Compare tuition, clinical hours, and program length at every Nevada NP school side by side.
By Maria Delgado, RNReviewed by TopNursing.org TeamUpdated August 29, 202617 min read
Points of interest…
Three main universities offer NP programs in Nevada, with UNLV and UNR leading the 2026 rankings.
Full-time FNP programs in Nevada require 16 to 23 months; part-time study can extend beyond three years.
Nevada law grants NPs full practice authority, enabling independent evaluation, diagnosis, and prescribing.
Nurse practitioners in Nevada gain full practice authority upon licensure, allowing them to evaluate patients, prescribe medications, and manage care independently. This autonomy makes the state an attractive destination for APRNs, but becoming a nurse practitioner in Nevada starts with admission to one of the few accredited programs. Only a handful of universities offer family nurse practitioner tracks in Nevada, and competition for seats is intense.
With limited local options, prospective students must weigh program reputation, clinical placement support, and post-graduation employment outcomes more carefully than in states with abundant choices. The pressure to match with a program that fits both career goals and budget is acute, especially when relocation to another state is not feasible.
Top Nurse Practitioner Programs in Nevada: 2027 Rankings
Three universities anchor nurse practitioner preparation in Nevada: UNLV, UNR, and Touro University Nevada. Each brings a different delivery style and clinical footprint, from public in-state tuition to a private cohort model with three annual starts. The summaries below focus on formats, tuition structure, and post-completion earnings.
Factors considered
First-year retention weighs most heavily
Net price after aid considered
Graduation rate and post-degree earnings
Program-level format and clinical access
On-time completion given less weight
Data sources
BEA state price parities, used to adjust tuition — bea.gov
National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS) — nces.ed.gov
Rank
School
Location
Net price
Best for
#1
University of Nevada-Las Vegas
Las Vegas, NV
~$7,000/yr (est.)
Las Vegas RNs prioritizing in-state tuition
UNLV offers master's tracks in family and psychiatric-mental health nursing, a post-master's PMHNP certificate, and a DNP with an FNP concentration. Formats range from hybrid with seven campus visits to fully online doctoral coursework. Nevada resident tuition and fees run about $9,748, compared with about $27,411 for out-of-state students, and median post-completion earnings are near $55,037. The institution-wide graduation rate is about 51%.
UNR's Orvis School of Nursing is the other public NP option in Nevada, with master's, doctor of nursing practice, and post-master's certificate tracks. Many tracks require 780 clinical hours in school-secured placements, and the FNP is structured as a work-friendly block schedule with January and July admissions. In-state tuition and fees are about $9,578, out-of-state about $27,720, and median post-completion earnings are near $60,614. The institution-wide graduation rate is about 61%.
Touro University Nevada is a private option in Henderson with a cohort-based 20-month MSN-FNP and a post-master's FNP certificate. The hybrid MSN combines online coursework with three on-campus clinical intensives and offers three start dates per year. As a private university, Touro does not split published tuition into in-state and out-of-state rates, and program-level tuition is not separately reported; College Scorecard median post-completion earnings are near $104,805. The institution reports a 95% graduation rate for the MSN-FNP.
Active RN license and recommendation letter required
Practicum placement assistance included
Prepares for AANP and ANCC certification
Tuition & Cost Comparison: Nevada NP Programs Side by Side
The table below breaks down the estimated annual costs and median debt for the two primary universities offering Nurse Practitioner programs in Nevada. Keep in mind that the net price shown is the institution-wide average after grants and scholarships, not a guaranteed quote for the NP major. Program-level 10-year monthly repayment estimates are not yet available from the College Scorecard, so median graduate debt figures are used to compare financial obligation. Based on net price, UNLV appears more affordable, though its graduates hold slightly higher median debt.
School
In-State Tuition
Out-of-State Tuition
Net Price (After Aid)
Median Graduate Debt
University of Nevada-Las Vegas (UNLV)
$7,413
$25,555
$10,359
$19,450
University of Nevada-Reno (UNR)
$7,032
$25,174
$15,927
$18,922
Questions to Ask Yourself
Can you manage fully online coursework, or do you need the structure of hybrid classes in Las Vegas or Reno?
Online programs offer flexibility for working RNs, but hybrid options provide face-to-face mentorship and hands-on skills labs that some students find critical for clinical confidence.
Are you able to commit to full-time study, or does your current RN role require a part-time track?
Full-time programs accelerate your path to licensure, while part-time tracks let you maintain income and benefits but extend the timeline, often adding a year or more.
How much clinical placement assistance does the program provide, and are you prepared to secure your own preceptors if needed?
Some schools coordinate rotations and have established contracts with Nevada healthcare facilities, whereas others leave it to you to find a preceptor, which can delay graduation if local networks are thin.
Program Length & Format: Online, Hybrid, and Part-Time Options
Family nurse practitioner programs in Nevada take between 16 and 23 months of full-time study, with part-time options that stretch the timeline to three years or more.
Full-Time Completion Timelines
UNLV MSN-FNP: 46 credits, completed in approximately 16 months of full-time enrollment. The program runs year-round, integrating didactic online courses with mandatory on-campus sessions.
Touro University Nevada: 20-month hybrid MSN-FNP with three start dates per year, enabling a tight, predictable schedule.
Roseman University: 45 credits delivered over 23 months in a full-time hybrid track, with asynchronous online coursework and required on-campus intensives.
UNR MSN-FNP: A campus-based program; official full-time timelines are not published in months but typically align with a two-year master’s pace.
Part-Time Pathways
UNLV explicitly designates a part-time track that extends completion to about three years. Students take a lighter credit load per semester while still attending the same seven required campus visits. Roseman, Touro, and UNR do not advertise separate part-time tracks, though schools may accommodate an individualized slower pace on a case-by-case basis. If you need to balance work or family obligations, contact the program coordinator early to see if a reduced course load is possible without disrupting clinical placement sequences.
Online vs. Campus-Based Delivery
UNLV: Didactic courses are delivered mostly online and asynchronously, but the program is classified as hybrid because students must attend seven on-campus sessions, including orientation, skills labs, and OSCE pass-offs.
Roseman: Also hybrid. The didactic platform is asynchronous, but mandatory on-campus blocks cover orientation and skills intensives.
Touro Nevada: Hybrid with three on-campus clinical intensives spaced throughout the 20-month curriculum.
UNR: A traditional campus program with most coursework delivered in-person. No online option is listed for the FNP track.
Accelerated and Intensive Options
None of the Nevada programs label themselves as “accelerated,” but the full-time tracks themselves function as intensive pathways. Completing 45–46 graduate credits in 16–23 months requires taking courses through summer semesters and maintaining a heavier credit load each term. The trade-off is a compressed schedule that limits time for outside employment. Students who can commit to full-time study finish faster and enter the workforce sooner, while those needing a slower pace sacrifice speed for flexible work-life balance.
Clinical hours are embedded across all tracks, UNR requires 780 hours, Roseman mandates 525 hours, and UNLV and Touro integrate similar supervised practica. Because placements are typically secured in Nevada, the delivery format does not affect clinical quality, though online-heavy programs demand self-discipline for asynchronous coursework.
Admission Requirements by School
Nevada nurse practitioner programs each set their own admission thresholds, but most share a core set of requirements. Understanding the differences in GPA minimums, clinical experience expectations, and test policies helps you target schools where your profile fits best. Below we break down the key dimensions, using publicly available information from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) as a representative example.
GPA and Academic Prerequisites
Minimum GPA: UNLV requires a 3.0 cumulative GPA for graduate admission. Many FNP programs in the state set a similar 3.0 floor, though competitive cohorts may see higher averages.
Prerequisite degree: A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from an accredited program is nearly universal. Some schools may consider RN-to-MSN pathways if you hold a non-nursing bachelor's, but the BSN remains the standard entry point.
Coursework: Common prerequisites include undergraduate statistics, health assessment, and pathophysiology. Check each school's website for exact lists, as they can differ.
RN Licensure and Clinical Experience
Active RN license: An unencumbered Nevada RN license (or eligibility for licensure by endorsement) is a non-negotiable requirement across all programs.
Years of experience: Policies diverge here. UNLV does not mandate a specific number of years of bedside experience, though applicants should present a strong clinical background. Other programs may prefer or require one to two years of full-time RN work before applying. Confirm the policy of each school directly.
Standardized Test Policies
GRE/MAT: UNLV has dropped the GRE and MAT requirement for its MSN and DNP tracks. This reflects a broader trend in graduate nursing education, where many programs have waived standardized testing in favor of holistic review. Always verify the current policy, as test requirements can be reinstated or changed between application cycles.
Application Materials and Unique Requirements
Personal statement: A well-crafted essay explaining your goals and fit for the advanced practice role is standard. UNLV requires a personal statement as part of the application packet.
Letters of recommendation: Three letters are typical; UNLV asks for three, often from academic and professional references.
Interview: Some programs include an interview stage. UNLV uses a video interview to assess communication skills and motivation. Be prepared to articulate your understanding of the NP scope of practice.
Since requirements evolve, always consult the program's official admissions page before applying. A checklist approach, comparing GPA, test policies, essays, and interviews across your shortlisted schools, will streamline the process and reduce last-minute surprises.
Clinical Hours & Rotation Details by Program
Clinical hour requirements for nurse practitioner programs are settling into a fairly narrow range, but differences in preceptor placement support can dramatically affect how smoothly your training proceeds. In Nevada, the two MSN-FNP programs that publish specific clinical hour totals differ by just 25 hours, yet their placement policies could lead to very different experiences depending on your location and professional network.
UNLV MSN/FNP: 500 Hours, Local Placement Guarantee
UNLV’s Master of Science in Nursing , Family Nurse Practitioner track requires 500 clinical practicum hours.1 The school guarantees clinical placement for students within the local Las Vegas area.2 If you plan to complete rotations outside the region, you will need to secure your own preceptor. Detailed settings for rotations are not publicly specified1, so ask program advisors about the mix of primary care, urgent care, and specialty environments typically arranged.
Roseman University MSN/FNP: 525 Hours, Student-Secured Preceptors
Roseman University’s MSN/FNP program requires 525 clinical hours.1 Unlike UNLV, Roseman places the responsibility on students to identify and secure their own preceptors, though the school reviews and must approve each one.1 Rotation settings are not detailed publicly.1
Other Nevada NP Programs
University of Nevada, Reno and Touro University Nevada also offer nurse practitioner pathways, but specific clinical hour totals and preceptor placement information were not publicly available at the time of writing. Contact those programs directly for the latest details.
Questions to Ask Every Program
Even when rotation details aren’t spelled out on a website, a call to the clinical placement coordinator can clarify whether you’ll walk into a ready-made schedule or need to build one from scratch. Typical FNP placements span primary care, pediatrics, women’s health, and community health, but the exact breakdown varies. Ask not only about total hours but about any required sub-specialty hours, the process for preceptor approval, and what backup support exists if a preceptor falls through.
How Do Nevada NP Programs Perform on Certification Exams?
Certification exam pass rates are a direct measure of how well a program prepares nurse practitioners for practice. Among Nevada schools, only the University of Nevada, Las Vegas publishes FNP certification results. The Nevada State Board of Nursing tracks NCLEX pass rates for pre-licensure programs, not advanced practice certification exams. National average first-time pass rates on AANP and ANCC exams generally range between 80% and 90%, making UNLV's 100% rate a standout figure.
Nurse Practitioner Salary and Career Outcomes in Nevada
The Bureau of Labor Statistics did not publish nurse practitioner wage data for Nevada in its latest release, making direct salary comparisons challenging. The table below shows earnings for other key nursing roles in the state to give a sense of the broader compensation landscape for advanced practice and registered nursing careers.
Occupation
Median Annual Wage
25th Percentile
75th Percentile
Mean Annual Wage
Registered Nurses
$101,990
$82,870
$114,690
$102,280
Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary
$84,660
$63,070
$97,040
$86,640
Medical and Health Services Managers
$106,240
$83,790
$139,010
$124,690
How to Become a Nurse Practitioner in Nevada
Nevada is a full practice authority state, so NPs can practice independently after licensure. The journey from RN to APRN follows a clear sequence of education, exams, and state applications.
Frequently Asked Questions About NP Programs in Nevada
Choosing the right nurse practitioner program in Nevada means balancing cost, format, and long-term career goals. The questions below reflect what aspiring NPs commonly ask, with answers grounded in the program rankings, salary data, and state regulations covered throughout this article.
While "best" depends on your specialty and schedule, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) and the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) consistently appear among top-ranked programs in the state. UNLV offers a respected Family Nurse Practitioner track with strong local clinical partnerships. Touro University Nevada also receives high marks for its hybrid option and graduate outcomes, as detailed in the rankings above.
Most full-time MSN-NP programs in Nevada take two to three years to complete, while part-time or bridge programs (RN to MSN) can extend to four years. Post-master's certificate tracks often finish in 12 to 18 months. The timeline also depends on your prior degree and chosen specialty, as covered in the program length comparison earlier in this guide.
Yes, several Nevada schools offer hybrid or primarily online coursework with in-person clinical placements. Touro University Nevada's FNP program blends online classes with on-campus intensives, while UNR provides a distance-accessible post-master's certificate. Fully online didactic courses are common, but all programs require supervised clinical hours at approved Nevada sites.
Total tuition for an MSN-NP in Nevada ranges roughly from $25,000 to $60,000 depending on residency, public vs. private institution, and program length. Per-credit rates at state universities are lower for in-state students. The tuition and cost comparison table breaks down exact per-credit rates, fees, and estimated total costs across programs for side-by-side planning.
Yes. Nevada is a full practice authority state, meaning NPs can evaluate, diagnose, treat, and prescribe without a supervisory agreement with a physician. This independence expands job opportunities and income potential, especially in rural areas. For a detailed explanation of scope-of-practice benefits, see the dedicated section earlier in this article.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual wage for nurse practitioners in the Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise metropolitan area is approximately $135,000, which is slightly above the Nevada state average. Salaries vary by setting: hospital-based NPs often earn more than those in outpatient clinics. The salary table provides full breakdowns by experience and location.
Most accredited NP programs in Nevada require a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Competitive applicants often present GPAs of 3.5 or higher, especially for popular FNP tracks. Some programs may consider a lower GPA with strong professional experience or a higher GPA in nursing core courses, as noted in the admission requirements section.
