4 Schools • 1 Online • 1 Hybrid • 2 Campus
Four Massachusetts schools offer pediatric nurse practitioner programs. All four prepare nurses for pediatric primary care, and Northeastern is the only one that also offers acute care and dual primary/acute preparation. Pathways include MSN, BSN-to-DNP, MSN-to-DNP, and post-graduate certificates, plus direct-entry routes for non-nurses at three schools. Regis is the only fully online option; Mass General Brigham is hybrid, and Boston College and Northeastern are campus-based. Estimated tuition runs from about $22K for a certificate to $187K for a direct-entry master’s.
Highlights include:
- Regis is the only fully online option, with 800 clinical hours in every pathway
- Northeastern is the only school with acute care and dual primary/acute tracks
- Mass General Brigham secures every clinical placement from a network of more than 800 sites
- Boston College offers six entry routes, including ADN and non-nursing bachelor’s entry
- Three schools admit non-nurses through direct-entry master’s programs
Compare Massachusetts Pediatric NP Programs
| School | Population Focus | Online Format | Campus Commitment | Cost Per Credit | Degrees | Best For |
| Boston College, Chestnut Hill | Primary Care | Campus | Weekly | $1,952 | MSN, BSN-DNP | In-person study with school-matched preceptors |
| Mass General Brigham University of Health Professions, Boston | Primary Care | Hybrid | Weekly | $1,786 MSN; $1,458 certificate | MSN, Certificate | Boston-area students who want every placement arranged |
| Northeastern University, Boston | Primary, Acute & Dual | Campus | Not clearly stated | $1,995 | MSN, Certificate | Nurses seeking acute care or dual credentials |
| Regis College, Weston | Primary Care | Online | None for RN entry | $1,061 | MSN, BSN-DNP, MSN-DNP, Certificate | Working RNs who need online study at the lowest rate |
Cost per credit includes mandatory per-credit fees where a school charges them.
What’s the Best PNP Program for You?
Best Overall Value
Regis College charges the lowest per-credit rate among the supplied Massachusetts programs and builds 800 clinical hours into every pathway, from ADN entry to post-master’s certificate. RN-entry students finish coursework without a campus visit.
Best Acute Care Option
Northeastern University is the only school in this comparison with acute care preparation. It reaches every starting point: a dual MSN for BSN nurses, acute or dual CAGS for MSN holders, and a 16-credit acute care certificate for certified primary care NPs.
Best for Faculty-Arranged Clinicals
Mass General Brigham places every student through Mass General Brigham hospitals and affiliated partners, so no one hunts for a pediatric preceptor. The tradeoff is weekly class attendance in Boston.
Best Doctoral Option
Boston College pairs a 1,000-hour BSN-to-DNP with school-matched Boston preceptors, and ADN-prepared RNs can bridge into the same DNP. Regis offers a lower-cost online DNP for nurses outside the Boston area.
Primary Care vs. Acute Care PNP Programs in Massachusetts
Primary care PNPs handle well-child visits, preventive care, and common illness in outpatient, school-based, and ambulatory settings. Acute care PNPs treat hospitalized, medically complex, and critically ill children. In Massachusetts, primary care is available at all four schools, while acute care is limited to Northeastern as a standalone or dual track.
| School | Primary Care | Acute Care | Dual Option | Experience Requirement |
| Boston College | Yes | No | No | None stated |
| Mass General Brigham | Yes | No | No | None stated |
| Northeastern University | Yes | Yes | Yes | None stated; acute care certificate requires PNP or FNP certification |
| Regis College | Yes | No | No | None stated |
- Acute care access: Northeastern — the only in-state acute care and dual route, with no PICU or acute pediatric experience requirement listed for the MSN or CAGS.
- Arranged placements: Mass General Brigham and Boston College — MGB secures every site and BC program directors match each student with a preceptor, both within Boston-area networks that require reliable local transport.
- Shared placement search: Regis — students help find sites for all 800 hours, with clinical coordinators offering added support.
- Placement responsibility: Northeastern — names Boston-area pediatric affiliations but does not state who secures the site and preceptor ⚠️.
Massachusetts MSN PNP Programs
All four schools offer a pediatric MSN. Boston College, Mass General Brigham, and Regis add direct-entry routes for applicants without a nursing degree, and Boston College and Regis accept ADN-prepared RNs without a separate BSN. All four are private schools that charge one rate regardless of residency. Mass General Brigham figures include its per-credit and program fees.
| School | Entry Point | Population Focus | Estimated Tuition (resident) | Duration | Clinical Hours |
| Boston College | BSN or non-APRN MSN | Primary Care | $94K | 2 years | 500 hrs |
| Boston College | ADN | Primary Care | $94K + bridge | 2 years after bridge | 500 hrs |
| Boston College | Non-nursing bachelor’s | Primary Care | $187K | About 3 years | 500 hrs |
| Mass General Brigham | BSN | Primary Care | $91K | 2 years | 675 hrs (est.) |
| Mass General Brigham | Non-nursing bachelor’s | Primary Care | $183K | 3 years | 675 hrs (est.) |
| Northeastern University | BSN | Primary Care | $82K | 2–3 years | Not clearly stated ⚠️ |
| Northeastern University | BSN | Dual Primary/Acute | $104K | 2–3 years | Not clearly stated |
| Regis College | BSN | Primary Care | $51K | 28 months | 800 hrs |
| Regis College | ADN, or RN with non-nursing bachelor’s | Primary Care | $67K–$70K | 36 months | 800 hrs |
| Regis College | Non-nursing bachelor’s | Primary Care | $102K | 24–36 months | 800 hrs |
- Lowest MSN cost: Regis — the BSN-entry MSN costs about $31K less than Northeastern’s primary care MSN, the next-lowest option.
- Tuition conflict: Northeastern — the bursar lists a $1,061 online MS rate that would put the primary care MSN near $44K if it applies, while the university’s own estimate uses $1,995 .
- NCLEX deadline: Mass General Brigham — direct-entry students must pass the NCLEX-RN before the first pediatric theory course or face a leave of absence or withdrawal.
- Limited start options: Mass General Brigham and Northeastern — MGB’s pediatric track is full-time only with a fall start, and Northeastern admits once a year with a July 1 deadline.
Want a fully online MSN with school-arranged placements? Compare BSN-to-MSN PNP programs nationally. ADN-prepared nurses can also compare RN-to-MSN PNP programs, keeping in mind that out-of-state schools set their own rules on enrolling and placing Massachusetts students.
Massachusetts BSN-to-DNP PNP Programs
Boston College and Regis offer pediatric primary care BSN-to-DNP programs, Boston College on campus and Regis online. Boston College also runs an ADN-to-DNP route with bridge coursework set by portfolio review. No Massachusetts school offers a DNP with acute care preparation. Clinical hours below include DNP project and practicum hours on top of the pediatric NP hours.
| School | Entry Point | Population Focus | Estimated Tuition (resident) | Duration | Clinical Hours |
| Boston College | BSN | Primary Care | $142K | Not clearly stated | 1,000 hrs |
| Boston College | ADN | Primary Care | $142K + bridge | Not clearly stated | 1,000 hrs |
| Regis College | BSN | Primary Care | $80K | 40 months | 1,300 hrs |
- Cost gap: Regis — costs about $62K less than Boston College, and students receive the MSN mid-program so they can sit for boards before finishing the DNP.
- Direct care hours: Boston College — at least 750 of its 1,000 hours are direct patient care, with the rest tied to the DNP project.
- ADN entry conflict: Boston College — the catalog opens the ADN-to-DNP route to associate-degree RNs, but the program page lists a nursing master’s among its eligibility rules ⚠️.
Need acute care at the doctoral level? Compare BSN-to-DNP PNP programs nationally, and confirm that each school enrolls and places Massachusetts residents.
Massachusetts MSN-to-DNP PNP Programs
Regis is the only Massachusetts school with a post-master’s DNP carrying the pediatric specialization. It accepts MSN-prepared nurses who are not yet NPs and practicing NPs adding pediatrics, and both groups complete the full pediatric sequence plus DNP coursework online. Boston College’s DNP admits master’s-prepared nurses, but through its 73-credit post-baccalaureate plan rather than a separate post-master’s track.
| School | Entry Point | Population Focus | Estimated Tuition (resident) | Duration | Clinical Hours |
| Regis College | Non-NP MSN or certified NP | Primary Care | $67K–$80K | 36 months | 1,300 hrs |
- Second specialty: Regis — NPs adding pediatrics must show current NP certification and still complete the 800-hour pediatric sequence.
- Credit range: Regis — the plan runs 63 to 75 credits depending on transcript review, because the program page and catalog publish different totals.
Want acute care or a second post-master’s DNP option? Compare MSN-to-DNP PNP programs nationally; authorization and clinical placement for Massachusetts students vary by school.
Massachusetts Post-Graduate Certificate PNP Programs
Three schools offer post-graduate PNP certificates. Northeastern has the widest range, with primary care, acute care, and dual CAGS options for MSN-prepared nurses plus a short acute care certificate for certified NPs. Mass General Brigham’s certificate serves MSN-prepared RNs who are not yet NPs, and Regis accepts both non-NP MSN holders and practicing NPs.
| School | Entry Point | Population Focus | Estimated Tuition (resident) | Duration | Clinical Hours |
| Mass General Brigham | Non-NP MSN | Primary Care | $45K–$58K | 2 years | 675 hrs (est.) |
| Northeastern University (CAGS) | MSN | Primary Care | $48K | 2 years | Not clearly stated |
| Northeastern University (CAGS) | MSN | Acute Care | $50K | 2 years | Not clearly stated |
| Northeastern University (CAGS) | MSN | Dual Primary/Acute | $66K | 2 years | Not clearly stated |
| Northeastern University (Certificate) | Certified primary care PNP or FNP | Acute Care | $32K | 2 terms (est.) | Not clearly stated |
| Regis College | MSN or certified NP | Primary Care | $22K–$41K | 14–20 months | 800 hrs |
- Shortest acute route: Northeastern — the 16-credit certificate requires prerequisite coursework from the past five years, or a year of full-time pediatric practice, which an FNP in a mixed-age practice may lack.
- Gap analysis: Mass General Brigham — the certificate runs 27 to 36 credits depending on prior pathophysiology, assessment, and pharmacology, and the catalog has no post-NP pediatric plan.
- Full hours for NPs: Regis — practicing NPs adding pediatrics still complete all 800 hours; the range reflects how much of the prior MSN transfers.
- CAGS prerequisites: Northeastern — MSN holders need advanced pharmacology, pathophysiology, and health assessment with a B or better before starting any CAGS.
Need an acute care certificate without Boston-area clinicals? Compare post-graduate certificate PNP programs nationally; out-of-state schools set their own policies on placing Massachusetts students.
National Online PNP Options
Massachusetts has wide entry points but few format and population choices. Four gaps send nurses to national programs:
- Fully online study: Regis College — the only fully online option, and students help find their own preceptors.
- Acute care: Northeastern University — the only acute care and dual option, with clinical sites in the Boston area.
- Acute care DNP: None in-state — no Massachusetts school offers a DNP with acute care preparation.
- Cost: Three of four schools — each charges more than $1,700 per credit for its master’s programs.
Before enrolling out of state, confirm that the school is authorized in Massachusetts and can place you with a local preceptor.
Boston College PNP Programs
Chestnut Hill | $1,952 cpc | BSN to DNP / BSN to MSN / RN to MSN
Boston College's Connell School of Nursing prepares pediatric primary care nurse practitioners (CPNP-PC) through six entry routes: BSN, non-APRN MSN, ADN, and non-nursing bachelor's routes to the MS, plus BSN and ADN routes to the DNP. Classes meet on the Chestnut Hill campus, and program directors match students with preceptors at Boston-area clinical partners. Graduate tuition is $1,952 per credit for 2026-2027... read more.
Mass General Brigham PNP Programs
Boston | $1,661 cpc | Certificate / BSN to MSN
Mass General Brigham University of Health Professions (formerly MGH Institute of Health Professions) offers three pediatric primary care NP pathways: a Direct-Entry MS for non-nurses, a post-BSN MS, and a post-MSN Certificate of Advanced Study. All are hybrid programs based in Boston, prepare graduates for the PNCB CPNP-PC exam, and include school-arranged clinical placements... read more.
Northeastern University PNP Programs
Boston | $1,995 cpc | Certificate / BSN to DNP / BSN to MSN
Northeastern University's School of Nursing offers six pediatric NP pathways: a BSN-to-MSN in primary care or dual acute and primary care, post-master's CAGS options in primary, acute, or dual care, and a 16-credit acute care certificate for certified primary care PNPs and FNPs... read more.
Regis College Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Programs
Weston | $1,061 cpc | Certificate / BSN to DNP / MSN to DNP / BSN to MSN / RN to MSN
Regis College's Young School of Nursing offers pediatric primary care NP preparation (CPNP-PC) through online BSN-to-MSN, RN-to-MSN, BSN-to-DNP, MSN-to-DNP, and post-master's certificate pathways, plus a direct-entry MSN for non-nurses that begins on the Weston campus. Every pathway requires 800 clinical hours, students help find their own preceptors, and tuition is $1,061 per credit... read more.
FAQ
How many PNP programs are in Massachusetts?
Four schools offer pediatric nurse practitioner programs: Boston College, Mass General Brigham University of Health Professions, Northeastern University, and Regis College. Together they cover MSN, BSN-to-DNP, MSN-to-DNP, and post-graduate certificate pathways, and three of them also admit non-nurses through direct-entry master’s programs.
Are any Massachusetts PNP programs fully online?
Regis is the only fully online option for licensed RNs; its direct-entry pathway starts with a full-time campus phase in Weston. Mass General Brigham is hybrid, with classes one to two days a week in Boston. Boston College is campus-based, and Northeastern’s program pages list its pathways as on-ground in Boston, though its catalog labels some primarily online.
Which Massachusetts schools offer pediatric acute care?
Only Northeastern. BSN-prepared RNs can take the dual MSN, MSN-prepared nurses can choose an acute care or dual CAGS, and certified primary care PNPs and FNPs can add acute care through a 16-credit certificate. Northeastern states that acute care graduates are eligible for the PNCB CPNP-AC exam, and dual graduates for both CPNP-AC and CPNP-PC.
Do Massachusetts PNP programs arrange clinical placements?
Two do. Mass General Brigham secures every placement, and Boston College program directors match each student with a Boston-area preceptor. Regis students share responsibility for finding sites, with help from clinical coordinators. Northeastern names affiliations such as Boston Children’s Hospital and Boston Medical Center but does not say who secures preceptors.
Which program has the lowest estimated tuition?
Regis has the lowest estimated tuition among the supplied programs: about $51K for the BSN-entry MSN and $22K–$41K for the post-master’s certificate. At the high end, Boston College’s direct-entry MSN runs about $187K. All four schools are private, so Massachusetts and out-of-state students pay the same rate.
Do I need pediatric RN experience to apply?
None of the four schools lists pediatric RN experience as an admission requirement, including Northeastern’s acute care and dual tracks. The exception is Northeastern’s acute care certificate, which requires current primary care PNP or FNP certification plus recent pediatric coursework or a year of full-time pediatric practice.
Can nurses outside Massachusetts enroll?
Regis is the practical choice for nurses who plan to stay outside Massachusetts, though it advises checking home-state licensure rules before enrolling. Boston College and Mass General Brigham require weekly campus attendance, and Northeastern’s named clinical sites are all in the Boston area, so out-of-state applicants to those three should plan to relocate.