FNP-C vs. FNP-BC: Differences and How to Choose Your Path
If you are considering becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner, at some point, you will have to choose between two main types of accreditation: FNP-C and FNP-BC.
FNP accreditation is necessary in order to practice in the US, and while both options grant you this ability, there are some notable differences that you need to be aware of before making a choice.
If you need help deciding between the two types, we will give you a helping hand with a comprehensive guide to FNP accreditation. Below, you will find out what FNP-C and FNP-BC mean, the main differences, as well as details regarding the required exams, and the consequences for your future career.
What Do FNP-C and FNP-BC Mean?
Family Nurse Practitioners (FNPs) are Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) who deliver primary care across the lifespan. To practice in the U.S., FNPs must obtain a national certification. There are two main credentials of this type, the FNP-C and the FNP-BC, with the letters denoting the certifying body that validated the nurse’s expertise. Choosing the proper certification is an important step for your career.
What Does FNP-C Stand For and What Does It Mean?
FNP-C standards for Family Nurse Practitioner-Certified. It signals that the professional received accreditation from the Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (ANPCB)
What Does FNP-BC Stand for and What Does It Mean?
FNP-BC stands for Family Nurse Practitioner-Board Certified. This type of certification is awarded by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).
In practice, either FNP accreditation qualifies you to diagnose and treat patients in contexts ranging from pediatrics to geriatrics. The letters are shorthand for the certification exam a professional has passed and for the organization that awarded the credential.
Another similarity between the two is that both certifications come only after completion of advanced education — generally, a Master of Science in Nursing-Family Nurse Practitioner (MSN FNP) Program. Once a nurse reaches the master’s or doctoral level, they must pass one of the two exams to become certified.
Thus, both the FNP-C and the FNP-BC represent a high level of training, competence, and preparation in family primary care. The central distinctions between the two, however, spring from the granting regulatory body and the required exam, rather than the core role they certify.
Certification Bodies: AANP vs. ANCC
The two types of credentials are administered by two different organizations, each with its own legacy in the nursing profession, although both are nationally recognized and similarly valid for practice.
The FNP-C credential is awarded by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB), which is the certifying arm of the AANP, a significant national professional association of Nurse Practitioners.
The AANP was established in 1993, and awards the NP-C credential (including the one specific to family practice). The FNP-C certification focuses on clinical competency in the context of family practice.
The FNP-BC credential is awarded by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association (ANA), which has been certifying nurses in various specialties for many years. Similar to the AANP, the Board Certified credential is awarded across multiple specialties, including Family Nurse Practitioners. One point of convergence between the two certification bodies is that the ANCC incorporates the professional scope of nursing into its certifications, along with clinical aspects.
As mentioned, both credentials — whether obtained from the AANP or the ANCC — are recognized nationally and accepted in all US states as proof of a professional’s capability to practice as a Family Nurse Practitioner. The choice between them does not concern legitimacy or quality of verification, but rather the focus and format of the certification exam and the career preferences of applicants.
Exam Differences Between FNP-C and FNP-BC
Both the AANPCB and ANCC exams aim to verify that a candidate has the clinical knowledge required for safe entry-level FNP practice.
However, there are some differences in exam content and format that may influence which exam feels more aligned with your strengths or career interests.
Format and Length
The FNP-C exam, organized by the AANP, consists of 150 questions: 135 are scored, and 15 are pre-test, unscored questions. Candidates are given up to 3 hours to complete it.
The FNP-BC exam, provided by the ANCC, consists of 175 questions (150 scored and 25 unscored pre-test questions) and can be completed within up to 3.5 hours.
Both exams are computer-based and are held at secure testing centers.
Content Focus
The content coverage has a significant overlap, since an FNP must manage primary care across all ages in either case. Both will cover clinical topics, including assessment, diagnosis, and clinical management.
However, the ANCC’s FNP-BC exam includes some additional topics and dimensions. In addition to the clinical topics, it also covers segments on nursing theory, research, and healthcare policy. In other words, while you’ll still be tested on, say, hypertension management or pediatric developmental milestones, the ANCC will also test your knowledge of things like evidence-based practice principles or ethical and policy considerations in nursing.
This additional angle of assessment aligns with the ANCC’s orientation toward holistic professional scopes of practice, with consequences for the practice outlook for FNP-BC credential holders.
The FNP-C exam from the AANP is more singularly focused on clinical practice and direct patient care scenarios, emphasizing core family practice competencies, in particular, assessment, diagnosis, planning, and evaluation of care for patients from prenatal through geriatric ages.
In short, the AANP exam required for FNP-C holders does not delve into nursing theory or system-level policy as much as the ANCC’s FNP-BC exam, instead focusing on assessing applied clinical knowledge.
Eligibility Requirements
The eligibility criteria to take the FNP-C and FNP-BC exams are nearly identical, so you do not need to make a decision based on vastly different requirements.
In order to qualify for the exam, you must:
- Hold at least a Master of Science in Nursing degree, with a specialty focus on Family Nursing Practice, such as Nightingale College’s MSN FNP Program. Alternatively, you can hold a post-graduate or doctoral degree in Family Nursing. The FNP programs must be certified by nursing school accreditation agencies, such as CCNE, ACEN, or others.
- Have a current, active Registered Nurse license, with both AANPCB and ANCC asking for your RN license information during application.
- Complete a minimum number of supervised clinical hours in the FNP role, commonly around 500 hours or more (usually built into the master’s or doctoral program). You may need an official verification or transcript showing you met the clinical hour requirement when you apply.
- Provide other documentation, such as transcripts, proof of your program’s accreditation, and, possibly, a faculty or perceptor sign-off that you completed the required clinical components. Here, you may encounter slight differences in requirements (for instance, the ANCC may accept specific continuing education or use an online application system, and the AANPCB may allow candidates from outside the US).
In summary, if you are graduating (or have graduated) from an accredited FNP program and have your RN license, you can choose either exam, since you meet the baseline qualifications for both. Since eligibility is not a differentiator, you can base your choice on other factors, like exam focus or cost.
One thing to note is that both the FNP-C and FNP-BC are nursing credentials and apply to professionals who began their careers on a medical pathway.
For more information about the distinctions between medical and nursing pathways, read about the differences between Nursing Practitioners and Physician Assistants.
Certification Costs and Renewal
The exam cost and ongoing requirements to maintain certification are practical factors to consider when deciding between FNP-C and FNP-BC.
AANP FNP-C Certification and Recertification Fees
For online applications, the initial exam fee for the FNP-C exam is $240 for AANP members and $315 for non-members, according to the current online application fees published by the regulating body. The same costs apply for retaking the examination. Recertification by practice hours and continuing education (CE) comes with a $120 fee for members and a $195 fee for non-members. Recertification by examination comes with a $240 fee for members and a $315 fee for non-members.
For paper applications, the fees are marginally higher: $290 (members) and $365 (non-members) for the initial certification exam. For retaking the examination, you need to pay a fee of $240 as an AANP member, and $315 as a non-member. Recertification by practice hours and continuing education (CE) comes with a $170 fee for members and a $245 fee for non-members. Recertification by examination comes with a $290 fee for members and a $365 fee for non-members.
ANCC FNP-BC Certification and Recertification Fees
For the FNP-BC initial certification, fees will differ based on your membership status and the organization you are a member of. Here are the current fees published by the ANCC:
- Non-member: $395
- American Nurses Association (ANA) member: $295
- American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) member: $340
- American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) student member: $290
- Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association (GAPNA) member: $340
Except for the ANA e-membership, the membership offers cannot be combined with other discounts.
The costs of renewal for the FNP-BC credential are:
- Non-member: $375
- American Nurses Association member: $275
- American Association of Nurse Practitioners member: $295
- Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association (GAPNA) member: $320
Additionally, you will have to pay a non-refundable $140 administrative fee in addition to the prices presented above. Other service costs may also apply.
In short, the AANP’s FNP-C examination fees are lower than those of the ANCC’s FNP-BC, both for members and non-members. The latter, however, provides the added benefit of reduced certification fees if you are a member of various NP organizations, whereas fee reductions for the FNP-C exam apply only for AANP members.
Certification Duration
Both the FNP-C and FNP-BC certifications are valid for 5 years, after which you must renew to continue using the credential and meet the requirements for active practice.
As shown above, you can renew your FNP-C credential either via clinical practice (1,000 hours) and continuing education (100 hours) over 5 years (with at least 25 hours in pharmacology), or via retaking the certification exam. However, most FNP-C nurses choose to renew via clinical practice and CE. The way you earn renewal credits for the AANPCB highlights the organization’s focus on applied knowledge and clinical practice.
The FNP-BC renewal also requires practice hours and CEs, though it is more flexible in how you earn renewal credits. Generally, you need to complete 75 continuing education hours (with 25 in pharmacology). You will also need to document your professional development activities, usually by including details on academic coursework, presentations, publication of an article, precepting students, or contributions to research or quality improvement projects. Essentially, ANCC encourages not just attending classes but also engaging in the profession. Additionally, like the AANP, the ANCC also requires a certain number of practice hours in the role, commonly 1,000 hours in a 5-year period, which aligns with having been employed or active as an FNP. There is also an option to renew the FNP-CB credential by exam, but, as with the FNP-C, most certification holders choose to renew via the professional development and CE route.
In summary, maintaining FNP-BC involves meeting professional development criteria in addition to continuing education, whereas maintaining FNP-C places greater emphasis on clinical practice hours and CEs. Neither is overly burdensome for an actively working NP.
If you’re practicing and periodically attending workshops or online CE modules, you’ll meet FNP-C requirements, and for FNP-BC, you’ll just add on perhaps one project or presentation over five years to check the extra box.
FNP-C vs. FNP-BC: Impact on Your Career
One of the biggest questions nurses have is whether choosing FNP-C or FNP-BC will significantly affect their job opportunities or career earnings. The short, general answer is no, as both certifications allow you to work as a family nurse practitioner and are valued in the healthcare system. However, there are subtle ways in which your choice might align better with your career plans.
Firstly, virtually all FNP jobs accept either certification. Hospitals, clinics, and physician offices typically just require “national board certification as an FNP” and don’t specify AANP vs ANCC. Both credentials meet the requirements for APRN or FNP licensure in all states. So in terms of getting licensed and landing a standard FNP position in primary care, you won’t find a meaningful difference. An FNP-C and an FNP-BC with the same experience are usually treated equivalently by employers in clinical practice.
Career Focus and Preferences
If you plan to make your career entirely in clinical practice, such as working in family practice clinics, urgent care centers, or community health clinics, you may find the FNP-C route more suitable, with its exam content geared toward practical clinical knowledge, as well as its focus on practice and continuing education for renewal (along with a shorter exam and lower fees).
Holding an FNP-C will not impact your earning potential, scope of practice, or access to various work settings. In fact, recent data show that this credential is the choice for the majority of FNP candidates: 67% take the AANPCB exam, compared to 33% who choose the AANC exam.
If you are interested in academic or leadership roles in addition to patient care, you might lean toward the FNP-BC role. The ANCC certification’s inclusion of policy and theory reflects, in some ways, the expectations of academic institutions or larger health organizations. For instance, if you think that one day you may want ot explore teaching positions in MSN or DNP programs, the FNP-BC credential can give you a slight advantage simply because academia is familiar with ANCC credentials under the ANA. Similarly, the FNP-BC credential may align better with leadership and management positions (including Nurse Managers, Directors of Nursing, or Chief Nursing Officers) that involve skills beyond direct patient care.
Some Magnet-designated hospitals known for nursing excellence encourage or prefer their advanced practice nurses to have ANCC certifications, since the Magnet status is an ANA program. This does not mean that an FNP-C would be excluded, but an FNP-BC might feel more at home in such environments that emphasize nursing’s professional scope.
One way to make sense of these differences and to orient yourself better is to seek guidance from mentors and local networks — particularly practicing FNPs and faculty who encountered these dilemmas before. Additionally, it can be beneficial for study support to choose the same exam that some of your colleagues did, though this is a minor factor.
Can You Hold Both Certifications?
Yes, it is possible to hold both FNP-C and FNP-BC certifications, though it is an uncommon route and rarely necessary for one’s practice and career. The dual certification status would involve applying and passing both the AANP and ANCC exams, the scopes of which overlap to a considerable degree.
Some FNPs may choose to take this route, particularly by attaining a dual certification status by receiving a credential later on, before the expiry of the first. This may be the case if the professional aims to change from a heavily practice-oriented role to a job in faculty, or vice versa (though it is more frequent to aim for FNP-BC later on).
However, you will have to bear in mind the practical difficulties, particularly in maintaining and renewing both credentials, which would entail meeting both sets of requirements in continuing education, practice requirements, professional development, and even recertification. This means that you would also pay renewal fees to both organizations.
There is no additional licensure privilege gained by having both, since one certification is sufficient for licensure and practice. That is why, although possible, most FNPs go for one certification that aligns best with their career aims.
This fact makes it all the more important to plan out your career journey early on, by particularly knowing possible pathways specific to the nursing career ladder and being familiar with advancement opportunities in your profession.
FNP-BC vs. FNP-C: Impact on Salary and Job Outlook
One thing to bear in mind is that, no matter how you aim to become a certified FNP, the career outlook is extremely strong, and the salary prospects are great. Family Nurse Practitioners, as the largest group of NPs, benefit from the robust demand and competitive salaries that the NP field enjoys.
Salary
According to a recent report from the AANP, the average estimated salary for 2025 was $129,976 per year, equivalent to $62.49 per hour. Adjusted to the national cost of living index, the FNP salary is $125,459 per year. Estimates may vary based on year and source (for instance, the Bureau of Labor Statistics places the median annual wage for Nurse Practitioners, including FNPs, at $132,050). Generally, FNPs can expect six-figure salaries after a few years of experience, especially in high-demand areas.
It is important to note that salary is not determined by whether you hold FNP-C or FNP-BC, since employers do not discriminate against. However, factors such as the work setting, the geographic location, years of experience, and sub-specialties will influence your earnings. A Family Nurse Practitioner (either FNP-C or FNP-BC) working in a primary care clinic in a rural area might earn a different salary than one working in an urban hospital or in telehealth.
For a more in-depth analysis of your prospective earning potential, read our updated comprehensive FNP salary guide.
Job Outlook
The AANP reports that Family Nurse Practitioners make up 68.7% of all NPs, the employment of which is reported to increase by 40% from 2024 to 2034. The increase in NP positions is expected to increase from 320,400 to 448,800, amounting to a net change of 128,400 new jobs. Assuming the same rate for FNPs, the expected change in new job openings amounts to 88,210, bringing the total national pool to 308,326.
As noted before, around 67% of new Family Nurse Practitioners choose to earn the FNP-C, compared to 33% who go for the FNP-BC.
Whether you choose FNP-C or FNP-BC, your ability to capitalize on this favorable job market is the same, as both credentials allow you to work as an FNP. There is no reported evidence of any salary differential between FNP-BC and FNP-C, since employers and salary surveys generally don’t distinguish between the two. They are essentially two lanes leading to the same destination in terms of role function.
Take the First Step to Becoming a Certified Family Nurse Practitioner
In the debate of FNP-C vs. FNP-BC, the most important thing to remember is that both paths lead to the goal of becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner. The two certifications have more in common than they have differences.
Both ensure you have the knowledge and capability to care for a broad range of patients from various walks of life. Employers do not discriminate between FNP-C and FNP-BC, seeing them as proof of your preparation and dedication to the FNP profession.
If you prefer a purely clinical emphasis and a slightly shorter exam, you may opt for FNP-C. If you welcome a bit of nursing theory and policy in your exam, or foresee academia in your future, FNP-BC might speak to you. Neither choice will close any major doors, with FNPs across the country thriving in their careers regardless of which exam they took. Notably, even if you consider changing the direction of your career, you can shift from FNP-C to FNP-BC (or vice versa), with minimal effort.
What underlies both is the good preparation and knowledge base that you receive in your chosen educational program, which can make a real difference in your career journey.
However, learning to become a Family Nurse Practitioner does not need to be a daunting task, particularly if you make the right decision regarding your program and institution.
At Nightingale College, we aim to make your learning experience as positive as possible, while also ensuring that aspiring Nurse Practitioners from all walks of life can receive top-quality education without sacrificing their professional and personal obligations.
The hybrid model adopted by our Master of Science in Nursing Family Nurse Practitioner (MSN FNP) Program aims to make nursing education as approachable and accessible as possible, while also ensuring the highest quality and level of accreditation. Its curriculum and content are grounded in the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials of Master’s Education in Nursing and evidence-based on national standards and research related to current practice, education, legislative, and research trends in health care, and local needs, along with various guiding principles, documents, and regulations.
Once enrolled, you will attend online instruction classes, as well as in-person seminars and perceptorshiperiences in one of the many Supervised On-Ground Field Experience (SOFE) areas across the country. Beyond the learning program, your learner experience will also be improved via resources and services, including exam coaching and mentorship, which are essentials for choosing your path forward. Additionally, you may qualify for financial aid in the form of scholarships aimed at rewarding and promoting excellence in the field. You will be able to graduate and pursue FNP-C or FNP-BC certification in just 24 months.
Ready to take the next step in your nursing career? Enroll in the MSN FNP Program today!