Oregon Health & Science University offers 1 Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Track:
Primary Care (CPNP-PC)
- BSN-DNP (Dual PC/AC)
Acute Care (CPNP-AC)
- BSN-DNP (Dual PC/AC)
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition (Res / Non-Res) | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| DNP – Dual | $88.3K / $112.8K | 3 yrs (full-time) | 113 |
Estimates multiply OHSU’s 2026–27 DNP rate for new entrants ($727/credit resident, $944/credit non-resident) by the 113-credit plan of study, plus the university and student council fees billed each term. Health and dental insurance are excluded.
- Why choose it: Every graduate is prepared for both PNCB exams (CPNP-PC and CPNP-AC) in one three-year BSN-DNP. OHSU says it is the only dual DNP-PNP program on the West Coast.
- Trade-off: There is no single-population, MSN, or certificate option. You commit to 113 credits, a Portland-based program, an Oregon RN license, and one fall intake.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | BSN to DNP only. Direct-entry route for OHSU accelerated BS students |
| Population Focus | Dual Primary Care and Acute Care (CPNP-PC and CPNP-AC). No single-population option |
| Format | Mostly Online. Hybrid courses plus executive-model campus intensives in Portland |
| Clinical Hours | About 1,000 (2022–24 PNP handbook). Current catalog lists 27 practicum credits, no hour total |
| Clinical Placement | Faculty select placements; preceptors assigned. Sites in Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Washington, Wyoming, Utah |
| Distinctive Coursework | Newborn evaluation; two acute and complex care courses; pediatric mental health; transition to practice |
| RN License | Oregon RN license before the first clinical course (conditional admission allowed) |
| RN Experience | None published |
| Start Term | Fall only. September 1 application deadline; interviews |
| Tuition | $727/credit resident, $944/credit non-resident (2026–27 entrants) |
| Accreditation | CCNE (nursing); NWCCU (institutional) |
D.N.P. in Pediatric Primary & Acute Nurse Practitioner
The estimated tuition for the Pediatric Primary and Acute Care PNP D.N.P. at OHSU is approximately $82,151 resident or $106,672 non-resident (113 credits at $727 or $944 per credit), or about $88,300 and $112,800 with required term fees.
The program can generally be completed in three years: 11 consecutive quarters, fall through spring of year three. It prepares graduates for both PNCB exams, CPNP-PC and CPNP-AC, and it is open to BSN-prepared nurses with no published RN experience requirement.
A published conflict worth knowing about. The program page states 111 credits, including 25 practicum credits and 4 elective credits. The university catalog lists 112–113 credits with 27 practicum credits and no electives, and the 2026–27 plan of study totals 113. The catalog course list sums to 112 plus the 1-credit IPE course, so this page uses 113. Students who took IPE in an OHSU bachelor’s program need 112.
DNP – Dual Curriculum
The catalog divides the degree into three blocks: a 14-credit advanced practice core, a 34-credit DNP core, and a 64-credit pediatric specialty core that includes all 27 practicum credits. Because primary and acute care are taught as one sequence, there is no point where students split into separate tracks.
Sequencing
- Year 1: advanced practice and DNP core, with well-child primary care starting in the third quarter
- Year 2: primary care conditions, newborn care, chronic and specialty care; practicum begins in fall
- Year 2 spring to Year 3: two acute and complex care courses, pediatric mental health, and the heaviest practicum terms (4–5 credits each)
Primary care comes first and acute care builds on it. Practicum runs seven straight quarters, which spreads clinical work across nearly two years rather than packing it into a final immersion. The pediatric mental health course sits late in the plan, in the fall of year three.
Pediatric Specialty Courses
- PNP 742 – Evaluation & Management: Primary Care of the Well Child (4)
- PNP 743 / 744 – Common Pediatric Conditions in Primary Care I and II (4 each)
- PNP 752 – Evaluation & Management of the Newborn (2)
- PNP 746 – Evaluation & Management: Chronic and Specialty Care (4)
- PNP 748 / 750 – Pediatric Acute & Complex Care I and II (4 each)
- PNP 747 – Pediatric Mental Health Evaluation & Management (3)
- PNP 741 / 749 – Pediatric Assessment & Diagnostics I and II (3, 2)
- PNP 790–796 – PNP Clinical Practicum I–VII (27 total)
- NURS 703A / 703B – DNP Project Planning and Project (7 total)
More curriculum details are available here.
DNP – Dual Clinical Requirements
- 27 practicum credits across seven quarters (catalog and 2026–27 plan)
- About 1,000 clinical hours per the 2022–24 PNP student handbook; the current catalog and program page state no hour total
- Handbook rotations include pediatric primary care, adolescent health, mother-baby, pediatric ED, hospitalist, PICU, hematology-oncology, and cardiology or pulmonary
- Faculty select placements and assign preceptors (PNP, FNP, PA, or physician); the handbook says work schedules cannot routinely be accommodated
- Training sites at children’s hospitals in Oregon, with options in Idaho, Montana, Washington, Wyoming, and Utah
- Students in those five states may qualify for a distance option: mostly online coursework, local clinicals, minimal Portland visits
About 1,000 hours sits mid-range for dual PC/AC programs (900–1,200), well above any single-population track. The rotation list matters more than the total: PICU, hospitalist, and pediatric subspecialty time are built in, and faculty arrange them. That removes the hardest part of acute care training at most schools, finding inpatient preceptors.
The cost is control. Placements follow the program’s schedule, not yours, so full-time work during the second and third years is unrealistic. The hour figure also comes from an older handbook, so confirm it against the current plan.
DNP – Dual Admissions
Admission has no acute care experience gate, but it runs on a single fall intake with interviews.
- BSN or BS with a major in nursing
- 3.0 cumulative GPA across all undergraduate and graduate coursework
- Oregon RN license; conditional admission without one, but it must be in hand before the first clinical course
- No GRE; no published RN or pediatric experience requirement
- NursingCAS application with resume, essays, three references, and transcripts
- Interviews on scheduled dates
- Deadline: September 1, fall start only. The 2026 deadline has passed; the next cycle closes September 1, 2027
- OHSU accelerated BS students can apply to the BS and PNP programs with one application and move directly into the DNP
New BSN graduates are eligible, which is rare for a program that includes acute care. Expect strong pediatric or inpatient experience to help in a competitive interview pool, even though none is required. One minor inconsistency: the program page asks for B- or better in all courses, while the catalog sets a C minimum.
Tuition
Students entering in 2026–27 should expect about $88,300 as Oregon residents or $112,800 as non-residents, including required term fees.
| Program | Est. Resident | Est. Non-Resident |
|---|---|---|
| DNP – Dual | $88,300 | $112,800 |
Calculated, not university-published: 113 credits at $727 or $944, plus $6,119 in university and student council fees across 11 quarters.
Key Cost Takeaways
- Your entry-year rate appears to hold. OHSU bills by Tuition Promise cohort. Students who entered in 2024–25 still pay $699/credit in 2026–27, so the rate set at entry does not rise each year.
- Later cohorts pay more. Each new cohort’s rate has risen about $14/credit per year, roughly $1,600 over this program. A fall 2027 entrant will likely start above $727.
- Insurance is the largest add-on. Major medical insurance appears on the term bill at $2,529 per standard quarter, plus $111 for dental. Summer rates differ.
- $9,000 scholarship for new PNP students, plus loan repayment options for DNP students.
- Non-residents pay about $24,500 more. Distance students in Idaho, Montana, Washington, Wyoming, and Utah still pay the non-resident rate as published.
- Portland intensives are unpriced. Travel for executive-model campus blocks is not in these figures.
For two board eligibilities and a doctorate, $88K resident is reasonable. The rate lock adds predictability most public programs lack. Out-of-state students lose much of that value at $112K. Official OHSU tuition and fees
Why Choose This PNP Program?
Best suited for: BSN nurses in the Pacific Northwest or Mountain West who want both pediatric credentials, can commit to three full-time years, and want the school to arrange inpatient rotations.
Best For
- Nurses who want to work in both pediatric clinics and hospital units
- New or early-career BSN nurses without PICU experience who want acute care eligibility
- Oregon residents who want a doctorate at a locked public rate
- Nurses in Idaho, Montana, Washington, Wyoming, or Utah who qualify for the distance option
- OHSU accelerated BS students who want a direct path into NP training
Dual Certification Is the Default
Most PNP programs make dual preparation an add-on that costs extra terms. At OHSU it is the only option, built into a three-year plan. Graduates can sit for CPNP-PC and CPNP-AC without a post-graduate certificate later.
Faculty-Arranged Acute and Subspecialty Rotations
Placements are selected by faculty and include PICU, hospitalist, hematology-oncology, and cardiology or pulmonary time. For acute care training, that matters more than any course on the list.
A Regional Reach Beyond Oregon
Clinical sites extend into five neighboring states, and students there may take coursework mostly online with few Portland visits. Licensure remains an Oregon requirement.
Potential Drawbacks
- No primary-care-only, MSN, or post-graduate certificate option
- 113 credits; heavier than most PNP programs
- One fall intake, a September 1 deadline, and interviews
- Oregon RN license required, even for distance students
- Campus intensive frequency and current clinical hour totals are not published
- Clinical schedules are set by the program, limiting outside work
The Verdict
OHSU is a strong choice for a BSN nurse certain they want both pediatric credentials. It requires no PICU experience, arranges inpatient rotations, and locks the entry rate. The nearest comparison is the University of Utah, whose dual BSN-DNP is cheaper for residents (about $71.8K, 1,080 hours) but adds single-population tracks. Nurses who want only primary care, an MSN, or part-time study should look elsewhere. OHSU offers no smaller version of this program.
Accreditation
OHSU is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), and the School of Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The catalog states that PNP graduates are eligible for the PNCB primary care (CPNP-PC) and acute care (CPNP-AC) certification exams.
Review More Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Programs Near You
- No related programs found for state OR.