Master of Science in Nursing – Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)

Bravely move forward in your nursing career today

• Access coursework 100% online with no campus visits required.
• Apply with no GMAT, GRE, or statistics needed.
• Choose from five concentrations.
• Complete clinicals locally in your preferred setting.
• Get started quickly with no waiting list once you’re accepted.
• Choose from part-time or full-time options, and earn your MSN-FNP degree in as few as 20 months.

Why choose the Family Nurse Practitioner concentration?

If you’re ready to advance your nursing career and provide care for patients of all ages, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood and old age, consider Maryville’s online MSN with a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) concentration.

This concentration focuses on building the skills needed to assess, educate, diagnose, and manage the care of individuals and families across the lifespan in a primary care setting. From managing chronic conditions to promoting preventive care and supporting overall health, you’ll be prepared to deliver comprehensive, family-focused care.

Through Maryville’s core NP coursework, you’ll also have the opportunity to gain a graduate-level understanding of advanced nursing practice in various settings and specializations, equipping you to make a lasting impact in family primary care.

Nurse leaders are shaping the future of family healthcare

If you’re a nurse looking to advance in family care, start here. Maryville University offers a Family Nurse Practitioner MSN concentration for nurses who want to specialize in delivering advanced primary care for full families at every stage of life.

Build leadership skills focused on compassionate care, preventive treatment, evidence-based decision-making, and management of acute and chronic conditions across the lifespan. Prepare to provide treatment as an NP — one of the most rewarding and in-demand careers in the U.S.

Benefits of online MSN degrees

Looking to grow as an NP and open up opportunities to pursue roles in family care leadership, mentorship, education, research, or administration?

Our accredited online MSN-FNP program offers the flexibility to advance your career on your schedule while you continue working. Gain insights from expert faculty and receive the support to succeed.

Earn your MSN from Maryville and build the confidence, skills, and knowledge to take your next major step in nursing.

Why choose one of Maryville’s online MSN programs?

• Enjoy convenient, flexible 24/7 online learning.
• Complete your FNP in approximately two years.
• Gain practical knowledge and skills you can apply dynamically to your nursing practice.
• Learn hands-on, real-world skills from experienced faculty members who know how to succeed in nursing.
• Receive personalized, learner-focused support as you pursue your education.
• Study with a university that embraces the values of caring, collaboration, and excellence.

Pursue an MSN-FNP that matches your NP career goals

Earning your FNP master’s degree is the first step toward shaping your career as a nurse practitioner.

Our CCNE-accredited program is designed to equip you with critical skills like patient assessment, diagnostic reasoning, and health management to care for patients of all ages. Gain the expertise to deliver high-quality family care, pursue leadership roles, drive primary care innovation, or engage in advocacy and research to improve patient outcomes.

What can I expect from Maryville’s MSN-FNP?

Explore advanced primary care diagnosis and management concepts while building the skills to become an FNP in this 18-credit program.

• Choose part-time or full-time study options to fit your schedule.
• Learn crucial skills to provide holistic, high-quality care and address physical, mental, emotional, and social aspects of healthcare.
• Study with expert nurses who teach based on firsthand nursing experience.
• Prepare for success in your NP practice with practical, real-world education.

What topics are covered in the MSN-FNP curriculum?

We designed our Family Nurse Practitioner MSN concentration to help aspiring FNPs build a master's-level understanding of the skills, techniques, and knowledge needed to succeed and impact patient care as a nursing leader.

In addition to NP foundations like evidence-based practice, healthcare policy, and health promotion/disease prevention, our FNP concentration helps you develop the holistic nursing knowledge to excel as a caregiver for pediatric, family, adult, and elderly patients.

What can you do with your online MSN degree?

Take the next step in your career: Earning your MSN-FNP can open doors to advancing your nursing practice and improving primary care services.

The demand for nurse practitioners in family care is rising quickly due to factors like an increasing demand for preventive care, the aging and growing population, the ongoing nursing and physician shortage, and the increase in scope of NP practice. With your MSN, you can gain critical knowledge and skills to help you prepare for new primary care nursing opportunities.

How much can you earn with your online MSN degree?

• RNs who earn their MSN and become NPs make about $35,000 more than RNs, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
• The median salary for NPs was $129,210 in 2024, according to the BLS.
• Family nurse practitioner is ranked among the 11 highest-paying nursing roles, according to Indeed.
• The ongoing shortage of NPs and primary care physicians means newly educated nurse practitioners have more opportunities than ever to make a difference, especially in underserved areas.

FNPs can pursue a variety of careers that give them the opportunity to provide preventative, primary, and acute care to children, adolescents, adults, and older patients. Some of these include the following.

• Clinical nurse leader
• Clinical research specialist
• Eating disorder nurse
• Forensic nurse
• Home health care nurse
• Infection control nurse
• Nurse manager
• Nursing supervisor
• Primary care nurse practitioner
• Rehabilitation nurse

MSN Career Settings

Family NPs can work in various settings, providing care to children, adults, and families throughout their lifespan. Common workplaces include the following.

• Hospitals and clinics
• Community care facilities
• In-home care
• Long-term care facilities
• Pediatric clinics
• Rehabilitation facilities
• Retirement homes
• Schools, colleges, and universities
• Telehealth clinics

Learn more on our careers page.

According to data compiled by career resource website Indeed, family nurse practitioner is among the 11 highest-paid nursing specialties, with a reported average U.S. salary of around $115,000.

PayScale data shows slightly lower salary projections of around $105,000, but this data source indicates that the top 10% of earners report salaries of more than $131,000, with factors like location, education, and experience influencing pay.

Online MSN degrees job outlook

The healthcare field is expanding quickly, creating new opportunities for skilled nurses. Earning your MSN-FNP can help you advance your career and thrive in a growing job market.

• The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects jobs for nurse practitioners will increase by a tremendous 46% between 2023 and 2033.
• The BLS projects strong growth for family nurse practitioners as demand for preventive care increases.

The changing workforce

As an RN, you’ve likely observed shifts in the workforce related to the persistent shortages of nurses and physicians. Pew Research Center reports that millennials have become the largest demographic influencing the workforce as baby boomers retire — taking with them their decades of experience and knowledge of the field.

Healthcare organizations increasingly need skilled NPs who can work independently, especially as demand for family-focused care across the lifespan increases.

The rewards of the profession

While family nursing can be demanding and sometimes stressful, many NPs find it deeply rewarding. A strong sense of impact, supportive teams and work environment, and good work-life balance play key roles in job satisfaction.

With a growing need for family care and workforce shifts, many employers now provide competitive benefits to attract skilled family nurse practitioners.

The new model of healthcare

In today’s healthcare system, nurse practitioners are highly sought after as outpatient care becomes a preferred approach to help lower expenses and ease the burden brought on by nursing and physician shortages. NPs deliver vital care and health education in primary care and community clinic settings.

Nurse practitioners are increasingly empowered and recognized as primary care providers nationwide. By taking a holistic approach to care, they focus on promoting healthy lifestyle habits and informed medical decisions. It’s no wonder that patients who choose the high-quality, patient-focused care of an NP often experience reduced healthcare costs, fewer ER visits, shorter hospital stays, and lower medication expenses.