC credential through ANCC or the FNP-C credential through the AANP-affiliated certification board.
More FNP Programs in Washington
- Seattle University - Seattle
- Washington State University - Spokane