by our College Data Analytics TeamA degree in Family Practice Nurse/Nursing covers Family Practice Nurse/nursing. A Program That Prepares Registered Nurses To Provide Independent General Care For Family Groups And Individuals In The Context Of Family Living. Includes Instruction In Family Theory And Intervention, Role Synthesis, Family Primary Care, Nursing Practice And Health Care Policy, Holistic Practice, Pediatric Practice, Gerontological Practice, Health Assessment, Clinical Pharmacotherapeutics, Clinical Techniques, And Pathopsychology. Examples: [Family Practice Nurse Practitioner], [Family Nurse Practitioner], [Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner], [Primary Care Nurse Practitioner]. Read on to learn the important information every family practice nurse/nursing major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering family practice nurse/nursing programs.
Across the country, family practice nurse/nursing is a popular field of study, with 14,847 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Family Practice Nurse/Nursing Schools ranking analyzes these 292 schools to determine the best overall colleges for family practice nurse/nursing students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of family practice nurse/nursing programs later in this article.
Studies in Family Practice Nurse/Nursing emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations family practice nurse/nursing graduates commonly enter.
The skill set built by a family practice nurse/nursing program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a family practice nurse/nursing major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several family practice nurse/nursing degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 141 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 13,914 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 792 |
People currently working in careers related to family practice nurse/nursing tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 44.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 24.3% |
| Doctoral degree | 10.0% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 8.9% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 7.8% |
| First professional degree | 1.4% |
| Post-doctoral training | 1.4% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.3% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.3% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.2% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in family practice nurse/nursing careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Majoring in family practice nurse/nursing can lead to many career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to family practice nurse/nursing.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to family practice nurse/nursing.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 3,793,806 | 10.2% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 2,031,912 | 3.3% |
| Clinical Nurse Specialists | 1,937,405 | 12.3% |
| Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses | 1,349,827 | 0.0% |
| Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary | 790,445 | 5.7% |
| Critical Care Nurses | 590,563 | 14.4% |
| Acute Care Nurses | 191,452 | 4.1% |
The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of family practice nurse/nursing graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $83,453 |
| 4 years | $80,149 |
| 5 years | $90,156 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for family practice nurse/nursing graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers family practice nurse/nursing grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Nurse Practitioners | $147,651 |
| Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses | $143,854 |
| Registered Nurses | $105,741 |
| Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary | $69,718 |
| Critical Care Nurses | $65,103 |
| Acute Care Nurses | $56,247 |
| Clinical Nurse Specialists | $52,889 |
With 292 different family practice nurse/nursing programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased family practice nurse/nursing school rankings to help you.
Students interested in family practice nurse/nursing, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | 256,965 |
| Nursing Practice | 9,206 |
| Nursing Administration | 7,911 |
| Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing | 4,379 |
| Nursing Science | 4,245 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Other | 4,125 |
| Adult Health Nurse/Nursing | 2,457 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | 1,960 |
| Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing | 1,505 |
| Geriatric Nurse/Nursing | 641 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
