Overview
Frontier Nursing University traces its roots to the Frontier Graduate School of Midwifery founded in 1939 by Mary Breckinridge, growing out of the Frontier Nursing Service established in 1925 to bring healthcare to underserved rural Appalachia. It became a fully accredited university in 2011 and is recognized nationally as a leader in nurse-midwifery and nurse practitioner education, particularly for its innovative distance-education model that combines online coursework with intensive on-campus clinical sessions and local clinical placements. FNU is best known for producing a significant share of the nation's certified nurse-midwives and for its mission-driven focus on expanding healthcare access in rural and underserved communities.
At a Glance
| Type | Private |
| Location | Versailles, Kentucky |
| Founded | 1939 |
| Total students | 2,800 |
| Student–faculty ratio | 14:1 |
| Acceptance rate | 60% |
| Graduation rate | 85% |
| Average starting salary | $105,000 |
Tuition & Costs (estimates)
| In-state tuition | $14,000 |
| Out-of-state tuition | $14,000 |
| Room & board | $2,000 |
| Average financial aid | $10,000 |
| Students receiving aid | 70% |
Admissions
| SAT range | N/A |
| ACT range | N/A |
| Average GPA | 3.40 |
| Regular deadline | Rolling |
Top Programs
- Nurse-Midwifery
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- Women's Health Care Nurse Practitioner
- Doctor of Nursing Practice
Figures are estimates for exploration — verify current costs, deadlines, and requirements on the university's official website.