Research has found that New York is facing a shortage of primary care providers. The state currently has about 111 primary care providers per 100,000 residents, with lower rates in rural areas. One action that NY has taken to manage this shortage is to change its nurse practitioner laws.
In 2022, New York gave experienced nurse practitioners (NPs) full practice authority. This law allows them to practice independently after they complete 3,600 hours of supervised practice under a qualified physician. This law not only has the potential to expand healthcare access to those who need it, but it also gives NPs access to career opportunities that may not be available in other states.
The Empire State has numerous colleges and universities where nurses can pursue a degree and take the next steps in their careers. Below are some options available for those who want to practice as family nurse practitioners, adult-gerontology nurse practitioners, or pediatric nurse practitioners.
Program Overview:
Adelphi University was the first nursing school on Long Island and continues to set the standard for innovative nursing education. At Adelphi’s College of Nursing and Public Health, students get hands-on experience in the school’s state-of-the-art simulation lab, which offers immersive scenarios in various specialties using high-fidelity mannequins and other high-tech equipment. Adelphi offers the following three programs:
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Berkeley College has been offering career-focused education since 1931. It has multiple campuses across New York and New Jersey, with its FNP program having some on-campus requirements at its Woodland Park, NJ campus.
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The Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences has educated nurses for over 30 years. On campus, nursing students learn using the latest simulation technology, including high-fidelity mannequins that talk, breathe, and bleed. Binghamton offers the following options:
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At the College of Staten Island, students get a wide range of in-person learning opportunities, including guest speakers, standardized patient actors, and high-fidelity mannequins. It started educating nurses in 1965, adding a BSN in 1982, an MSN program in 2000, and a DNP program in 2012. Today, it offers the following two AGNP tracks:
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As one of the oldest nursing schools in the country, Columbia University has been a leader in nursing education for over 125 years. Today, students get state-of-the-art experience in the Helene Fuld Health Trust Simulation Center, a 16,000-square-foot facility designed to enhance nursing education. Columbia was one of the first schools to offer a DNP and currently offers the following three doctorate paths:
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Hunter College offers students a diverse educational experience in the heart of NYC. The Hunter-Bellevue School of Nursing calls itself the flagship nursing school of New York and prepares NPs to work in fast-paced urban environments. Students have access to two state-of-the-art simulation learning centers, and the school has clinical affiliations with New York-Presbyterian and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Hunter offers the following programs.
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Lehman College is the only four-year college in the CUNY system located in the Bronx, and it’s rated as having the fourth-highest mobility rate in the country. Almost half of the students are the first in their families to attend college. The School of Health Sciences, Human Services and Nursing offers multiple options for NP degrees, including the following:
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Located in Amherst near Niagara Falls, Daemen University offers multiple options for nurses who wish to pursue this career. At the Scott Bieler College of Health Professions, students get hands-on learning in the Center for Interprofessional Learning and Simulation. This center utilizes standardized patients so students can interact with real people to prepare for their clinical rotations. Nurses can choose from five NP programs here.
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The Dominican University of New York’s nursing program started in 1974. The FNP program was introduced in 1999 and is still going strong today. It offers convenient class schedules and is accommodating to nurses who are working while pursuing their education. Plus, this program has a 96.88% certification exam pass rate.
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For those interested in schools in the western side of the state, D’Youville University offers multiple NP tracks on its Buffalo campus. This private university was founded in 1908 and was the first college in Western New York to offer bachelor’s degrees for women. Today, the following advanced nursing tracks are available at the Patricia H. Garman School of Nursing.
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Hofstra University’s nursing programs stand out because they are a joint venture between the university and Northwell Health. This gives students access to Hofstra University’s diverse programs and infrastructure and Northwell Health’s clinical resources, including cutting-edge lab and simulation facilities. Multiple NP programs are available at the school, with FNP and AGNP graduates achieving a 100% pass rate on board exams.
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Keuka College was founded in 1980, but the nursing program didn’t start until 1943 at the suggestion of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. The school launched a pilot adult nurse program in 2002 and a MS degree in 2009. Today, students can pursue an AGNP degree primarily online with occasional visits to the beautiful campus on the shores of Keuka Lake in the Finger Lakes.
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Located in Syracuse, Le Moyne College is a Jesuit institution consistently recognized as one of the best colleges in New York. The school offers NP programs through the Purcell School of Professional Studies, programs that teach nurses how to treat their patients with skill and compassion. There are two FNP options available here:
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Nursing programs at Long Island University are offered on its Brooklyn campus, which offers more healthcare programs than any other campus in the New York metropolitan area. Though the university was founded in 1926, the modern simulation rooms in the Harriet Rothkopf Heilbrunn School of Nursing ensure students get a state-of-the-art education. This school offers the following three NP programs:
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Manhattanville College is a forward-thinking university founded in 1841 with a strong commitment to social justice. It’s quiet, 100-acre campus is just 30 miles from NYC, giving students the experience of a spacious campus while being just a short ride from the excitement or the city. Students in the School of Nursing and Health Sciences get hands-on experience in the school’s six clinical learning labs and can pursue two NP options:
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Nursing was the first master’s degree program introduced at Mercy University back in 1981. Today, the School of Health & Natural Sciences uses state-of-the-art technology to education’s future nurses and NPs, allowing practitioners to get hands-on experience with high-fidelity mannequins to prepare them for their future careers.
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Students at the Barbara H. Hagan School of Nursing and Health Science learn in the school’s state-of-the-art Clinical Learning Center at the Amityville extension site. The center, endorsed by the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning, is home to simulation and skills labs where students can practice skills they will learn throughout their career. Molloy offers a wide range of NP options, including the following:
- BSN to FNP
- BSN to DNP FNP
- MSN to DNP FNP
- BSN to AGNP Acute Care
- BSN to DNP AGNP Acute Care
- BSN to AGNP Primary Care
- BSN to DNP AGNP Primary Care
- BSN to PNP Primary Care
- BSN to DNP PNP
- Post-Graduate Certificate MSN to FNP
- Post-Graduate Certificate MSN to AGNP Acute
- Post-Graduate Certificate MSN to AGNP Primary
- Post-Graduate Certificate MSN to PNP
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This private Catholic college is located in Newburgh, which is about halfway between NYC and Albany. Mount Saint Mary was founded in 1959. The first two year nursing program was introduced in 1964 with a four-year program started in 1971 and master’s programs beginning in 1998. Today, the School of Nursing offers four NP tracks.
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NYU has roots dating back to 1831, and the Rory Meyers College of Nursing opened in 1932. Today, the college is involved in advancing global initiatives and advancing innovations in healthcare. The NP programs at NYU use simulation as a key learning strategy; students get hands-on experience in the 10,000-square-foot Joan K. Stout, RN, FAAN Clinical Simulation Learning Center. Pass rates for the FNP and PNP certification exams are 100%.
- BSN to FNP
- BSN to AGNP Acute
- BSN to AGNP Primary
- BSN to PNP Primary
- BSN to PNP Acute/Primary
- Post-Graduate Certificate MSN to FNP
- Post-Graduate Certificate MSN to AGNP Acute
- Post-Graduate Certificate MSN to AGNP Primary
- Post-Graduate Certificate MSN to PNP Primary
- Post-Graduate Certificate MSN to PNP Acute/Primary
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Located about four miles from the famous falls, Niagara University was founded by the Vincentian Community in 1856. The university invests a lot into community service, with students contributing more than 50,000 hours to the local neighborhoods through service learning experiences. The College of Nursing features a state-of-the-art simulation center, and the FNP program includes modules in areas like person-centered care, mental health first aid, and case management.
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With locations in NYC and Westchester, Pace University has clinical affiliation with leading hospital systems and healthcare facilities so students get plenty of real-life experience during clinical experiences. A Center for Excellence in Healthcare Simulation is available on both campuses, where nurses work with both high-fidelity mannequins and standardized patients to build their skills and confidence before beginning clinical experiences. There are four NP programs at Pace:
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Roberts Wesleyan University opened the Crothers Science & Nursing Center in 2015, where students work with lifelike mannequins and practice simulated scenarios to practice their skills. The practice lab is set up just like a real hospital, with medication carts and other equipment, with video equipment so students can review their experience. The school offers two NP options.
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Nursing programs at Russell Sage College are offered through the School of Health Sciences. The college has been a leader in nursing education for over 100 years. The school has two campuses, one in Troy and one in Albany, with nursing programs available on both. There are multiple options available here for those with a BSN or an MSN looking to work as NPs.
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St. John Fisher University is in Pittsford, which is seven miles outside of Rochester. It debuted its nursing program in the 1990s, with the Wegmans School of Nursing being established in 2006. Today, the school offers students state-of-the-art facilities and hands-on clinical experiences to prepare for their future careers. The following six options are available.
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The nursing programs at St. Joseph’s University are available at both its Brooklyn and Long Island Campuses, giving students plenty of options for how to pursue their degrees. Both campuses offer state-of-the-art labs where students work with robotic dummies to practice real-life scenarios with a variety of patients to prepare for their careers.
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Stony Brook University was established in 1957 and lauds itself as New York’s flagship university. The campus is located midway between Manhattan and Montauk on the North Shore of Long Island. Stony Brook offers more NP options than almost every other university in the state, giving students numerous options, whether they’re interested in an MSN or a DNP.
- BSN to FNP
- BSN to DNP FNP
- BSN to AGNP Acute
- BSN to DNP Acute
- BSN to AGNP Primary
- BSN to DNP Primary
- BSN to PNP Acute
- BSN to DNP PNP Acute
- BSN to PNP Primary
- BSN to DNP PNP Primary
- Post-Graduate MSN to FNP
- Post-Graduate MSN to AGNP Acute
- Post-Graduate MSN to AGNP Primary
- Post-Graduate MSN to PNP Acute
- Post-Graduate MSN to PNP Primary
Program Overview:
SUNY Brockport is about 25 west of Rochester, along the Erie Canal. When on campus, students participate in simulation and skills labs alongside expert faculty to learn and grow confident in the hands-on skills needed in their future careers. SUNY Brockport offers the following NP options.
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In 1860, SCollege of Medicine that would one day become SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University was the first in the world to bring medical students to the bedside to interact with patients as part of their education. Today, it continues to be a leader in the field of healthcare education. In the College of Nursing’s on-campus NP programs, students practice and perfect nursing skills in a variety of simulated experiences. There are two FNP options here:
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The Division of Health Sciences as Touro University was established in 1972 and has expanded significantly in the decades since. Today, the School of Health Sciences partners with more than 300 healthcare facilities in the area to provide students with fulfilling clinical experiences. The following FNP programs are offered at the university’s Brooklyn campus.
Program Overview:
The School of Nursing at the University of Buffalo has been educating nurses for over 75 years. It was founded in 1936 and began offering master’s degrees in 1943. In 1964, the school shifted from a functional model of nursing to one that prioritized advanced clinical knowledge, allowing master’s students to prepare for specific roles, like a nurse anesthetist. The DNP programs were introduced in 2012 and are still going strong today. There are four options to choose from:
Program Overview:
For more than 90 years, the School of Nursing at the University of Rochester has contributed to the elevation of the nursing profession, and it continues to do so. The school offers more NP options than any other school in the state, with a wide and diverse range of options in multiple specialties.
- BSN to FNP
- BSN to DNP
- MSN to DNP FNP
- BSN to AGNP Acute
- BSN to DNP AGNP Acute Care
- BSN to AGNP Primary
- BSN to PNP Primary
- BSN to DNP AGNP Primary Care
- BSN to DNP PNP
- MSN to DNP PNP
- BSN to PNP/NNP
- Post-Graduate Certificate MSN to FNP
- Post-Graduate Certificate MSN to PNP
- Post-Graduate Certificate MSN to AGNP Acute Care
- Post-Graduate Certificate MSN to AGNP Primary Care
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SUNY Upstate Medical University is located in Syracuse and is the only nursing program in the region that is affiliated with a major medical center. When on campus, students learn and perfect hands-on skills in the school’s simulation lab, where they work with task trainers, standardized patients, virtual reality, and high-fidelity mannequins. Upstate offers the following nine NP programs:
Program Overview:
Utica is about fifty miles east of Syracuse, in the heart of central New York. It was founded in 1946 as Utica College. It grew significantly in the following decades, offering graduate programs beginning in 1998 and offering more than 20 online programs today. At Utica, students can choose between the following two NP programs:
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Wagner College’s history goes back to 1883 with only six students. Today, the beautiful 38-acre Staten Island campus overlooks the Atlantic Ocean, New York Harbor, and Manhattan. At the Evelyn L. Spiro School of Nursing, students get hands-on experience in the simulation and skills lab, preparing them for their future careers. The following three programs are available:
NP Programs in Other States
Vermont
California
Massachusetts
Texas
New Jersey
Florida