What does a family nurse practitioner do?
A family nurse practitioner (FNP) provides primary care to people of all ages, from newborns to older adults: checkups, treating common illnesses, managing chronic conditions and prescribing medication.
Where FNPs work
FNPs work in family practice and community clinics, urgent care, retail and workplace clinics, schools and hospital outpatient departments. Because the focus covers the whole life span, it is the most flexible NP track for settings that see mixed patients.
Training and certification
FNPs are registered nurses who complete a graduate program with a family NP track, then pass a national family NP certification exam from the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board or the American Nurses Credentialing Center. The state then licenses them for advanced practice. Programs should hold ACEN or CCNE accreditation, as explained in nursing school accreditation.
Pay
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports one figure for all nurse practitioners, not by track: a median of $132,300 in May 2025. See the state ranking.
Pay and projections: Bureau of Labor Statistics. NCLEX figures: NCSBN. Enrollment: AACN. Sources and years are ondata sources.