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A women’s health nurse practitioner is an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) who provides holistic care for women from puberty through the adult lifespan. WHNPs concentrate their care on gynecologic, obstetric, sexual, and reproductive health. 

They provide care both individually and collaboratively as members of a healthcare team. WHNPs may consult with additional healthcare professionals regarding how non-gynecologic conditions (and their treatment) can impact reproductive and sexual health.

Learn more about general WHNP roles and responsibilities.

Tuition, fees, and expenses varies widely by program. After determining your program of interest, you can use our Tuition Wizard to find an initial estimate.

You are never alone! We offer many possibilities for financial aid for those who qualify, including scholarships and grants, loan options, VA/military benefits, and much more.

Both WHNP and certified nurse midwives (CNM) are advanced practice nurses with specialized roles for women, but they have unique focuses in terms of scope of practice.

Women’s health nurse practitioners specialize in providing primary health care to women across the lifespan, while nurse midwives are more focused strictly on the pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. Midwives may deliver babies, but WHNP cannot.

Each has their own unique certification and educational requirements, as well as differences in salary potential.

Learn more about the primary differences between a WHNP and certified nurse midwife.

Our online division is based out of our home office in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin: 275 W Wisconsin Ave Ste. 210, Milwaukee, WI 53203. Career-focused online degree programs are available for students across the US, pending any program-specific state eligibility requirements.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nurse practitioners earn an average salary of $124,680 per year ($59.94 per hour). Pay depends on many factors, including your location, what healthcare institution you work for and your level of experience.*

Discover the average nurse practitioner salary by state and find out what nurse practitioners make on average near you. Salaries can vary between specialties, and the BLS does not provide a specific estimate for WHNP.

Yes, an FNP is educated and trained to work with all types of patients across the lifespan, so they can potentially provide women’s health care. 

However, an FNP curriculum includes topics in adult, geriatric, and pediatric care which may not be as relevant for those focused on women’s health only. The FNP curriculum includes women’s health, but our WHNP curriculum greatly expands on this to provide greater preparation for success both on the WHNP certification exam and success in your first WHNP job.

The skills and traits required for success as a social worker overlap with those of a human resources manager or professional. Both careers require strong communication skills, empathy, and a desire to help both individuals and groups thrive.

However, there are significant differences in the day-to-day life of HR professionals vs. social workers, including work environment, schedule, who you’ll work with, and types of problems you’ll be solving.

Learn more about the difference between human resources and social work careers.

We have 6 start dates spread across full year-round study, resulting in start dates about every two months. Semesters last for 16 weeks (about 4 months) each.

You can view our academic calendar to see specific upcoming general start dates and other important dates to remember. We offer rolling admissions with no application deadlines.

Keep in mind start dates can vary by program and certain programs have a limited number of openings for new students. Your best bet is to contact admissions to confirm how soon you can enroll and start your new career path.

Precise scope of practice can vary by state and employer. The American Associate of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) provides a brief summary of the scope of practice common to all nurse practitioners.

You may have some initial questions about what a WHNP can and can’t do. For instance, can WHNP…

• Write prescriptions? Yes, nurse practitioners may write prescriptions.
• See male patients? Yes, some WHNPs may treat men. WHNPs are educationally prepared to care for individuals inclusive of sex, gender, or sexual orientation.
• Deliver babies? No, only midwives or obstetricians (Obstetrics and Gynecology - OBGYN) can deliver babies.
• Prenatal care? Yes, WHNP can provide pregnancy testing, fertility evaluation, prenatal visits, and postpartum care. 
• Be called an “OBGYN” nurse practitioner? Some WHNP may be informally regarded as an OBGYN NP if their care focuses primarily on the pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum period. However, no WHNP has the same scope of practice as an OBGYN physician (or nurse midwife).
• Do mammograms? No. WHNP can order mammograms but they do not perform the actual exams.

You’ll learn more specifics over the course of the WHNP program.

Availability of evening or night classes varies by program and class type. General education courses can typically be completed online on your schedule. In some cases, certain classwork or exams may require a set log-in time.

We work hard to fully prepare you for success in your work and provide as much flexibility as possible to achieve the right school-life balance. Our admissions team can help you determine how much coursework you can potentially complete in nights and evenings.