Neonatal and pediatric nurse practitioners excel at the care of newborn infants experiencing wide ranges of health sensitivities. And the average salary reflects this important work—entry level NNPs earn around $98,900 a year. Online neonatal nurse practitioner programs prepare you to step into this highly specialized and regarded career. You have already earned your BSN, passed your licensure exam, and applied and received state licensing as a registered nurse. Now come the graduate-level online online neonatal nurse practitioner programs to prepare you for certification.
The best online NNP programs will provide you with the essential, exceptional skills you need to perform a variety of tasks while providing the flexibility to continue at your current place of employment, if desired. Are you still deciding on full- or part-time options? Do you need to work in a small class setting to get the most out of your degree? What about the prospect of asynchronous versus synchronous coursework and accelerated classes? Online neonatal nurse practitioner programs are accessible, available, and best of all, economically viable.
Below is our editorially independent list of the 21 “Best Buys” for affordable online pediatric nurse practitioner programs. GetEducated has surveyed 40 accredited online NNP programs from 25 nursing schools to build this accessible ranking for you. With a difference in tuition between the most affordable and most expensive degrees of over $51,000, it pays to do your research before committing to the next phase of your academic career.
ARTICLE NAVIGATION: Rankings Table | Career Guide
Average Cost (In-state): ~$35,300
Least Expensive: Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center ~$15,192
Most Expensive: Northeastern University ~$66,887
Our data-driven research creates a truly reliable system of scientific rankings. There’s no fancy formulas here. We meticulously calculate total full-time tuition—including any fees—for the most accurate total cost. Our rankings cannot be bought, and therefore factually showcase the cheapest online neonatal nurse practitioner programs. The online degrees listed above the gray dividing line are official 2021 “Best Buys” and cost less than the national average.
Most Affordable Online Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Programs
| Rank | School / Degree | State | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center | (TX) | $15,192.00 $31,264.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
2 | East Carolina University | (NC) | $15,718.92 $42,789.60 | In-State Out-of-State |
3 | Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center | (TX) | $15,927.00 $32,655.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
4 | East Carolina University | (NC) | $16,093.18 $43,808.40 | In-State Out-of-State |
5 | The University of Texas Medical Branch | (TX) | $21,208.30 $40,673.66 | In-State Out-of-State |
6 | University of Missouri-Columbia | (MO) | $23,999.25 | All Students |
7 | University of Missouri-Columbia | (MO) | $24,217.35 | All Students |
8 | Cedarville University | (OH) | $24,971.00 | All Students |
9 | The University of Texas at El Paso | (TX) | $25,392.00 $35,972.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
10 | Stony Brook University | (NY) | $26,756.10 $30,986.10 | In-State Out-of-State |
11 | The University of Texas at Arlington | (TX) | $26,814.00 | All Students |
12 | University of South Alabama | (AL) | $28,080.00 | All Students |
13 | Old Dominion University | (VA) | $28,524.00 $30,680.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
14 | Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing | (IL) | $28,580.00 | All Students |
15 |  King University | (TN) | $28,980.00 | All Students |
16 | Old Dominion University | (VA) | $29,105.00 $31,305.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
17 | The University of Texas at Arlington | (TX) | $29,430.00 | All Students |
18 | University of Missouri-Kansas City | (MO) | $30,586.50 $55,539.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
19 | Old Dominion University | (VA) | $30,859.00 $33,191.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
20 | University of Missouri-Kansas City | (MO) | $31,266.20 $56,773.20 | In-State Out-of-State |
21 | Allen College | (IA) | $31,870.00 | All Students |
| School / Degree | State | Price | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
South College | (TN) | $37,325.00 | All Students | |
Maryville University | (MO) | $39,147.00 | All Students | |
Regis University | (CO) | $40,040.00 | All Students | |
University of Connecticut | (CT) | $40,700.00 | All Students | |
Regis College | (MA) | $45,380.00 $38,618.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military | |
Walden University | (MN) | $46,925.00 $40,168.30 | In-State/Out-of-State Military | |
Thomas Jefferson University | (PA) | $50,732.00 | All Students | |
Drexel University | (PA) | $53,352.00 $44,460.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military | |
Seton Hall University | (NJ) | $58,412.00 | All Students | |
Drexel University | (PA) | $58,482.00 $48,735.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military | |
Ohio State University | (OH) | $62,315.40 $63,515.40 | In-State Out-of-State | |
Drexel University | (PA) | $63,612.00 $53,010.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military | |
Northeastern University | (MA) | $66,887.00 | All Students |
Accreditation & Program Notes
To qualify for a ranking, a program must be regionally accredited. Additional programmatic accreditation is noted in the rank table.
ACEN Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing
CCNE Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
14 Options for this program have changed since publication.
Rankings Note
These online college rankings are based on a GetEducated Spring 2021 review of regionally accredited online neonatal nurse practitioner programs. Total cost includes full-time tuition and fees and was valid at the time of collection and specific to the online learning program. School profiles for the online master degree programs in our directory may reflect a slightly different cost based on different editorial update schedules.
The published cost is an estimated sticker price for the entire online degree including fees. Actual costs may vary by student. Factors such as transfer credits, prerequisite courses, professional licensing and financial aid availability will affect final cost
Editorial Note
Online schools do NOT pay to be included in any GetEducated online degree ranking. These rankings are editorially independent, open to any regionally accredited or candidate college that offers a master’s degree that is available at least 80 percent through online learning and that is open to enrollment by the public. If your online college is regionally accredited and not currently reviewed by GetEducated, please contact us for inclusion.
These rankings of the cheapest online schools for NNP programs may NOT be re-posted online or reprinted in any format without a license from GetEducated ®. Consumer finance bloggers and writers can contact our editors for a free custom article on the best online neonatal nurse practitioner programs for use on your website. Our mission: Help consumers GetEducated ® about the best online colleges for cost and credibility.
Career Guide: Online Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Programs
If you are working in the medical profession and have discovered a passion for providing care to children, including infants, toddlers, pre-teens, and teenagers, online pediatric nurse practitioner programs or a neonatal program may be perfect for you!
Online Neonatal & Pediatric Nursing Programs
Online neonatal nurse practitioner programs and pediatric programs are ideal for anyone working in the healthcare profession or wishing to launch their career in healthcare. For most programs, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree in nursing or a related field, as well as a year or more of professional experience. For this reason, they are perfect for current registered nurses who want to expand their career options and earning potential.
But before enrolling in a program, you should understand the subtle differences between neonatal and pediatric care.
What is “Neonatal” Care? (Birth to 1 month)
Neonatal care is essentially the care provided to babies immediately after they are born through roughly the first month after birth. Neonatal specialists are usually in a delivery room to evaluate new babies immediately after birth and support the bonding between baby and mother. For about a month, neonatal specialists checks a baby for signs of health and give advice to parents on raising a healthy child.
What is “Pediatric” Care? (1 month to 18 years old)
Pediatric care basically takes over about a month after birth. Pediatrics is simply the care of children from infants to the age of 18. Specialists in this area may provide general care and wellness support, or they may provide care for specific illnesses and injuries.
When selecting from online neonatal nurse practitioner programs, online pediatric nurse practitioner programs, you’ll have to choose whether you want to work with extremely small, vulnerable newborns (neonatal), or whether you desire a career working with infants, toddlers, adolescents, and teenagers.
Each program will have classes that apply to all forms of nursing. Called “core classes” these are usually completed by all students regardless of specialty. They may include physiology, biology, finance in healthcare, and medical technologies. But eventually you’ll take classes specific to neonatal or pediatric care.
In online neonatal nurse practitioner programs, you can expect classes to cover topics like health assessments for newborn babies and providing care to high-risk infants. In a pediatric course, you can expect classes to include subjects like child growth and development and common illnesses in children, among many other topics.
These courses will prepare you for a rewarding career as a healthcare professional. You’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that your work is creating better outcomes for the most vulnerable children while promoting health and wellness for everyone.
Once complete, you’ll have the skills to enter various careers, including…
Nurse Practitioner
- Median Salary: $109,820
- Job Growth: 52%
- Education: Master’s
- Training/Work Experience: None
As a nurse practitioner, you can provide primary care for young patients while earning an excellent salary. You’ll also have the benefit of a career that is expected to add over 100,000 jobs in a decade, so you’ll likely find job opportunities no matter where you live.
Nurse practitioners can specialize in pediatrics. This makes them a crucial part of children’s health, often serving as the main care provider for entire families.
Pediatrician
- Median Salary: $184,410
- Job Growth: -2%
- Education: Doctorate
- Training/Work Experience: Internship / residency requirements
Although you will need to complete a doctoral program to work as a pediatrician, this career brings outstanding pay, with the median salary well over $180,000. Pediatricians provide care for children of all ages, and often specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions that are common to young patients. From illnesses to injuries, pediatricians are important to a child’s long-term health.
NNP Licensing & Certification Requirements
If you work in the medical profession, you are virtually guaranteed to need certification. In the case of a nurse practitioner, you will likely need certification through the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB). They will provide the testing and (assuming you pass) credentials needed to work in this profession. The best online NNP programs will prepare you for this testing so you can pass the exams and excel in your career.
All physicians will also need to complete standardized testing. Graduation from an accredited school is an important first step, then you will need proper licensing or certification through a specific organization.
Online NNP programs will give you a foundation of knowledge that shapes you into a medical leader. By completing these challenging classes, you’ll prepare yourself for one of the most important and respected professions, not only in the healthcare industry, but in society as a whole.