Becoming board certified as a Nurse Practitioner is a milestone achievement and huge career step, and choosing which exam to take can be a big decision. There are two main certifying bodies, and figuring out which NP exam is right for you will help you be successful both on the exam and in your career.
What are the options for Nurse Practitioner board certification?
There are two main certifying bodies for Nurse Practitioners in the United States. They are the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), which is part of the American Nurses Association, and the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP). Both certifiers offer multiple certification exams that provide Nurse Practitioners with a specialty.
There are three entry-level certification exams offered by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.
- Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGNP)
- Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)
There are four board exams for first-time certification offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).
- Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP)
- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP)
- Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)
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How do you decide which NP Board Exam to take?
There are many factors to consider in determining which certifying board and which exam will be best for you. These include the price, the exam difficulty levels, and the benefits of becoming a member of each of the associations.
You should also consider which board exam certification is best for your career goals. That is, what clinical setting you hope to work in, what patient population you plan on working with, and what field of medicine most interests you. It is important to consider all these factors when deciding which certification exam to take. However, keep in mind that Nurse Practitioners need to recertify every five years, and it is possible to take a different exam to recertify if you want to try a new specialty or switch jobs.
Which NP board exam is easier?
You can get an idea of the exams’ difficult levels by looking at the pass rates published by the certifying bodies. Here is a comparison of 2023 data for each exam taken by first-time test takers (i.e. not nurses going for recertification). This chart also includes the total number of Nurse Practitioners with each certifications, so you can also see the popularity of each exam.

You can see that while the vast majority of Nurse Practitioners have previously been certified as Family Nurse Practitioners (FNP), the Psychiatric-Mental Health certification is also very popular. In fact, in 2023, it was slightly more popular among first-time test takers than the FNP exam. The PMHNP exam is new for the AANP in April of 2024, so data is not yet available; however, this specialty is expected to gain popularity in the next few years.
Which exam is longer?
The AANP exam is slightly shorter, allowing three hours to answer 150 questions, 135 of which count toward your score. The ANCC exam provides 3.5 hours to answer 175 questions, 150 of which count toward your score. These statistics are true for all board exams offered by each organization, but keep in mind that the content on the exams differs depending on the certification. Be sure to review the exam structure and knowledge area breakdown to tailor your studying to the exam expectations.
How much does it cost to take the Nurse Practitioner Board Exam?
Comparing the two boards, ANCC exam fees are more expensive than AANP fees. Both companies offer exam fee discounts for association members. As of 2025, exam fees for all exams are:

Member benefits of joining the American Nurses Association include tuition support to various institutions, insurance, mentorship, and more. Fees average $15/month ($180), depending on your state chapter, and students can join for free as “Student Subscribers.” The ANA has more than 4 million members across the country of all registered nurses.
Member benefits of joining the American Association of Nurse Practitioners include free continuing education courses, grants and scholarships, discounts on conferences, access to clinical resources, and more. Fees are $153 annually, which is slightly less than the ANA membership fee. The AANP has approximately 120,000 members.
While the ANA is a much larger organization, it is important to remember that it is open to all registered nurses, while the AANP is only available to certified Nurse Practitioners (and NP students). In fact, looking at all certified NPs by each organization, both ANCC and AANP have just over 200,000 certified NPs in total, so they are about equal in popularity among Nurse Practitioners.
What happens if you fail the NP Board Exam?
It may not be pleasant to think about, but the two associations have different procedures for retaking the board exam, so you may want to consider these factors as well in deciding which exam to take. The ANCC requires a 60-day waiting period before you can apply to retest. They also allow three attempts in a 12-month period and provide a slight discount on the exam fee for retesters.
The AANP only allows test takers two attempts per calendar year. Additionally, candidates are required to complete 15 contact hours in the areas of weakness determined by their test results. Therefore, the burden to retest through the American Association of Nurse Practitioners is greater than that of the ANCC. The AANP also offers a discount for retesters.
Conclusion
There are many factors to consider when choosing the right NP board exam for you. You may be most swayed by pass rates, price, or exam length. If you are already a member of the American Nurses Association or American Association of Nurse Practitioners, getting certified through your association will make the most sense and allow a discount on exam fees.
No matter which exam you choose, every certification will be respected by future employers, and you can always recertify with a different exam when it is time to renew. Every certification allows Nurse Practitioners the same scope of work and licensing. Having a specialized certification therefore can be an added bonus, but it is not a job requirement for entry-level Nurse Practitioners.
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