The University of Iowa College of Nursing prepares pediatric nurse practitioners only through the Doctor of Nursing Practice and post-graduate certificates, with seven pathways across primary care and acute care:
- BSN to DNP – Primary Care, CPNP-PC
- BSN to DNP – Acute Care, CPNP-AC
- BSN to DNP (Dual Certification) – Dual PC/AC, CPNP-PC and CPNP-AC
- MSN to DNP – Primary Care or Acute Care, CPNP-PC or CPNP-AC
- Post-APRN to DNP – DNP completion for certified NPs, no new credential
- Post-Graduate Certificate – Primary Care, CPNP-PC
- Post-Graduate Certificate – Acute Care, CPNP-AC
All pathways are hybrid. Most coursework is online, but the college delivers its nurse practitioner didactic courses on site in Iowa City, scheduled so students attend campus one day a week. The college arranges every clinical placement, and all clinical hours must be completed in Iowa with an Iowa-based preceptor.
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition (Resident) | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| BSN-DNP – PC | $80K–$92K | 3 yrs (4 part-time) | 75–77 |
| BSN-DNP – AC | $83K–$93K | 3 yrs (4 part-time) | 75–78 |
| BSN-DNP – Dual | $107K–$108K (est.) | 4 yrs | 95–101 |
| MSN-DNP – PC/AC | $55K–$67K (est.) | 2–3 yrs (est.) | 45–55 (est.) |
| Post-APRN DNP | $49K | 2–3 yrs | 40 |
| Cert – PC | $13.7K | 1–2 yrs | 20 |
| Cert – AC | $14.4K | 1–2 yrs | 21 |
Tuition estimates apply the University of Iowa’s 2026-2027 DNP tuition schedule to each semester of the college’s published plans of study: $1,227 per credit for residents, with a flat $11,035.50 per semester at 9 or more credits. Non-resident costs are in the Tuition section. Certificates use the 2026-2027 graduate distance rate of $687 per credit for all students. Mandatory fees are excluded. Rows marked (est.) rest on credit loads the university does not publish.
Iowa offers pediatric primary care, pediatric acute care, and a dual PC/AC plan from the same BSN entry point, all at the doctoral level. The acute care track requires a year of inpatient pediatric acute care RN experience before admission, while the primary care track accepts new graduates. In every track, the college finds the clinical sites and preceptors rather than leaving that to the student.
That structure comes with geographic limits. Clinical hours must be completed in Iowa, didactic NP courses meet on campus in Iowa City one day a week (Wednesdays during the clinical year), and there is no MSN exit for BSN-prepared nurses. The program fits nurses who live in or near Iowa and want a doctorate. It does not fit a nurse outside the state who needs a fully online option.
Iowa trains pediatric NPs in primary care, acute care, or both at the doctoral level, with college-arranged Iowa placements and a weekly Iowa City class day.
Quick Facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Population Focus | BSN-DNP: Primary Care (CPNP-PC), Acute Care (CPNP-AC), or Dual PC/AC. Certificates: PC or AC |
| Format | Hybrid: online coursework plus on-site NP didactic courses one day a week in Iowa City |
| Clinical Hours | BSN-DNP: 1,000 (PC) or 1,090 (AC) practice hours, including 630 or 720 direct practicum hours |
| Clinical Placement | Arranged by the College of Nursing; students do not find their own sites |
| Clinical Locations | Iowa only; travel up to 100 miles, farther where providers are scarce |
| RN Experience Required | Acute care: one year of inpatient pediatric acute care. Primary care: none |
| Class Size | Maximum 24 per track |
| Start Term | Fall; applications reviewed once a year |
| Application Deadline | Feb. 1 |
| GPA | 3.00 minimum (3.50 for dual certification) |
| Tuition (2026-2027) | $1,227 per credit resident (DNP) |
| Accreditation | CCNE; approved by the Iowa Board of Nursing |
Clinical Education
The same placement model applies to every Iowa pediatric pathway.
- The College of Nursing arranges all clinical placements, taking into account where students live
- Clinicals must be completed in Iowa, and the preceptor is expected to be in Iowa
- Students should expect to travel up to 100 miles to a preceptor, and farther in areas with few pediatric providers
- Each clinical sequence runs as three consecutive practicum courses from fall through summer
- Weekly hours can be concentrated into blocks where the schedule allows
The college’s own guidance is to divide each practicum’s hours by 15 weeks in fall and spring and by 10 weeks in summer. On the BSN-DNP plans, that works out to about 18 hours a week in every acute care practicum term, and about 12 hours a week in the first primary care term rising to 18 in spring and summer. Those hours sit on top of the Wednesday campus day, and the college’s FAQ says most students find a regular work schedule very difficult during the clinical year.
College-arranged placement removes the preceptor search that many pediatric programs leave to students. The in-state rule is the other side of it: a nurse living outside Iowa cannot complete clinicals near home.
General DNP Admissions
The BSN-DNP, dual, and MSN-DNP routes share one application through the Graduate College.
- Bachelor’s or advanced degree in nursing from a CCNE- or NLNAC-accredited program
- Active nursing license (primary care applicants graduating in the fall or spring before entry may apply before licensure)
- Cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher; 3.50 for dual certification
- Acute care only: one year as an RN in an inpatient pediatric acute care setting
- Three recommendations on university forms, résumé, goal statement, statement of disclosure, and supplemental form
- Official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate coursework
- MSN-prepared applicants to direct-care tracks: verification of completed clinical hours or course syllabi
- No GRE
- Criminal background check upon admission
- Deadline Feb. 1; applications reviewed once a year
Two rules can cost a full year. The college reviews applications once annually with a Feb. 1 deadline, so a missed deadline means waiting for the next cycle. International students who need F-1, F-2, or J-1 status are ineligible because of the amount of web-based coursework.
BSN to DNP: Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Primary Care
The BSN-to-DNP Pediatric Nurse Practitioner-Primary Care track costs an estimated $80,000 to $92,000 in tuition for Iowa residents and $145,000 to $169,000 for non-residents, depending on whether the 3-year or 4-year plan is followed. The college’s plan totals 77 credits and 1,000 practice hours. It prepares primary care PNPs (CPNP-PC) for ambulatory and community settings and does not require prior RN experience.
A published conflict worth knowing about. The 2026-2027 University of Iowa catalog sets the PNP-PC subprogram at 75 semester hours, using an older course set (for example, NURS:6450 Managing Common Conditions in Pediatric Primary Care). The College of Nursing’s current plans of study total 77 credits using newer courses such as NURS:6100 and NURS:6101 Primary Care: Infants, Children, and Adolescents I and II, which the certificate catalog also uses. The catalog’s course list sums correctly to 75, so this page treats 75 as the official degree minimum. It uses the college’s 77-credit plan for scheduling and tuition because only the plan gives semester loads; pricing 75 credits would lower resident tuition by about $2,450.
Primary Care Curriculum
The plan moves through a graduate core (leadership, epidemiology, evidence, quality and safety, health policy, social determinants), then the advanced practice sciences, then a pediatric primary care sequence paired with three practicums in the final year. A four-semester DNP project begins in the second fall. Unlike the acute care plan, it includes a mental disorders course and a primary care procedures course.
- Pathophysiology for Advanced Clinical Practice (4)
- Health Promotion and Assessment for Advanced Clinical Practice (4)
- Pharmacotherapeutics for Advanced Clinical Practice (3)
- Mental Disorders in Advanced Practice (3)
- Advanced Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures for Primary Care (1)
- Graduate Pharmacology Specialty (3)
- Primary Care: Infants, Children, and Adolescents I and II (3 each)
- Advanced Practice Clinical Practicum I, II, III (3, 4, 3)
- Doctor of Nursing Practice Project I-IV (2, 1, 1, 1)
See the PNP-PC plans of study and the DNP catalog entry.
Primary Care Clinical Requirements
- 1,000 total practice hours: 630 direct practicum hours plus 370 DNP project hours
- Practicum I: 180 hours (fall); Practicum II: 270 hours (spring); Practicum III: 180 hours (summer)
- DNP Project I-IV: 148, 74, 74, and 74 hours
- Catalog minimum for all DNP students: 1,000 practice experience hours
- Placement arranged by the college, in Iowa
At 630 direct hours, the primary care track sits within the usual 600-750 range for a single pediatric population and above the 500-hour certification floor. The 1,000-hour total includes DNP project hours, so it should not be compared directly with MSN programs that report direct care hours only.
Primary Care Admissions
No RN experience is required. The college says new graduates can gain experience before classes start and during the first year, and applicants finishing their BSN in the fall or spring before entry can apply before holding a license. All other requirements are under General DNP Admissions above.
BSN to DNP: Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Acute Care
The BSN-to-DNP Pediatric Nurse Practitioner-Acute Care track costs an estimated $83,000 to $93,000 in tuition for Iowa residents and $156,000 to $175,000 for non-residents across the 3-year and 4-year plans. The college’s plan totals 78 credits and 1,090 practice hours. It prepares acute care PNPs (CPNP-AC) to manage acutely, critically, and chronically ill children, and applicants need one year of RN experience in an inpatient pediatric acute care setting before admission.
A published conflict worth knowing about. The 2026-2027 catalog lists the PNP-AC subprogram at 75 semester hours with an older course set (NURS:6320 and NURS:6330, Managing Common and Complex Conditions in Pediatric Acute Care). The college’s current plans total 78 credits using NURS:6400 and NURS:6401 Pediatric Acute Care I and II. This page treats 75 as the catalog minimum and uses the 78-credit plan for scheduling and tuition; pricing 75 credits would lower resident tuition by about $3,680.
Acute Care Curriculum
The acute care plan shares the graduate core, advanced sciences, and DNP project sequence with the primary care track. It replaces the primary care sequence with an acute care procedures course and two pediatric acute care didactic courses, and adds an essentials of pediatric primary care course in the second summer so acute care students still cover well-child content. Its first two practicums are 4 credits (270 hours) each, compared with 3 and 4 credits on the primary care plan.
- Pathophysiology for Advanced Clinical Practice (4)
- Health Promotion and Assessment for Advanced Clinical Practice (4)
- Pharmacotherapeutics for Advanced Clinical Practice (3)
- Essentials of Pediatric Primary Care: Infants, Children, Adolescents (3)
- Graduate Pharmacology Specialty (3)
- Advanced Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures for Acute Care (1)
- Acute Care: Pediatric I and II (3 each)
- Advanced Practice Clinical Practicum I, II, III (4, 4, 3)
- Doctor of Nursing Practice Project I-IV (2, 1, 1, 1)
See the PNP-AC plans of study.
Acute Care Clinical Requirements
- 1,090 total practice hours: 720 direct practicum hours plus 370 DNP project hours
- Practicum I: 270 hours (fall); Practicum II: 270 hours (spring); Practicum III: 180 hours (summer)
- About 18 clinical hours a week in each practicum term, using the college’s 15-week and 10-week guidance
- Placement arranged by the college, in Iowa
At 720 direct hours, the acute care track sits near the top of the 600-750 single-population range. The university does not name required settings such as PICU or pediatric emergency rotations, and all placements come from Iowa sites.
Acute Care Admissions
The acute care track is the only Iowa pediatric DNP pathway with an experience gate: one year as a registered nurse in an inpatient pediatric acute care environment. A new BSN graduate cannot enter this track directly, and because the requirement names inpatient pediatric acute care, adult critical care or outpatient pediatric experience does not match it as written. All other requirements are under General DNP Admissions above.
BSN to DNP: Dual Certification (Pediatric Primary Care and Acute Care)
The catalog lets BSN-to-DNP students add a second population subprogram, and the PNP-AC program page names PNP-AC with pediatric primary care as an example. The college’s dual certification sample plan runs four years at 95 to 101 credits, for an estimated $107,000 to $108,000 in resident tuition and $200,000 to $203,000 non-resident (est.), based on the sample plan’s semester loads. Graduates prepare for both CPNP-PC and CPNP-AC. Dual applicants need a 3.50 GPA, and because the plan includes the PNP-AC subprogram, applicants should plan on meeting its one-year inpatient pediatric acute care experience requirement.
The dual sample plan is a generic template labeled Track #1 and Track #2, and it uses course titles from the catalog’s older core. Several of its semester subtotals do not match the courses listed beneath them, so this page treats 95 to 101 credits as the college’s stated figure and the semester layout as approximate.
- Two full practicum sequences, one per population (six practicum courses)
- 1,080 to 1,350 direct practicum hours (est.), plus DNP project hours
- Placement arranged by the college, in Iowa
The hour estimate applies the college’s 180-hour (3-credit) and 270-hour (4-credit) practicum ratios to six practicums; the dual plan itself does not state hours.
MSN to DNP: Pediatric Primary Care or Acute Care
Nurses who hold an MSN without APRN certification and want to become pediatric NPs enter one of the PNP population subprograms, with approved MSN coursework applied toward the DNP. The catalog requires at least 39 credits at Iowa after admission. Because the 22-credit pediatric specialty sequence, the 13-credit advanced science core, and the 7-credit DNP project and seminar sequence are rarely covered by a non-APRN master’s, most students will likely need 45 to 55 credits (est.). At 2026-2027 rates that is roughly $55,000 to $67,000 for residents and $105,000 to $129,000 for non-residents (est.), over about 2 to 3 years (est.). It leads to CPNP-PC or CPNP-AC eligibility depending on the subprogram.
The estimate is based on the catalog’s course blocks and is consistent with the college’s own 2024-25 MSN-to-DNP totals ($52,875 to $54,065 resident, including fees, at the older rate). Each student’s credit requirement is set through transcript evaluation approved by the DNP program director and the Graduate College.
- Clinical: the same PNP practicum sequence and Iowa placement rules as the BSN-DNP tracks; approved MSN clinical hours may count toward the 1,000-hour DNP minimum
- Admissions: acute care applicants must meet the one-year inpatient pediatric acute care requirement, and all MSN applicants submit verification of completed clinical hours or syllabi
Post-APRN to DNP (DNP Completion)
Certified nurse practitioners with an MSN, including PNPs, join the catalog’s pathway subprogram, which requires 72 credits after the bachelor’s with up to 32 approved MSN credits applied. The college’s sample plan lists 40 credits over eight terms (fall of year one through spring of year three), for an estimated $49,000 resident and $72,000 non-resident. It adds the doctorate but no new population certification. A certified NP who wants to add pediatric acute or primary care takes a concurrent graduate certificate.
A published conflict worth knowing about. The PNP-AC program page describes this as a two-year program, while the sample plan spans eight consecutive terms. The college’s 2024-25 total for the post-APRN route ($35,898 resident) also implies fewer than 40 credits. This page uses the 40-credit sample plan because it is the only published course list for this route.
- Admission: MSN in a recognized APRN specialty, proof of certification, and the general DNP requirements
- Clinical: DNP practicum and project hours set with the advisor and DNP program director; students who completed more than 1,000 MSN hours still complete the DNP hours assigned to them
- Coursework: leadership, quality and safety, epidemiology and biostatistics, informatics, health policy, an elective, and the five-seminar DNP project sequence
Post-Graduate Certificate: Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Primary Care
The Pediatric Nurse Practitioner-Primary Care Graduate Certificate requires 20 credits and costs an estimated $13,740 in tuition for residents and non-residents alike. It is open only to APRNs with a master’s or doctorate who want to add pediatric primary care (CPNP-PC), and coursework and clinical hours are set by a gap analysis of prior training.
- Graduate Pharmacology Specialty (3)
- Advanced Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures for Primary Care (1)
- Primary Care: Infants, Children, and Adolescents I and II (3 each)
- Advanced Practice Clinical Practicum I, II, III (3, 4, 3)
Clinical hours: about 630 (est.), applying the DNP plan’s 180-hour and 270-hour practicum ratios to the certificate’s 3-, 4-, and 3-credit practicums. The catalog places the final practicum in the second year.
Post-Graduate Certificate: Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Acute Care
The Pediatric Nurse Practitioner-Acute Care Graduate Certificate requires 21 credits and costs an estimated $14,427 for all students. It lets a master’s- or doctorally prepared APRN add pediatric acute care (CPNP-AC). The certificate pages do not list the one-year inpatient pediatric experience requirement that the DNP acute care track carries.
- Graduate Pharmacology Specialty (3)
- Advanced Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures for Acute Care (1)
- Pediatric Acute Care I and II (3 each)
- Advanced Practice Clinical Practicum I, II, III (4, 4, 3)
Clinical hours: about 720 (est.), on the same basis as the primary care certificate.
A published conflict worth knowing about. The college’s 2026 post-graduate certificate sample plan shows 22 credits and three 250-hour practicums (750 hours) over five semesters, written generically for all clinical certificates. The catalog lists 21 credits for acute care and 20 for primary care. This page uses the catalog credit totals; in either case each student’s hours are set by gap analysis.
Certificate Admissions (Both Tracks)
- MSN or DNP with current APRN certification
- Minimum 3.0 GPA and graduation from an accredited program
- Copy of RN license and APRN certification card
- Goal statement, statement of disclosure, résumé, transcripts, and three recommendations on university forms
- Graduate non-degree application; deadline Feb. 1, with later applications considered as space allows
- Admission for a second APRN certification is available on a limited basis
- A 2.50 GPA must be maintained in certificate coursework
The certificates are not degree programs, so federal financial aid is not available. The certificate pages do not state a delivery format, but the college delivers its NP didactic courses on site and the certificates use the same specialty courses as the DNP plans, so certificate students should expect Iowa City attendance and the same in-state clinical rule. The PNP-AC program page describes the certificate as typically one year depending on the gap analysis, while the catalog and sample plan run into a second year.
Tuition
The University of Iowa bills DNP students on a College of Nursing DNP tuition schedule approved by the Board of Regents. For 2026-2027 the resident rate is $1,227 per credit, up from $1,191 in 2024-25 and 2025-26. Residents taking 9 or more credits pay a flat $11,035.50 per semester. Non-residents pay the resident rate up to 4 credits, $2,341 per credit from 5 to 8 credits, and a flat $21,068 at 9 or more.
The college’s PNP tuition pages still show 2024-25 totals (for example, $93,214 resident and $165,748 non-resident for the BSN-DNP acute care track), built on the older $1,191 rate and including fees. The college’s post-graduate certificate fee table is older still: its $626 per credit matches the 2023-24 graduate distance rate. The 2026-2027 rate is $687, which adds $1,281 to a 21-credit certificate. That table also lists 3 credits at $1,848, where $626 times 3 is $1,878.
Estimated Total Tuition
| Pathway | Resident | Non-Resident |
|---|---|---|
| BSN-DNP, Primary Care (3-yr / 4-yr) | $79,710 / $91,988 | $145,475 / $168,886 |
| BSN-DNP, Acute Care (3-yr / 4-yr) | $83,391 / $93,222 | $155,840 / $174,570 |
| BSN-DNP, Dual PC/AC | $106,696–$107,916 (est.) | $200,318–$202,658 (est.) |
| MSN-DNP, PC or AC | $55,215–$67,485 (est.) | $105,345–$128,755 (est.) |
| Post-APRN to DNP | $49,072 | $72,473 |
| Certificate, Primary Care | $13,740 | $13,740 |
| Certificate, Acute Care | $14,427 | $14,427 |
All figures are calculated by this site from 2026-2027 rates and the college’s plans of study rather than taken from university totals, and exclude mandatory fees.
Fees Beyond Tuition
- Mandatory fees on the DNP schedule: $1,063 per fall or spring semester at 9 or more credits, $797.50 at 4 to 8 credits, and $531.50 at 1 to 3 credits; summer fees run $531.50 to $691.75
- DNP distance-program schedule: technology fee only, $160.25 to $320.50 per semester
- Certificate technology fee: $99.75 to $199.50 per semester on the graduate distance schedule
- Interprofessional Skills and Team Based Healthcare II and III carry no tuition or registration, but require about 8 hours per semester
- Criminal background check required on admission
On the campus fee schedule, mandatory fees add about $8,100 over either 3-year BSN-DNP plan (est.), applying the 2026-2027 fee bands to each semester’s credit load.
- Residency changes the price more than any other choice: a non-resident pays nearly twice as much on every BSN-DNP plan
- The college’s FAQ says moving to Iowa solely to attend school results in non-resident tuition
- For residents, the 3-year plans cost about $10,000 to $12,000 less than the 4-year plans because more semesters reach the 9-credit flat rate
- Federal aid is not available for the certificates
Rates: University of Iowa tuition and fee tables.
Why Choose This PNP Program?
Best suited for: Iowa-based nurses who want a pediatric DNP with clinical placement handled for them, particularly RNs with inpatient pediatric experience aiming for acute care or dual certification.
Primary care, acute care, or both from one BSN entry
Iowa offers all three pediatric outcomes through the same DNP application, so a BSN nurse can pick the population that fits their practice or train for both over four years. The acute care experience gate means the choice often depends on the applicant’s current job.
Placements handled by the college, inside Iowa only
The college assigns every clinical site and preceptor, which removes the preceptor search many students face elsewhere. It also means a student outside Iowa cannot use local preceptors, and students in rural areas may drive 100 miles or more.
A weekly campus day through the clinical year
NP didactic courses meet on site in Iowa City one day a week, on Wednesdays during the clinical year, alongside roughly 12 to 18 practicum hours a week. That cadence is manageable from eastern and central Iowa and hard to sustain from farther away.
In-state cost versus out-of-state cost
Iowa residents pay about $80,000 to $93,000 in tuition for a BSN-DNP. Non-residents pay about $145,000 to $175,000 on the same plans, and the in-state clinical requirement makes the program impractical for most non-residents regardless of price.
Drawbacks to weigh
- No MSN option; BSN-prepared nurses commit to a 3- or 4-year doctorate
- Weekly on-campus attendance rules out a fully remote plan
- All clinical hours in Iowa
- One application cycle a year
- Acute care requires one year of inpatient pediatric acute care RN experience
- The catalog and the college’s plans of study give different credit totals
The Verdict
The strongest case is for Iowa residents, or nurses already living near Iowa City, who want a doctorate and do not want to find their own preceptors. Pediatric inpatient nurses have a clear path into the acute care or dual track. Nurses outside Iowa, those who need a fully online format, and BSN nurses who want a shorter MSN route should compare other programs.
Accreditation
The University of Iowa College of Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), and its programs are approved by the Iowa Board of Nursing. The college reports that it was among the first in the nation to receive CCNE approval for the DNP, in 2009.
The PNP-AC program states that graduates are eligible for national certification through the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board. The matching credentials are CPNP-AC for acute care and CPNP-PC for primary care, and both tracks report a 100% certification exam pass rate and a 100% job placement rate on their program pages. Because every clinical hour must be completed in Iowa, the practical licensure question is whether a student can practice as an RN in Iowa during the program. See the DNP catalog entry for the university’s professional licensure disclosures.
Other PNP Programs in Iowa
- No related programs found for state IA.