So you just spent $1,000s of dollars to get through NP school and now you’re expected to pay more to get ready to start your first job. When does the madness stop? How much does it actually cost to become a Nurse Practitioner?
After you graduate, there are several more steps you have to go through before you start your first job. Now you have to get certified, licensed and credentialed (read more about that here). Well yikes…how much is all of that going to cost?
Today, we’re going to talk about the expenses you’ll face after graduation. It’s easy to forget about these post-graduation costs as you budget for tuition and other school related expenses. It’s important to remember all of these costs and include them in your financial planning. Some of these expenses may be reimbursed as part of your contract so make sure to ask about this in your job negotiation process.
Today we’re going to talk only about initial fees that you could expect as a new graduate Nurse Practitioner. Many of these initial expenses will also require you to pay renewal fees in the future. There are five expenses you can expect after you graduate:
- Board Certification
- RN License – initial or renewal
- APRN License
- State Specific Furnishing License or Controlled Substance License
- DEA Certificate
It’s worth noting that the cost to become a Nurse Practitioner is going to vary based on the state you practice in. Only two of the five expenses we are going to talk about today are the same across the country. The other three are going to depend on what state you get licensed in.
Board Certification $240-$395
| Cost For Members | Cost for Non-Members | Cost of Membership | |
| AANP FNP Exam | $240 | $315 | $55/year for students |
| ANCC FNP Exam | $295 | $395 | $15/month *no student discount available |
There are often discounts available for these exams so make sure to search around. The other expense to consider here is the cost of study materials. Think about whether you want to use a live review course, books, and/or practice tests or questions and factor those costs in here too.
RN License $100-$300
- You should consider this expense if you’re going to be moving and practicing in a state where you don’t already hold a RN License
- You may also be required to get fingerprints done at an additional cost
APRN License $100-500
- In most states you can expect to pay between $100-$200, but some states, such as California, have much higher fees where you can expect to pay $500 for an initial license
State Specific Furnishing License or Controlled Substance License $50-$200
- This varies widely state to state and may not even be required
- Make sure to check with your state’s Board of Nursing to see if any additional licensing is required for prescribing
DEA Certificate $731
- This allows you to prescribe controlled substances if permitted by your state’s NP practice laws
- Read more here
Summary of How Much it Costs to Become a Nurse Practitioner
As you can see, there are many costs you can expect once you finish NP school. This is all part of the process to become certified, licensed and credentialed so that you can start your first job. If you’re not expecting or budgeting for these expenses, it may take you by surprise. Overall, you can expect to spend $1,200-$2,000 on all of the certifications and licensure costs to become a Nurse Practitioner.
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