Maryland Nurse Practitioner Programs and Careers
As a working nurse, you may be ready to take the next step in your career. If your favorite part of nursing is patient care, it’s time to look into nurse practitioner programs in Maryland. You’re in the right place to learn more about degree requirements, clinical hour expectations and licensing in Maryland. If you want to start the school search, look for options in our list of featured schools or check out the quick search box above.
Once you get established in the field of nursing as a registered nurse, you may have plenty of options when it comes time to take the next step in your career. Keep reading to learn more about your options in Maryland!
How Can I Become a Nurse Practitioner in Maryland?
A Master’s-level or doctorate nurse practitioner degree could help you spend more time with patients, broaden your scope of practice, and take on more responsibility in your daily work. In Maryland, you can become an NP with a Master’s degree or a doctorate. Compare average graduation requirements to evaluate your options.
Average Requirements for Master’s NP Degrees
- Credit hours required: 40 credit hours
- Average cost: $700 to $1300 per credit hour
- Clinical hours required: At least 500 clinical hours
- Timeframe: Two to three years
Average Requirements for Doctoral NP Degrees
- Credit hours required: 80 credit hours
- Clinical hours required: At least 1,000 clinical hours
- Timeframe: Four years
Find out how you can use your nursing experience to get into the next phase of your career.
What Types of Nurse Practitioner Programs Are Available in Maryland?
There are several types of programs to consider as you look into Maryland schools. FNP programs prepare you for certification as a family nurse practitioner, a role that allows you to work with patients of all ages in acute or primary care settings. Other specialized areas of study in Maryland include neonatal care, adult healthcare, and gerontology.
The area of study you choose determines where you will complete your clinical hours, so select a population that is in line with your clinical interests. Curricular requirements vary between programs, but core classes tend to be the same across different degrees.
Courses Commonly Offered in Family Nurse Practitioner Programs
- Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology
- Advanced Health Assessment Across the Lifespan
- Clinical Pharmacology
- Research and Evidence-Based Practice
- Diagnosis and Management
- Population Health and Promotion
- Theory for Evidence-Based Practice
- Translating Evidence Into Practice
Whether you need to complete 50 hours or 1000 hours of clinical work, you can plan on gaining experience at a variety of local healthcare employers. Splitting up clinical work in this way allows you to practice different skills, find your ideal work setting, and build connections in your community.
How Can I Pay for Nurse Practitioner School in Maryland?
- BestNursingDegree.com Scholarship: Four times per year, BestNursingDegree.com awards $2,500 scholarships to selected students. Check which application cycle is going on now and apply.
- HRSA Nurse Corps Scholarship: Applicants who are selected for this program receive scholarship funds in exchange for two years in a Health Professional Shortage Area. Since this is a federal program, you may use this grant to work outside of Maryland.
- NHSC Loan Repayment Program: This federal loan repayment program also requires a two-year commitment. Rather than getting a scholarship, applicants have up to $50,000 of loans paid off.
Licensure for Nurse Practitioners in Maryland
After completing your nurse practitioner degree, you may apply for licensure via the Maryland Board of Nursing. They require proof of a graduate degree from an accredited school and national certification in your area of specialized care. Maryland gives nurse practitioners full freedom of practice, so when you get your license, you may work independently within your scope of practice (AANP, 2016).
Nurse Practitioner Careers in Maryland
There are several ways that graduates use nurse practitioner degrees. Maryland healthcare employers hire nurse practitioners for clinic, emergency, and urgent care positions. If you are currently employed as a registered nurse, you may choose to stay with your current place of employment as a nurse practitioner. Some nurse practitioners go on to open their own clinics and reach more patients.
Between 2014 and 2024, job openings for nurse practitioners may increase 33% in Maryland (O*Net, 2016). The average salary for a Maryland nurse practitioner is $96,200 per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016).
Choosing a NP School in Maryland
Are you ready to take on a more prominent role in patient care and use your nursing experience to improve the quality of healthcare in Maryland?
Maryland nurses, like you, who want to advance their education and become nurse practitioners can attend an online school, such as Georgetown University, or one of these Maryland institutions:
- Johns Hopkins University. Widely recognized as a leader in healthcare education, Johns Hopkins offers a variety of NP programs, including a joint master’s-level NP/master’s of public health degree. Other NP programs include adult primary care, adult acute/critical care, family primary care and pediatric primary care.
- University of Maryland. The University of Maryland offers master’s-level NP programs including: adult/gerontology nurse practitioner, family nurse practitioner and psychiatric/mental health nurse practitioner.
- Coppin State University. Located in Baltimore, Coppin State offers a family nurse practitioner program that is dedicated to training primary care providers to provide care to medically underserved populations in urban areas.
