The University of Michigan School of Nursing in Ann Arbor offers 1 Pediatric Nurse Practitioner pathway, available in two pacing plans:
- Master of Science in Nursing – Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (Primary Care), 2-year Digital Education plan
- Master of Science in Nursing – Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (Primary Care), 3-year Digital Education plan
Coursework is online with some synchronous sessions, plus an on-campus intensive in Ann Arbor of up to three days each term. U-M does not offer an acute care, DNP, or post-master’s certificate PNP pathway. The online program is not open to residents of 26 states and territories, including New York, Georgia, Colorado, Tennessee, and Missouri.
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition (Resident / Non-Resident) | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN – PC (2-yr) | $76K–$80K / $91K–$95K | 2 yrs | 43–45 |
| MSN – PC (3-yr) | $77K–$80K / $92K–$96K | 3 yrs (part-time) | 43–45 |
Tuition estimates apply U-M’s 2026-2027 Nursing Distance Learning rates (first credit each term $1,931 resident / $2,280 non-resident; each additional credit $1,746 / $2,095) to the plan-of-study credit range, assuming six terms for the 2-year plan and nine for the 3-year plan.
- Why choose it: a University of Michigan pediatric primary care MSN without relocating, with a distance-learning rate that keeps non-residents within about $15,000 of Michigan residents.
- Trade-off: the highest tuition among Michigan PNP programs on this site, an Ann Arbor intensive every term, no published placement policy, and enrollment closed in 26 states and territories.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | BSN to MSN only (2-year or 3-year plan) |
| Population Focus | Primary Care (CPNP-PC); no acute care option |
| Format | Mostly Online: online coursework, on-campus intensive up to 3 days each term |
| Clinical Hours | 560 across three practicum courses |
| Clinical Placement | Completed near home; who arranges preceptors is not published |
| RN License | Valid RN license in the state where clinicals take place, before the first term |
| RN Experience | No minimum published; no pediatric experience requirement |
| Start Term | Fall (Fall 2027 is the only entry term listed) |
| Enrollment Limits | Not offered in 26 states and territories; U.S. location required; no F-1, J-1, or TN visas |
| Tuition | $1,746–$1,931/credit resident; $2,095–$2,280/credit non-resident (2026-2027) |
| Accreditation | CCNE (nursing); Higher Learning Commission (institution) |
MSN – Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
The estimated tuition for the Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PCPNP) MSN at the University of Michigan is approximately $77,934 for Michigan residents and $93,290 for non-residents (44 credits over six terms at the 2026-2027 distance learning rates). The program can be completed in about two years on the 2-year plan or three years on the 3-year plan. Both plans prepare BSN-prepared RNs for pediatric primary care practice; neither leads to acute care certification.
MSN Curriculum
Both plans cover the same courses; the 3-year plan spreads them across more terms. Year one builds the advanced practice core, including two semesters of pharmacotherapeutics taught through the College of Pharmacy and a graduate biostatistics course. Year two moves into the pediatric sequence and the three practicums.
Two features stand out. A 1-credit procedures and skills course covers diagnostic and therapeutic procedures before the practicums begin. A separate course on child health across multiple settings integrates well, acute, and chronic care, which gives some exposure beyond the outpatient clinic even though the credential is primary care. The plan also requires an interprofessional education elective of variable credit, which explains the 43–45 credit range.
Selected Courses
- NURS 502 – Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology (4)
- NURS 503 – Advanced Health Assessment (4)
- PHARMACY 620 and 621 – Pharmacotherapeutics I and II (3 each)
- HS 700 – Biostatistics for Clinical Practice (3)
- NURS 555 – Advanced Practice Procedures and Skills (1)
- NURS 557 – Child Health and Wellness (4)
- NURS 617 – Child Health Across Multiple Settings (3)
- NURS 560, 589, and 670 – PNP Clinical Practicum I, Advanced PNP Clinical Practicum, and PNP Clinical Practicum III
- Interprofessional Education elective (1–3)
More curriculum details are available in the 2-year plan and the 3-year plan.
MSN Clinical Requirements
- 560 supervised clinical hours: NURS 560 (112), NURS 589 (224), and NURS 670 (224)
- Settings: well-child care, minor acute illness, and ongoing care of children with chronic conditions
- Location: clinicals completed near the student’s home, in a state where U-M is authorized
- Placement responsibility: not published on U-M’s program or Digital Education pages
- On-campus intensive in Ann Arbor each term, up to three days, for skills, assessments, and clinical meetings
Five hundred sixty hours clears the 500-hour PNCB minimum but sits below the 600–750 hours common in single-population PNP programs. It is 60 hours more than Spring Arbor’s 500. Most of the hours fall in the second year, so expect two heavy practicum terms of roughly 15 or more clinical hours a week.
U-M does not publish whether it arranges preceptors or expects students to find them. Pediatric primary care preceptors are scarce in many regions, so treat placement as an open question until you have it in writing.
MSN Admissions
There is no RN experience minimum, but the process includes a required video assessment, a possible faculty interview, and a single fall intake.
- BSN from a CCNE, ACEN, or NLN CNEA-accredited program, conferred before the first term
- Minimum 3.0 GPA in nursing bachelor’s credits; lower GPAs reviewed case by case
- Valid RN license in the state where clinicals will take place, before the first term
- No GRE; no minimum RN or pediatric experience
- Three recommendations through NursingCAS; master’s-prepared nurse recommenders preferred
- Personal statement up to 700 words, with extra length for online applicants to address managing online study
- Resume, two pages maximum
- Kira Talent one-way video assessment, completed before submitting
- Live virtual interview at faculty discretion, scheduled for late January or early April
- Application fee: $90 through NursingCAS
- Deadlines: priority December 1, 2026, and regular March 1, 2027, for Fall 2027 entry
- Applicants must live in the U.S. for the whole program; F-1, J-1, and TN visa holders are not eligible
Apply by the December 1 priority deadline if you can. Priority applicants hear back starting in mid-February, and missing the fall start costs a full year.
Tuition
Estimated tuition runs from about $76,000 for a Michigan resident to about $96,000 for a non-resident, depending on credits and plan length.
| Program | Est. Resident | Est. Non-Resident |
|---|---|---|
| MSN – PC (2-yr) | $76,188–$79,680 | $91,195–$95,385 |
| MSN – PC (3-yr) | $76,743–$80,235 | $91,750–$95,940 |
Calculated from U-M’s 2026-2027 Nursing Distance Learning rates, not university-published program totals. Term counts are assumed.
U-M bills distance learning nursing students per term, not at a single per-credit rate. Each term’s first credit costs $1,931 (resident) or $2,280 (non-resident), and each additional credit costs $1,746 or $2,095. The flat full-time rate applies only at 12 or more credits a term, which neither plan appears to reach.
Fees Beyond Tuition
- Mandatory university fees: about $247 per full term ($80 registration, $75 recreation and wellness, $65 facilities, plus student government and legal services); half that for half terms
- Travel and lodging for an Ann Arbor intensive every term, up to three days each
- $90 application fee
Key Cost Takeaways
- The non-resident distance learning rate is $2,095 per additional credit, versus $3,571 for U-M’s on-campus nursing master’s. That gap is worth roughly $66,000 over the program.
- The 3-year plan costs only a few hundred dollars more in tuition, but adds a year of per-term fees and more trips to Ann Arbor.
- Intensive travel is the largest unbudgeted cost. Six to nine trips is realistic for students outside Michigan.
- Earlier estimates of about $66,000 resident were based on a 2025-2026 full-time cap that the 2026-2027 schedule sets at 12 credits for distance learning. Most PNP terms fall below that, so part-time rates apply.
- Rates are set each year, so later terms will likely cost more.
U-M is the most expensive Michigan PNP option on this site, roughly double Spring Arbor’s BSN-entry MSN. Its pricing is unusual in one respect: the online rate removes most of the out-of-state penalty that public universities usually charge. See U-M’s tuition and fees page for current rates.
Why Choose This PNP Program?
Best suited for: BSN-prepared RNs in an authorized state who want a pediatric primary care MSN from a major research university, can travel to Ann Arbor each term, and are confident they can secure pediatric clinical sites near home.
A Smaller Out-of-State Penalty
Most public universities charge non-residents close to double. U-M’s distance learning rate adds about $15,000 over the whole MSN. For a nurse in Ohio, Illinois, or Pennsylvania, that makes U-M more competitive than its sticker price suggests.
Two Pacing Plans, Same Curriculum
The 3-year plan uses the same courses and hours as the 2-year plan, at nearly the same tuition. It suits nurses who plan to keep working full-time, especially through the practicum year.
Campus Contact Every Term
The per-term intensives give faculty direct time to check physical exam and procedural skills. That is more in-person contact than programs with a single residency. It is a benefit for some students and a travel burden for others.
Potential Drawbacks
- Not offered in 26 states and territories, including New York, Georgia, Colorado, Tennessee, Missouri, and Washington
- Highest estimated tuition among Michigan PNP programs on this site
- Ann Arbor intensive every term, up to three days each
- No published policy on who arranges clinical placements
- Primary care only; no acute care, dual, DNP, or post-master’s PNP pathway
- 560 clinical hours, below the 600–750 common in single-population programs
- Fall entry only
The Verdict
U-M makes the most sense for an out-of-state nurse in an authorized state who wants a large research university’s pediatric primary care MSN and can handle regular travel to Ann Arbor. For that student, the distance learning rate narrows the usual cost gap.
Michigan residents focused on cost should compare Spring Arbor University, at about half the tuition. Nurses who want acute care, a DNP, or program-arranged placements should compare Wayne State University.
Accreditation
U-M’s master’s nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), and the university is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. U-M’s PNP pages do not name a certification exam; the pathway is primary care only, so the matching credential is the PNCB CPNP-PC.
U-M is an NC-SARA member, but as of August 1, 2026, its online NP programs are approved in only part of the country. Check U-M’s Digital Education page for your state before applying; moving to an unapproved state mid-program can block clinical placement.
Other PNP Programs in Michigan
- Spring Arbor University – Spring Arbor
- Wayne State University – Detroit