Nurse practitioners work in a variety of settings and roles. Some NPs prefer to serve in family practice, while others prefer a different specialty, such as women’s health or neonatal nursing. Becoming an NP gives you choices, including working in the following areas:

Family nurse practitioner (FNP). Almost half of NPs work in the area of family practice. NPs who work in this area primarily serve children and adults in a clinical setting and assist with preventive care. You may work in your own practice, depending on state laws and regulations, or work in collaboration with a physician.

Adult gerontology nurse practitioner (AGNP). These nurse practitioners specialize in treating patients of a variety of ages, from adolescent to the eldery, by providing either primary or acute care. Adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioners (AG-ACNP) primarily focus on treating sick patients and nursing them back to good health while adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioners (AG-PCNP) focus on illness prevention and advocating for a patient’s overall wellness.

Acute care nurse practitioner. These NPs focus on patients who are struggling with a serious illness. They may work in the ER, ambulatory care or other short-term settings. ACNPs are employed to diagnose and treat acute medical issues and partner with other members of the health care team to assist with patient care.

Women’s health nurse practitioner (WHNP). WHNPs typically work in medical practices that focus on women’s health, reproductive services or family planning. They are skilled in offering health care in the areas of gynecology, obstetrics and the provision of ongoing preventive care.

Neonatal nurse practitioner (NNP). NNPs collaborate with a neonatologist in an acute or non-acute setting. If an infant is born with medical challenges, such as a genetic disorder, premature birth or other complication, NNPs work to address these health issues and provide care. NNPs typically have more in-depth training than neonatal nurses and may take a more active role in diagnosis, treatment planning and prescription writing, depending on the state of practice.

Working as an NP gives you more responsibility and autonomy as well as the ability to earn higher compensation, but what degree path should you pursue to make the most of your nursing education? Prior to pursuing a master’s or doctoral degree, an aspiring NP needs to hold an RN license. If you already have a Bachelor of Science in nursing (BSN), you can apply to an MSN program.

Alternatively, you can apply to an MSN program called a “bridge program” if you hold an associate degree in nursing. Most of these programs require that you have an RN license that is in good standing, and some will also require experience working as an RN.

Earning an MSN. The Master of Science in nursing gives you more depth than the ADN or BSN, and allows you to earn more. This program will prepare you to assess and treat patients, prescribe medications, order tests and potentially operate your own practice, depending on state regulations. Salary data from 2019 shows that the average salary for an MSN degree nurse was roughly $115,800 annually. Most programs take around two years to complete.

Earning a DNP. A DNP degree program involves more coursework in evidenced-based practice, leadership and quality improvement as well as a doctoral project. It also provides you with a doctoral-level education and expertise on patient care, and positions you for supervisor roles and earning a more lucrative salary. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) has endorsed DNP degrees as the standard for nurse practitioners since 2004. This degree will position you for higher-paying positions and senior leadership positions. Many DNP programs require a full-time program commitment for three to four years.