Massachusetts is projected to be short 725 primary care providers by 2030. There are shortages today, disproportionately affecting low-income areas. In some places, there are more than 3,500 patients for every one provider. In this state, nurse practitioners are uniquely positioned to fill these important primary care roles.
In Massachusetts, nurse practitioners (NPs) have full practice authority, which allows them to practice independently in their careers and make a real difference in providing care to people in the Bay State.
If you’re interested in pursuing a nurse practitioner degree in Massachusetts, here are some of the programs available, including FNP programs, AGNP programs, and PNP programs.
Program Overview:
American International College was founded in 1885 and chartered by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to educate immigrants coming into the country through New York. The college grew significantly, with the nursing program being established and evolving throughout the 1980s and 1990s. There are two NP programs available here.
Program Overview:
Bay Path opened in downtown Springfield in 1897, offering some of the most tech-savvy NP degrees available in the state. The university offers two FNP programs at the doctorate level with 100% online classes. The following programs are available.
Program Overview:
Founded in 1863, Boston College is a Jesuit university that has grown into an internationally respected research university. The William F. Connell School of Nursing was established in 1947; the DNP programs were established in 2019. Graduates of DNP programs at the university have impressive exam pass rates of 100% for those taking the FNP, AGNP, or PNP exams in 2023. Boston College offers a wide range of NP programs, including the following:
Program Overview:
College of Our Lady of the Elms, or the Elms, was founded in 1928 by the Sisters of St. Joseph. The university has been educating nurses for more than 40 years. Today, students enjoy state-of-the-art simulation labs and a unique range of clinical settings. Graduates of this nursing program have a 100% pass rate for the FNP exam and a 94% for the AGNP exam.
Program Overview:
Endicott College started as a women’s college in 1939 and evolved into a tight-knit community of 4,000 undergraduate and graduate students today. The Cummings School of Nursing and Health Sciences features small classes, a wide range of clinical experiences, and degrees for all levels of nursing. It offers the following three FNP pathways:
Program Overview:
The Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences was founded in 1823 and aimed to improve the quality of medicines for the public by developing standard practices and training. The university’s School of Nursing programs offer many ways for professionals to enter the industry, including two options for those seeking an education as an FNP.
Program Overview:
The School of Nursing at the MGH Institute of Health Professions is the successor institution to the Massachusetts General Hospital diploma nursing school. It has a history of educating nurses for over 100 years. Advanced NP tracks were added to the curriculum in 1994, with the first DNP program starting in 2007. Today, this school offers the following 12 NP tracks:
Program Overview:
Northeastern University was founded in 1898 and has campuses across the country, from the East Coast to the West Coast and into Canada. The School of Nursing in the Bouvé College of Health Sciences has a long history of educating nurses and offers many programs, including the 11 listed below.
Program Overview:
The Richard and Sheila Young School of Nursing at Regis College offers multiple programs for people wanting to enter the profession. Students get hands-on experience in state-of-the-art simulation labs and unique in-person clinical experiences, and some programs offer online classes. There is truly something for everyone here. Students can choose from the following 23 NP programs:
- RN to BSN to FNP
- BSN to DNP FNP
- BSN to FNP online
- MSN to DNP FNP
- RN to BSN to AGNP Acute
- RN to BSN to AGNP Primary
- BSN to DNP AGNP Acute
- BSN to DNP AGNP Primary
- BSN to AGNP Acute
- BSN to AGNP Primary
- MSN to DNP AGNP Acute
- MSN to DNP AGNP Primary
- RN to BSN to PNP
- BSN to DNP PNP online
- BSN to PNP online
- MSN to DNP PNP
- Post-Graduate Certificate FNP
- Post-Graduate NP to FNP
- Post-Graduate Certificate AGNP Acute
- Post-Graduate Certificate AGNP Primary
- Post-Graduate NP to AGNP
- Post-Graduate Certificate PNP
- Post-Graduate NP to PNP
Program Overview:
What is unique about the AGNP program at Salem State is that there are entry points for nurses at any point in their careers. Students can start the program listed below whether they have a BSN, an associate’s degree with a nursing diploma, or a bachelor’s in another field.
Program Overview:
Simmons was founded as a women’s university in 1899, called Simmons Female College at the time. Today, it consistently ranks among the nation’s top schools in its category in the U.S. News & World Report, the Princeton Review, and Forbes. It boasts an NP board passing rate of 96%.
Program Overview:
UMass Boston opened its doors in 1965 as the second university in the state system. The Manning College of Nursing & Health Sciences offers hands-on learning experiences, including clinical placements at nearby Boston hospitals, high-fidelity manikins in the simulation lab, and interactions with live actors to get face-to-face experience examining and diagnosing patients before practicing independently. UMass Boston offers the following four NP programs:
Program Overview:
Starting as the New Bedford Textile School in 1895, the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth has evolved drastically over the years. The College of Nursing was established in 1970, and master’ s-level programs began in 1987. There are two options for people wishing to pursue an AGNP degree:
Program Overview:
This university became part of the University of Massachusetts system in 1991. The Solomont School of Nursing in the Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences features the oldest Family Health Nursing Program in New England and established the first MS Degree in Gerontological Nursing in the U.S. Today, it offers the following two programs:
NP Programs in Other States
Maine
Vermont
New Hampshire
New York
Connecticut
Rhode Island