The University of Nebraska Medical Center offers 4 Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Tracks:
- MSN – Pediatric Primary Care NP
- MSN – Pediatric Primary & Acute Care NP (Dual)
- Post-Graduate Certificate – Pediatric Primary Care NP
- Post-Graduate Certificate – Pediatric Primary & Acute Care NP (Dual)
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN – PC | $36.5K in-state | 3–4 yrs | 51 |
| MSN – Dual | $45.1K | 3–4 yrs | 63 |
| Cert – PC / Dual | $14.3K–$21.5K | 1–2 yrs | 20–30 |
UNMC’s defining advantage is its dual Primary & Acute Care PNP track at public in-state tuition: for 12 credits beyond the single-population MSN, graduates leave eligible for both PNCB certification exams. Coursework is hybrid, supported by five College of Nursing campuses across Nebraska, and every PNP track admits just once per year for an August start.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | MSN, Post-Graduate Certificate |
| Format | Hybrid; campuses in Omaha, Lincoln, Scottsbluff, Kearney, Norfolk |
| Population Focus | Primary Care, or Dual Primary/Acute Care |
| Clinical Hours | Not clearly stated |
| Clinical Placement | Not clearly stated; five campuses span the state |
| Distinctive Coursework | 4-credit biostatistics/epidemiology (EPI 808); dedicated acute care sequence in dual track |
| RN License Requirements | U.S. RN license (certificate); MSN admissions per policy 2303 |
| RN Experience Requirements | Certificate: 1 year full-time RN preferred; pediatric experience valued |
| Tuition | $716/credit resident; $1,293/credit nonresident |
| Application Cycle | Once annually; August start only |
| Accreditation | CCNE (MSN and post-graduate APRN certificate) |
MSN – Pediatric Primary Care NP
The estimated tuition for the MSN Pediatric Primary Care NP at UNMC is approximately $36,516 for Nebraska residents (51 credits at $716/credit) or $65,943 for nonresidents (51 credits at $1,293/credit). The program can generally be completed in about three to four years, following a 3- or 4-year plan of study set with a faculty advisor.
NOTE: UNMC’s published course list sums to 50 credits, while the stated program total is 51. At the resident rate the difference is $716; confirm the exact total with the program.
MSN – PC Curriculum
Foundation Courses. A 30-credit advanced-level core covers the 3 Ps plus scholarly writing, quality/informatics/finance, health policy, leadership, and a 4-credit biostatistics and epidemiology course (EPI 808). That epidemiology weight is heavier than most PNP cores and reflects UNMC’s academic-medical-center orientation; expect more population-health rigor than a typical specialty-first MSN.
PNP Specialty Sequence. The pediatric sequence moves through health promotion, acute health problems, and chronic health problems in order, then culminates in a 6-credit clinical management course and a 4-credit practicum. Structuring wellness, acute, and chronic management as three separate didactic courses gives each domain dedicated depth rather than folding them into one or two survey courses.
- EPI 808 – Biostatistics and Epidemiology in Nursing Practice (4)
- NRSG 605 – Advanced Pathophysiology (4)
- NRSG 606 – Pharmacotherapeutics for the Advanced Practice Nurse (3)
- NRSG 607 – Advanced Assessment & Clinical Reasoning Across the Life Span (3)
- NRSG 661 – Pediatric Primary Care I: Health Promotion (4)
- NRSG 662 – Pediatric Primary Care II: Acute Health Problems (3)
- NRSG 663 – Pediatric Primary Care III: Chronic Health Problems (3)
- NRSG 667 – Clinical Management: Pediatrics (6)
- NRSG 669 – Pediatric Clinical Practicum (4)
More curriculum details are available here.
MSN – PC Clinical Requirements
- Total clinical hours: not clearly stated by UNMC.
- Clinical coursework: NRSG 667 (6 credits) and NRSG 669 (4 credits).
- Placement model: not clearly stated.
- Five campuses (Omaha, Lincoln, Scottsbluff, Kearney, Norfolk) position students for clinical training across the state.
PNCB certification requires a minimum of 500 faculty-supervised clinical hours, so the program will meet at least that floor; most single-population PNP programs run 600–750. Since UNMC doesn’t publish the number, ask for the exact total and the placement policy before applying — pediatric preceptors and pediatric-specific sites are harder to secure than adult sites, and whether the school arranges placements materially changes your workload.
MSN – PC Admissions
The single annual intake is the main constraint: miss the deadline and you wait a full year.
- Apply through NursingCAS with transcripts from all institutions attended.
- Applications open October 1 and close April 1 annually for an August start.
- Admission is competitive and capacity is limited; strong academic records are considered first.
MSN – Pediatric Primary & Acute Care NP (Dual)
The estimated tuition for the MSN Pediatric Primary & Acute Care NP (Dual) at UNMC is approximately $45,108 for Nebraska residents (63 credits at $716/credit) or $81,459 for nonresidents (63 credits at $1,293/credit).
The program can generally be completed in about three to four years on the same plan-of-study model as the primary care track.
Note: The published course list sums to 62 credits against a stated total of 63; confirm with the program.
MSN – Dual Curriculum
The dual track contains the entire primary care curriculum, then adds two acute care didactic courses and a dedicated 6-credit acute care clinical. That 12-credit increment is unusually efficient — many dual programs nationally run 15–20 credits beyond their single-population track — which is what makes both certifications attainable for roughly $8,600 more in resident tuition. Acute care content covers recognizing and managing children in acute and critical care hospital settings, complex monitoring, and ongoing management of intensive therapies.
- All primary care specialty courses (NRSG 661, 662, 663, 667, 669)
- NRSG 664 – Pediatric Acute Care I (3)
- NRSG 665 – Pediatric Acute Care II (3)
- NRSG 668 – Pediatric Acute Care Clinical (6)
- Same 30-credit advanced-level core as the PC track
More curriculum details are available here.
MSN – Dual Clinical Requirements
- Total clinical hours: not clearly stated.
- Clinical coursework: NRSG 667 (6), NRSG 668 (6), and NRSG 669 (4) — 16 clinical credits versus 10 in the PC-only track.
- Acute care rotations occur in hospital and critical care pediatric settings; placement model not clearly stated.
Dual PC/AC programs typically require 900–1,200 clinical hours nationally because each population needs its own supervised experience. UNMC’s 60% jump in clinical credits over the PC track is consistent with that pattern, but get the actual hour totals per population in writing — PNCB evaluates eligibility for each exam separately, and inpatient pediatric acute care sites are among the hardest placements to arrange.
MSN – Dual Admissions
Same cycle and process as the primary care MSN: NursingCAS, applications open October 1 and close April 1 annually, August start, competitive admission with limited capacity. Notably, UNMC does not state a PICU or acute care pediatric RN experience requirement for the dual track — a gate some competing dual and acute care programs impose — but confirm current expectations with the program.
Post-Graduate Certificates – Primary Care & Dual
The estimated tuition for the Post-Graduate Certificate tracks at UNMC is approximately $14,320–$21,480 for Nebraska residents (20–30 credits at $716/credit), depending on your individualized plan of study. The certificate can generally be completed in one to two years per the catalog, though the program page cites up to three years for part-time pacing.
Certificate Curriculum
UNMC builds each certificate plan through a faculty gap analysis of your prior MSN or DNP coursework, clinical training, and experience — so an APRN with substantial overlapping core credits pays for a shorter plan, while one changing populations entirely takes closer to 30 credits. Both the Primary Care and the Dual Primary/Acute Care populations are available at the certificate level, which is uncommon: most schools that offer a PNP certificate limit it to primary care. Certificate students take courses from the corresponding MSN specialty sequence above.
Certificate Clinical Requirements
- Clinical hours: not clearly stated; determined by the gap analysis and PNCB eligibility requirements for your chosen population.
- Prior clinical training in your first specialty may reduce, but not eliminate, required pediatric clinical experiences.
Because the plan is individualized, your real cost and timeline depend heavily on the gap analysis outcome — ask for a preliminary estimate before committing.
Certificate Admissions
- MSN (or DNP) from a CCNE- or ACEN-accredited nursing school; non-U.S. degrees must be evaluated as equivalent.
- License to practice nursing in one of the 50 U.S. states.
- Preference for at least one year of full-time RN experience; experience with the pediatric population is valued.
- Admits once annually for an August start.
Tuition
Total estimated tuition runs from about $14,320 (shortest resident certificate plan) to $45,108 (resident dual MSN), and up to $81,459 for nonresident dual MSN students. All figures derive from UNMC’s published per-credit rates — $716 resident, $1,293 nonresident — multiplied by program credits, and are estimates.
- Mandatory fees add roughly $1,565 per year at the standard 12-credit annual pace: course fees ($90/semester), a lab fee ($125 in spring), distributive learning fee ($25/credit), library fee ($8.25/credit), technology fee ($125/semester), student access fee ($115/semester), and UPFF student fees (about $190/semester).
- Student health insurance ($3,960/year in 2025–26) is charged to the student account and raises billed costs materially if you can’t substitute your own coverage.
- UNMC budgets separate allowances for books ($2,000/year) and clinical travel ($1,000/year); these aren’t billed but are real costs, especially with clinical sites spread across a 500-mile campus network.
- All rates are for 2025–26 and subject to annual revision — a 3- to 4-year program will almost certainly see rate increases.
Realistically, a resident dual MSN student should plan on roughly $51,000–$53,000 in billed tuition and fees over four years before insurance, books, and travel — still well below what private dual PC/AC programs charge in tuition alone. Official tuition and fees are posted here.
Why Choose This PNP Program?
This program fits Nebraska RNs who want pediatric specialty training — especially both primary and acute care preparation — without paying private-school tuition.
The dual track is the headline reason to apply. Eligibility for both the CPNP-PC and CPNP-AC exams costs 12 credits (about $8,600 resident) beyond the single-population MSN, and dual-certified PNPs can move between outpatient clinics and inpatient or specialty hospital roles across their careers. If you’re certain you want outpatient pediatrics — well-child care, school health, community clinics — the 51-credit primary care track saves a year of coursework and the hardest-to-arrange hospital rotations. Choose the dual track if you see yourself in a children’s hospital, PICU step-down, or subspecialty service at any point; adding acute care later via certificate costs more time and money than building it in now.
The trade-offs are structural. This is a hybrid program tied to a campus network, not a fully online degree — strong if you live in Nebraska, limiting if you don’t, and nonresidents pay nearly double per credit. Every PNP track admits once a year for August, so a missed April deadline costs twelve months. The 3- to 4-year plans of study reflect a working-nurse pace of roughly six credits per semester; there is no stated accelerated full-time option. And UNMC doesn’t publish clinical hour totals or its placement policy, which are exactly the numbers you should request before applying.
Accreditation
The master’s degree program and the post-graduate APRN certificate program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). MSN and certificate graduates of the Pediatric Primary Care track are eligible to apply for the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board’s CPNP-PC exam; dual-track graduates are prepared for both the CPNP-PC and CPNP-AC exams, one per population completed. Note that UNMC’s catalog also lists an American Nurses Credentialing Center pediatric primary care exam among credentialing options — ANCC retired that exam (PPCNP-BC) to new candidates as of January 1, 2020, so PNCB is the practical certification pathway for new graduates.
Review More Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Programs Near You
Take a look at Creighton University or compare all Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Programs in Nebraska.