Florida has three institutions offering Pediatric Nurse Practitioner programs across seven tracks spanning MSN, DNP, post-graduate certificate, and dual-credential options.
Resident tuition ranges from approximately $14,580 for FIU’s post-graduate certificate to $48,394 for FIU’s Post-BSN DNP, with program completion spanning roughly 1 to 3.5 years depending on degree level and enrollment pace.
Quick Overview Table
| School | Est. Cost — Resident | High-Level Program Snapshot |
|---|---|---|
| Florida International University | MSN PNP: $28K Post-BSN DNP: $48K Certificate: $15K Dual MSN + Educator: ~$37K | Format & Delivery – predominantly online – Fall-only admission – highly competitive and limited enrollment Clinicals – 630 hours (MSN and Dual MSN); 1,170 hours (DNP) – students primarily responsible for identifying their own clinical sites – FIU assists with contract establishment Standout – most affordable option at every degree level among Florida in-state schools – Combines PNP with a Nurse Educator Certificate – Post-BSN DNP awards MSN degree mid-program |
| University of Florida | BSN-DNP PC-PNP: $41K BSN-DNP AC-PNP: $41K BSN-DNP Dual AC/PC: contact program | Format & Delivery – primarily online with periodic campus visits; one-day Clinicals – 1,260 total clinical hours per track — highest in Florida – students must be prepared to travel within the state for placements Standout – only Florida school offering a dedicated acute care PNP DNP track |
| University of South Florida | MSN PNP: $25K BS-DNP PNP: $33K | Format & Delivery – hybrid — primarily online with some in-person requirements – Fall-only admission Clinicals – 750 direct clinical hours (MSN) – 750 direct + 500 indirect = 1,000+ hours (DNP) – all placements within Florida – USF makes every effort to place students near their residence Standout – lowest-cost MSN in Florida at ~$24,591 resident – lowest-cost BS-DNP in Florida at ~$33,220 resident |
Florida PNP Program Summaries
FIU Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Programs
Miami | $628 cpc | MSN
The MSN is the most direct and affordable path to PNP board certification at $28,282 resident. The Post-BSN DNP is unique in that the MSN degree is formally awarded after Semester 6 — allowing students to sit for APRN national certification and continue into the final four doctoral semesters. The Dual MSN+Nurse Educator is a standout option for nurses who want both clinical NP credentials and qualifications to teach in academic or clinical settings, completing both in 9 semesters...read more.
Maryville University Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Programs
100% Online | $900 cpc | Certificate / MSN / DNP
Florida: Maryville University’s Pediatric Nurse Practitioner program offers Florida nurses a convenient online route into pediatric primary care and advanced practice. Florida students complete supervised clinical hours in their preferred local setting, making it easier to balance school, work, and family obligations. The program’s flexible admissions, strong accreditation, and multiple pathway options make it a solid choice for nurses seeking pediatric specialization.
UF Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Programs
Gainesville | $531 cpc | DNP
Both the PC-PNP and AC-PNP BSN-DNP tracks carry the same 78-credit load and 1,260 clinical hours, making tuition identical. The key distinction is scope of practice — the PC-PNP focuses on well-child care, prevention, and management of common pediatric acute and chronic conditions; the AC-PNP focuses on complex, critical, and chronic illness care across ICU, emergency, and specialty inpatient settings. The AC-PNP additionally requires at least one year of pediatric acute care (ICU/ED preferred) before admission. Non-Florida residents can expect approximately $103,575 based on the $1,327.88 non-resident rate...read more.
USF Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Programs
Tampa | $432 cpc | MSN / DNP
USF's in-state graduate tuition rate of $431.43 per credit makes it one of the most affordable PNP pathways in Florida. Both tracks share the same 750 direct clinical hours and identical PNP specialty concentration sequence — the BSN-DNP adds doctoral-level coursework in biostatistics, population health, health policy, quality improvement, and a four-phase DNP Project (500 additional indirect/practicum hours). The MSN is the right choice for nurses seeking PNCB board certification in the shortest time; the BSN-DNP is for nurses seeking the terminal practice degree...read more.
Walden University Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Programs
100% Online | $785 cpc | MSN / DNP
Florida nurses pursuing pediatric primary care advancement through Walden University’s DNP, MSN, or post-master’s certificate programs enjoy 100% online delivery with integrated Practicum Pledge® for seamless local clinical matchmaking. The Florida-friendly structure includes quarter-based credits, clinical fees, and specialized courses like Advanced Pediatric Nursing Practicum, fitting busy schedules over 1.5–3.25 years. Walden’s CCNE accreditation aligns with Florida’s licensure needs, with tuition estimates beginning at $35,690.
Which Florida PNP Program Is Right for You?
TLDR: How to Choose
Choose Florida International University if you want the most affordable entry point at any degree level — including the lowest-cost PNP certificate in Florida at $14,580 resident — or if you want the only program in the state that combines a PNP with a Nurse Educator credential.
Choose University of Florida if you need an acute care PNP DNP track, want the highest clinical hour count in the state (1,260 hours), or want access to UF Health Shands Hospital for Children for specialized acute care rotations.
Choose University of South Florida if you want the lowest-cost MSN in Florida (~$24,591 resident), are a new BSN graduate with fewer than 12 months of RN experience, or prefer a program that actively works to place you near your home.
Florida Pediatric Nurse DNP Programs
All three Florida schools offer BSN-to-DNP pathways, making Florida one of the stronger states for doctoral-level PNP training. UF logs the most clinical hours (1,260) and is the only school with a dedicated acute care track.
USF is the most affordable DNP option in the state by roughly $8,000 in resident tuition, while FIU’s Post-BSN DNP stands out for awarding the MSN degree mid-program — letting students sit for APRN national certification before completing the doctoral component.
| School | Track | Est. Tuition (Resident) | Duration | Clinical Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USF | BS-DNP PNP | ~$33K | 3.5–4 years | 750 direct + 500 indirect |
| UF | BSN-DNP PC-PNP | ~$41K | 2.5 years FT ~4 years PT | 1,260 |
| UF | BSN-DNP AC-PNP | ~$41K | 2.5 years FT ~3.5–4 years PT | 1,260 |
| UF | BSN-DNP Dual AC/PC-PNP | Contact program | Contact program | Contact program |
| FIU | Post-BSN DNP PNP | ~$48K | 3.5 years FT | 1,170 |
UF’s AC-PNP is the standout for nurses targeting hospital, ICU, or ED settings — it’s the only acute care doctoral PNP track in Florida and includes direct access to UF Health Shands Hospital for Children. Note that it carries a hard prerequisite: at least one year of pediatric acute care experience is required before admission.
For MSN-prepared nurses looking for a DNP without repeating a full BSN-to-DNP pathway, Maryville University offers an online MSN-to-DNP PNP pathway at ~$67K–$71K with 750 clinical hours and six start dates per year.
Florida MSN Pediatric Nurse Programs
Florida has two in-state MSN options. USF is the clear cost leader at ~$24,591 resident — roughly $3,700 less than FIU’s MSN — and it actively works to place students near their home.
FIU’s MSN carries a unique advantage for nurses interested in nursing education: its Dual MSN PNP + Nurse Educator Certificate track is the only program of its kind in the state.
| School | Track | Est. Tuition (Resident) | Duration | Clinical Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USF | MSN PNP | ~$25K | ~2.5 years | 750 hrs |
| FIU | MSN PNP | ~$28K | ~2 years | 630 hrs |
| FIU | Dual MSN PNP + Nurse Educator | ~$37K | ~3 years | 630 PNP hrs & 210 educator |
FIU’s standard MSN completes faster (2 years vs. USF’s 2.5 years) but logs fewer clinical hours (630 vs. 750). USF’s new graduate pathway is a differentiator worth noting — it allows BSN nurses with fewer than 12 months of RN experience to enroll with a lighter initial course load, a flexibility FIU does not offer.
For Florida nurses who prefer a fully online MSN with no state restrictions, Maryville University (~$42K, 750 hours, 6 start dates/year) and Walden University (~$45K, Practicum Pledge® support) are both CCNE-accredited alternatives.
Florida PNP Certificate Programs
FIU offers the only post-graduate PNP certificate among Florida in-state schools, and at $14,580 resident tuition it’s one of the most affordable PNP credentials available anywhere in the country. The catch: the 19 certificate credits don’t include the 13 prerequisite credits (the “3 Ps” plus culture) — nurses who don’t already hold those courses will need additional time and cost before specialty coursework begins.
| School | Track | Est. Tuition (Resident) | Duration | Clinical Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FIU | Post-Graduate Certificate PNP | ~$15K | 1–2 years | Not published separately |
For MSN-prepared nurses who don’t meet FIU’s prerequisite requirements or prefer a fully online format, national certificate programs offer a straightforward alternative:
| School | Est. Tuition | Duration | Clinical Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rasmussen University | ~$29K | ~21 months | Not published |
| Maryville University | ~$32K | 12–24 months | 750 |
| Walden University | ~$36K | ~1.5 years | Not published |
Clinical Placements and Preceptor Support
Clinical placement approach varies meaningfully across Florida’s three PNP schools — and the differences matter depending on where in the state you live.
Florida International University places the primary responsibility for site identification on the student for its online PNP tracks. FIU’s clinical department assists with establishing formal contracts once a site is identified, but students must bring the site to the table first. Sites can be located anywhere in Florida and beyond the traditional Miami-Dade, Broward, Monroe, and Palm Beach County footprint — an advantage for nurses outside South Florida.
University of Florida arranges clinical placements within Florida, tailored to the student’s geographic area when possible. Students must be prepared to travel within the state if needed. The AC-PNP track benefits from direct access to UF Health Shands Hospital for Children, one of the few dedicated pediatric acute care clinical networks available through a Florida PNP program.
University of South Florida makes every effort to place students near their residence, though flexibility is required. All placements are completed within Florida. USF’s DNP Project practicum hours must also be completed in-state.
For Florida nurses who want proactive placement support without geographic restrictions, Walden University’s Practicum Pledge® escalates to a dedicated field placement team if a student cannot self-secure a match. Rasmussen University assigns a dedicated practicum coordinator to each student.
Admissions at a Glance
| School | Program | Min. GPA | Application Deadline | Notable Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FIU | MSN PNP | 3.0 | March 1 (Fall only) | Panel interview required; FL RN license required before admission |
| FIU | Post-BSN DNP PNP | 3.0 | March 1 (Fall) / Aug. 1 (Spring) | Panel interview; must hold APRN certification to advance to DNP component |
| FIU | Post-Graduate Certificate PNP | 3.0 (graduate) | March 1 (Fall only) | Panel interview; prerequisite courses within last 3 years |
| FIU | Dual MSN PNP + Nurse Educator | 3.0 | March 1 (Fall only) | Same requirements as MSN PNP |
| UF | BSN-DNP PC-PNP | 3.0 | Contact program | FL or multi-state RN license; F-1/J-1 not eligible |
| UF | BSN-DNP AC-PNP | 3.0 | Contact program | 1+ year pediatric acute care experience required (ICU/ED preferred); F-1/J-1 not eligible |
| USF | MSN PNP | 3.0 (nursing) | Feb. 15 (priority) / Jul. 1 (final) — Fall only | FL RN license by Oct. 30; new graduate pathway available; F-1 not eligible |
| USF | BS-DNP PNP | 3.0 (nursing) | Feb. 15 (priority) / Jul. 1 (final) — Fall only | Undergraduate statistics required (grade B+); FL RN license by Oct. 30; new graduate pathway available |
All Florida in-state PNP programs require a minimum 3.0 GPA and no GRE. Every program requires a current Florida RN license — out-of-state nurses must obtain FL licensure before or shortly after admission depending on the school. FIU is the only Florida school that requires a formal panel interview as part of the admissions process. USF has the earliest priority deadline in the state at February 15, making it the program to apply to first if you’re targeting Fall admission across multiple schools.