Adult-gerontology nurse practitioners (AGNPs) work with adults across the lifespan, from adolescents to seniors, with a special focus on how aging affects the body. In Pennsylvania, AGNPs work under the direct supervision of a physician to diagnose, treat, and manage adult patients’ care in various settings. People looking for AGNP programs in Pennsylvania have various options, including programs focusing on acute or primary care or those offered doctorate degrees.
Pennsylvania RN to AGNP Programs
RN to AGNP programs allow nurses with an associate’s degree to pursue a master’s without having to first complete a BSN. This route can save both time and money. Pennsylvania offers the following option for RNs looking to pursue an AGNP degree.
Bloomsburg Commonwealth University
- Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania
- Online + Hybrid + In-person
Modality: Online or hybrid with in-person clinical
Credit Hours: 89
Clinical Hours: 720
Tuition: $516 per credit + fees for residents; $774 per credit hour + fees for non-residents
Program Overview:
Bloomsburg Commonwealth University’s RN to AGNP program offers nurses the option to complete BSN classes and the core curriculum of the MSN component online or in person at the Bloomsburg or Dixon campuses. In-person classes are required once they move into the clinical element in the program. Full-time students can complete the program in as little as two years.
Pennsylvania BSN to AGNP Programs
The following programs are for BSN-prepared nurses who wish to pursue an AGNP degree. Students can specialize in acute or primary care, and DNP options are available.
Alvernia University
- Reading, Pennsylvania
- Hybrid + In-person
Modality: Hybrid with in-person clinical
Credit Hours: 47
Clinical Hours: 815
Tuition: $900 per credit + fees
Program Overview:
Alvernia University’s BSN to AGNP program features flexible scheduling with evening classes and hybrid, online, and in-person options. Clinical experiences are completed throughout various primary healthcare facilities in the Penn State, Lehigh Valley Health Network, and others in the region.
Cedar Crest College
- Allentown, Pennsylvania
- Online + Campus + In-person
Modality: Online with on-campus immersions and in-person clinical
Credit Hours: 46
Clinical Hours: 728
Tuition: $670 per credit hour + fees
Program Overview:
The BSN to AGNP program at Cedar Crest College is delivered online in an asynchronous format, allowing nurses to complete their coursework around their schedules. All AGNP students must also attend on-campus skills demonstrations at the college’s Nursing Simulation Center. Cedar Crest also offers a BSN to DNP AGNP option with 75 credits and 728 clinical hours and a Post-Graduate Certificate MSN to AGNP option with 22 credits and 672 clinical hours.
Bloomsburg Commonwealth University
- Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania
- Online + Campus + In-person
Modality: Online with minimal on-campus requirements and in-person clinical
Credit Hours: 45
Clinical Hours: 520
Tuition: $516 per credit + fees for residents; $774 per credit + fees for non-residents
Program Overview:
At Bloomsburg Commonwealth University, the BSN to AGNP program offers asynchronous online core courses so nurses can complete their classwork on their schedules. Later in the program, clinical courses are taught synchronously online with minimal on-campus requirements.
DeSales University
- Center Valley, Pennsylvania
- Hybrid + Campus + In-person
Modality: Hybrid with on-campus specialty courses and in-person clinical
Credit Hours: 50
Clinical Hours: 750
Tuition: $975 per credit hour + fees
Program Overview:
The BSN to AGNP program at DeSales University offers a hybrid option, with core classes online and advanced and specialty classes with on-campus components. Clinical hours include 75 lab hours, and students can take advantage of the high-tech simulation lab on campus to practice clinical skills and other procedures. A Post-Graduate Certificate AGNP option is also available consisting of 18 to 35 credits, depending on gap analysis, and 500 clinical hours.
Drexel University
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Online + Campus + In-person
Modality: Online with on-campus requirements and in-person clinical
Credit Hours: 63
Clinical Hours: 1,149
Tuition: $1,115 per credit + fees
Program Overview:
Drexel University’s BSN to AGNP program offers online courses with on-campus intensives. These intensives happen two or three times a year for two to three days each. Students may also have to attend quarterly on-campus visits. Drexel also offers a Post-Graduate Certificate MSN to AGNP in acute care and a Post-Graduate Certificate MSN to AGNP in Primary Care. The acute care certificate is 39 credits; primary care is 34. Both have clinical requirements and can be completed in as little as two years.
Duquesne University
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Online + Campus + In-person
Modality: Online with on-campus requirements and in-person clinical
Credit Hours: 42
Clinical Hours: 750
Tuition: $1,765 per credit + fees
Program Overview:
The online BSN to AGNP acute care program at Duquesne University is a cohort model, so students work and collaborate with 12 to 15 students throughout the program. This three-year program offers classes online, but three campus visits are required. Students will also complete 75 lab hours in addition to the required clinical time. Duquesne also offers a Post-Graduate Certificate MSN to AGNP in acute care that is 33 credits and takes about 2.5 years to complete. Due to State Board of Nursing Regulations, this program does not accept applications from students in Alabama, Arizona, Louisiana, New York, Oregon, Tennessee, or Washington.
Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Mercy University offers a CCNE-accredited MSN with an Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGNP) concentration. The online program prepares students to provide primary care to adults from adolescence through older adulthood. With 585 clinical hours and a flexible online format, working nurses can complete the program in approximately two years.
LaSalle University
- Philadelphia, PA
- Online + In-person
Modality: Online with in-person clinical
Credit Hours: 41
Clinical Hours: 512
Tuition: $975 per credit + fees
Program Overview:
The BSN to AGNP program at LaSalle University offers online classes with in-person clinicals. The program is delivered in an accelerated format that’s ideal for working professionals, and it has multiple start dates every year. Students can complete the program in as little as 28 months.
Misericordia University
- Dallas, Pennsylvania
- Online + Campus + In-person
Modality: Online with on-campus intensives and in-person clinical
Credit Hours: 45
Clinical Hours: 630
Tuition: $870 per credit + fees
Program Overview:
Misericordia University’s BSN to AGNP in primary care program features small class sizes and a progressive online learning environment. Students are required to attend two on-campus intensives before their first clinical rotation and again in the second year. There is also a Post-Graduate Certificate MSN to AGNP in primary care that is 48 credits and 540 clinical hours.
Moravian University
- Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
- Campus + In-person
Modality: On-campus with in-person clinical
Credit Hours: 44
Clinical Hours: 650
Tuition: $999 per credit + fees
Program Overview:
Moravian University offers several options for nurses wishing to pursue an AGNP degree. Both the BSN to AGNP acute care option and the BSN to AGNP primary care option are 44 credits with 650 clinical hours. Moravian also offers a Post-Graduate Certificate MSN to AGNP in acute care and a Post-Graduate Certificate MSN to AGNP in primary care. Course requirements and clinical hours will vary depending on a gap analysis.
Neumann University
- Aston, Pennsylvania
- Online + In-person
Modality: Online with in-person clinical
Credit Hours: Varies
Clinical Hours: Varies
Tuition: $860 per credit + fees
Program Overview:
Whether you’re interested in acute or primary care, Neumann University has several options. The BSN to AGNP in acute care and BSN to AGNP in primary care have the same advanced practice nurse core curriculum with 22 and 21 specialty credits, respectively. The university also offers a Post-Graduate Certificate MSN to AGNP in acute care and a Post-Graduate Certificate MSN to AGNP in primary care, which are 31 credits with required in-person clinicals.
Pennsylvania State University
- State College, Pennsylvania
- Various
Modality: Various
Credit Hours: Varies
Clinical Hours: Varies
Tuition: Varies
Program Overview:
Penn State has campuses all over PA and offers a few options for those who are willing to practice as an AGNP. The university’s Scraton campus offers a BSN to AGNP primary care degree, and its online campus, Penn State World, offers two options: a Post-Graduate Certificate MSN to AGNP in acute care and a Post-Graduate Certificate MSN to AGNP in primary care.
Saint Joseph’s University
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Hybrid + In-person
Modality: Hybrid with in-person clinical
Credit Hours: 52
Clinical Hours: 720
Tuition: $954 per credit + fees
Program Overview:
The BSN to AGNP in primary care program at Saint Joseph’s University offers a flexible online program with in-person clinicals. Students can complete their clinical hours at a location of their choosing. This school also offset a Post-Graduate Certificate MSN to AGNP in acute care with hybrid classes at its Lancaster campus. St. Joseph’s boasts a 100% pass rate on the AACN/ANCC Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) exams.
Temple University
Temple University’s Barnett College of Public Health offers a BSN-to-DNP program with an Adult-Gerontology Primary Care (AGPC) concentration. The program prepares graduates to provide preventive care, diagnosis, and management of primary care and non-life-threatening acute conditions across the adult-gerontology spectrum. The 68-credit curriculum includes 1,000 clinical hours and can be completed in three to four years. Graduates are eligible for AGPCNP certification through ANCC or AANP.
Thomas Jefferson University
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Online + In-person
Modality: Online with in-person clinical
Credit Hours: 36
Clinical Hours: 750
Tuition: $1,298 per credit + fees
Program Overview:
Thomas Jefferson University has multiple options for those wishing to pursue a career as an AGNP. The BSN to AGNP in acute care and BSN to AGNP in primary care. Students can take a mix of online and in-person courses and are required to attend an on-campus orientation before starting the program. The university also offers a Post-Graduate Certificate MSN to AGNP in acute care and a Post-Graduate Certificate MSN to AGNP in primary care. Both are 18 credits and have online and in-person requirements.
University of Pennsylvania
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Campus + In-person
Modality: On campus with in-person clinical
Credit Hours: 14
Clinical Hours: Unspecified
Tuition: $6,392 per course unit
Program Overview:
Penn offers two options: a BSN to AGNP in acute care and a BSN to AGNP in primary care. Both of these programs are considered in-person, but some of the courses are online or hybrid to help accommodate the busy schedules of working professionals. All clinical experiences are completed on Penn’s campus or at affiliated clinical sites.
University of Pittsburgh
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Varies
Modality: Varies
Credit Hours: Varies
Clinical Hours: Varies
Tuition: $1,231 per credit + fees
Program Overview:
The University of Pittsburgh has multiple campuses and a variety of options for those wishing to pursue a career as an AGNP and complete a DNP degree. Pitt offers a BSN to DNP AGNP in acute care with 79 credits and a BSN to DNP AGNP in primary care option with 88 credits. Nurses who already have a BSN can enroll in the 32 to 35-credit MSN to DNP AGNP in acute care or the 41-credit MSN to DNP AGNP in primary care. There’s also a 24-credit Post-Graduate Certificate MSN/DNP to AGNP in acute care for nurses who already have a master’s degree in another specialty.
Villanova University
- Villanova, Pennsylvania
- Hybrid + Campus + In-person
Modality: Hybrid with on-campus requirements and in-person clinical
Credit Hours: 47
Clinical Hours: 730
Tuition: $1,050 per credit + fees
Program Overview:
The BSN to AGNP in primary care program at Villanova offers a combination of asynchronous, synchronous, and hybrid classes. All clinical classes and hours must be completed in person. Villanova also offers a Post-Graduate Certificate MSN to AGNP in acute care. This program is 32 credits with 730 clinical hours. Support classes are offered either online or on-campus, and clinical classes are taught on-site.
Widener University
- Chester, Pennsylvania
- Hybrid + Campus + In-person
Modality: Hybrid with on-campus requirements and in-person clinical
Credit Hours: Varies
Clinical Hours: Varies
Tuition: Varies
Program Overview:
Widener University offers two options for BSN-prepared nurses who wish to pursue an AGNP career. The BSN to AGNP acute care program consists of 45 credits and 750 clinical hours, and the BSN to DNP AGNP in acute care option is 73 credits and 1,310 clinical hours. Nurses who already have an MSN in another specialty can complete the 30-credit Post-Graduate Certificate MSN to AGNP acute care option.
Wilkes University
- Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
- Online + In-person
Modality: Online with in-person clinical
Credit Hours: 14 classes
Clinical Hours: 500
Tuition: $729 per credit + fees
Program Overview:
The BSN to AGNP in primary care program at Wilkes University can be completed in two years. Classes are offered online, but one residency visit is required. Nurses with an MSN can complete a Post-Graduate Certificate MSN to PNP in primary care, which consists of 27 credits and 600 clinical hours. Both of these programs have multiple entrance opportunities a year.
York College of Pennsylvania
- York, Pennsylvania
- Online + In-person
Modality: Online with in-person clinical
Credit Hours: 64
Clinical Hours: 784
Tuition: $695 per credit + fees
Program Overview:
York College of Pennsylvania offers a BSN to AGNP in primary care program that is primarily online, though on-campus visits may be required. There is also a Post-Graduate Certificate MSN to AGNP in primary care for nurses with an MSN in another area. These programs offer six start dates throughout the year with flexible classes so that you can get started soon after acceptance to the program.
Pennsylvania Online AGNP Programs
Most of these AGNP programs have an online component, but many require at least one on-campus visit, if not more, and all require in-person clinical. Due to the nature of this degree, it cannot be completed entirely online. That said, a few programs allow you to finish all of the coursework online without any in-person visits to campus: LaSalle University and Neumann University.
AGNP Salary in Pennsylvania
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2024), nurse practitioners in Pennsylvania earn a mean annual wage of approximately $124,590, with the national median at $129,210. AGNPs specializing in adult-gerontology care are in high demand as Pennsylvania’s aging population continues to grow. Salaries vary by setting and region, with hospital-based AGNPs and those in the Philadelphia metro area typically earning more. Pennsylvania is now a Full Practice Authority state, which may further expand AGNP job opportunities.
Best AGNP Programs in Pennsylvania
The best program really depends on what you’re looking for. Because of their limited on-campus requirements, LaSalle University and Neumann University may be good options if you want something convenient and flexible.
Saint Joseph’s University boasts a 100% passing rate for the AACN/ANCC Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) exams, while DeSales University and Cedar Crest College provide access to a high-tech simulation lab.
Pennsylvania’s Most Affordable AGNP Programs
There are a wide range of options for AGNP programs in Pennsylvania. Some of the most affordable options are Bloomsburg Commonwealth University, Misericordia University, Wilkes University, and York College of Pennsylvania.
Compare AGNP Programs in Pennsylvania
| School | Degree Type | Online Option | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alvernia University | MSN | Hybrid | |
| Bloomsburg Commonwealth University | MSN | Yes | |
| Cedar Crest College | DNP | Yes | |
| DeSales University | MSN | Hybrid | |
| Drexel University | MSN, DNP | Yes | |
| Duquesne University | MSN | Yes | |
| Gwynedd Mercy University | MSN | Online | ~2 Years |
| LaSalle University | MSN | Yes | |
| Misericordia University | MSN, DNP | Yes | |
| Moravian University | MSN | Hybrid | |
| Neumann University | MSN | Yes | |
| Pennsylvania State University | MSN, DNP | Yes | |
| Saint Joseph’s University | MSN | Yes | |
| Temple University | BSN-to-DNP | Hybrid | 3–4 Years |
| Thomas Jefferson University | MSN, DNP | Yes | |
| University of Pennsylvania | MSN, DNP | Hybrid | |
| University of Pittsburgh | MSN, DNP | Yes | |
| Villanova University | MSN | Yes | |
| Widener University | MSN, DNP | Yes | |
| Wilkes University | MSN | Yes | |
| York College of Pennsylvania | MSN | Yes |
Looking at other NP specializations in Pennsylvania? Explore FNP programs, PNP programs, and DNP programs in the state, or visit our Pennsylvania nurse practitioner programs page for a full list of schools.
Frequently Asked Questions About AGNP Programs in Pennsylvania
How many AGNP programs are available in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has 19 accredited universities offering AGNP programs. Most offer MSN-level tracks, and several also provide DNP pathways. Many programs are available online or in hybrid format.
What is the average salary for an AGNP in Pennsylvania?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2024), nurse practitioners in Pennsylvania earn a mean annual wage of approximately $124,590. AGNPs working in hospital settings or metropolitan areas like Philadelphia tend to earn above the state average.
What is the difference between AGNP-PC and AGNP-AC?
AGNP-PC (Primary Care) focuses on managing chronic conditions and preventive care for adults and older adults in outpatient settings. AGNP-AC (Acute Care) prepares nurses to treat acutely ill patients in hospitals and emergency departments. Some Pennsylvania programs offer both tracks.
Can AGNPs practice independently in Pennsylvania?
Yes. Pennsylvania became a Full Practice Authority state under Act 68 of 2022, effective in 2025. After completing a three-year collaborative agreement period, AGNPs can practice independently without physician oversight.
What certification exams do AGNP graduates need to pass?
AGNP graduates typically take the ANCC Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP (AGPCNP-BC) or the ANCC Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP (AGACNP-BC) certification exam, depending on their track. AANP also offers an Adult-Gerontology Primary Care certification.