How to Become an Oncology Nurse Practitioner
Duties, Job Responsibilities, and Required Certifications—Plus Salary and Job Outlook for Oncology NPs
Almost everyone has a friend, family member, or loved one who has been affected by cancer. Despite the incredible advances in cancer detection and treatment, cancer is still one of the leading causes of death around the world. As of January 2024, data from the American Cancer Society projected over 2 million new cancer cases in the US alone during 2024.
Fortunately for cancer patients and their loved ones, oncology nurse practitioners are making cancer prevention, detection, and treatment accessible to more people, especially in places with fewer available cancer physicians.
If the fight against cancer is a cause that’s close to your heart, becoming an oncology nurse practitioner could be a great long-term goal to set for your nursing career. Helping patients overcome cancer is extremely rewarding work—and thanks to their advanced training and education, oncology NPs are also among the higher-paid professionals in nursing.
Let’s take a closer look at what it takes to become an oncology nurse practitioner—including the required education and certifications, typical job responsibilities, and common work environments. We’ll also cover the latest salary* info and job outlook data for oncology nurse practitioners.
If you’re still trying to decide which nursing career is the right fit for you, you can also explore our list of the highest-paying nursing jobs. An oncology nurse practitioner is just one of the near-countless career possibilities that can open up after earning your BSN degree.
The Oncology Nurse Practitioner Defined
What is an Oncology Nurse Practitioner?
An Oncology Nurse Practitioner is a highly specialized Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) who focuses on treating people diagnosed with cancer. They collaborate with oncologists and other healthcare professionals to develop and deliver a treatment plan for cancer patients, and monitor their patients’ progress to determine if any adjustments are necessary.
Like all APRNs, oncology nurse practitioners have multiple college degrees, years of patient-care experience, and advanced training that enables them to practice with a higher level of independence and autonomy.
Oncology Nurse Practitioner: Job Description
What Does an Oncology Nurse Practitioner Do?
Oncology nurse practitioners provide comprehensive care for cancer patients, from diagnosis to treatment to long-term recovery. They conduct physical examinations and order tests to confirm and identify suspected cancer cases. Depending on their scope of practice according to state regulations, oncology NPs can also prescribe and administer medications including chemotherapy.
Because cancer treatment is often a long-term process, oncology nurse practitioners also monitor and evaluate the treatment plan and how well it’s working for each patient. They help patients manage side effects from their medications, and provide important moral and emotional support to patients and their families.
Some oncology NPs also work in cancer research, pharmaceutical research, or provide consulting for cancer-prevention efforts. Oncology nurse practitioners have many opportunities to put their skills and experience to work for the benefit of patients and the general public.
The Day-to-Day Responsibilities of an Oncology Nurse Practitioner
For the average oncology nurse practitioner working in a clinic, your daily responsibilities will likely include:
- Conducting interviews and physical examinations of patients
- Ordering diagnostic tests and interpreting their results
- Writing prescriptions for medications and other forms of treatment
- Working in collaboration with a doctor to provide primary care
- Keeping accurate records to ensure patient safety and avoid medication errors or negative interactions
- Educating patients and their families on treatment options, medication side effects, and more
- Providing moral and emotional support to patients and their loved ones
- Managing, supervising, and scheduling clinical staff
Oncology Nurse Practitioner Job Settings
Where Do Oncology Nurse Practitioners Work?
Oncology nurse practitioners can work in various healthcare settings including hospitals, private doctors’ offices, cancer treatment centers, and in hospice settings or home healthcare services. Most oncology NP jobs are patient-facing, though some oncology nurse practitioners may also work in research facilities, nursing education, or with public-health organizations.
What Subspecialties are Available for Oncology Nurse Practitioners?
Because there are so many forms of cancer that require different treatment approaches, oncology NPs often specialize in working with certain types of cancers or patient populations. Some of the most common subspecialties for oncology nurse practitioners include:
- Hematologic oncology focuses on blood cancers like leukemia and lymphoma. Oncology NPs in this field may work closely with bone marrow transplant teams, and help patients manage these particularly complex diseases.
- Surgical oncology NPs work with patients before and after cancer surgeries to manage wounds and any postoperative complications.
- Radiation oncology focuses on patients undergoing radiation therapy, including managing treatment schedules and side effects.
- Pediatric oncology addresses the unique needs of developing children and adolescents who have been diagnosed with cancer, with a family-centered approach to treatment.
- Gynecologic oncology focuses on cancers affecting women’s reproductive systems, including ovarian or uterine cancers.
- Gastrointestinal oncology treats patients with cancers of the digestive system, including pancreatic, liver, or colorectal cancers.
- Palliative care oncology treats patients with advanced cancers, maximizing their quality of life and managing symptoms as effectively as possible.
While this is not a comprehensive list of subspecialties available for oncology nurse practitioners, it gives you an idea of the surprisingly broad range of career options within the already-specialized field of oncology.
Oncology Nurse Practitioner Schooling & Certification
How Long Does It Take to Become an Oncology Nurse Practitioner?
While everyone’s timeline looks a little different depending on how long it takes to complete the various steps in the process, the total time it takes to become an oncology nurse practitioner is usually at least 6-8 years. This includes the time it takes to complete your Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree, gain some experience working as a nurse, and complete a master’s degree program in advanced-practice nursing.
Is it Hard to Become an Oncology Nurse Practitioner?
It takes a major commitment to become an oncology NP—it’s a career that requires years of education and specialized experience beyond your BSN nursing program. Cancer patients are particularly vulnerable, and their treatment needs to be overseen by experienced healthcare providers with advanced training.
Working as an oncology nurse practitioner can also be emotionally difficult at times—you’re likely to break difficult news to patients and their families, and you may witness a fair amount of loss and grief. However, many oncology NPs find that these tough moments are outweighed by the joy, hope, and fulfillment of helping many of their patients overcome cancer and live meaningful lives.
While it’s a long and sometimes demanding process, becoming an oncology nurse practitioner is a realistic goal for many nurses who want to advance their careers. If you’re willing to put in the work, many oncology NPs find the rewards of the job more than balance out the challenges.
What Degree Do You Need to Be an Oncology Nurse Practitioner?
Like all APRNs, oncology nurse practitioners must complete both an undergraduate nursing degree, and a master’s or doctoral degree in nursing. Though it’s totally possible for registered nurses with a BSN degree and additional training to work in oncology nursing, nurse practitioners have an expanded scope of practice that requires a postgraduate degree as well as a bachelor’s.
Step-By-Step Guide to Becoming an Oncology Nurse Practitioner
1) Earn your Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
The first step in becoming an oncology nurse practitioner is earning your BSN nursing degree. Your BSN will take about four years, unless you’ve already earned your associate degree in nursing (ADN). Students who’ve already earned their ADN can enroll in an RN-BSN program which can be completed in as little as 20 months.
Students enrolled in a BSN program take courses such as anatomy, pharmacology, and physiology. A bachelor-level nursing education is important to establish the fundamentals you’ll need for more advanced APRN training. If you’re still gearing up for this stage of your nursing journey, you may benefit from our helpful guide on how to prepare for nursing school.
Once you’ve earned your BSN, you must also pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) to earn your nursing license on a state-by-state basis. You can learn more about the certification exam for nurses in our NCLEX-RN review guide, which contains lots of useful info and test-prep tips.
2) Gain Experience as a Registered Nurse
After you’ve become a licensed registered nurse, gaining experience working as an RN is a critical step toward becoming an oncology NP. Any nursing experience is a good thing, though dedicated oncology experience or continuing education will be an advantage for your future career as an oncology nurse practitioner.
To further solidify their skills, some registered nurses pursue additional certifications from the Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation. Oncology certifications for registered nurses include
Oncology Certified Nurse (OCN®), Certified Pediatric Hematology Oncology Nurse (CPHON®), Certified Breast Care Nurse (CBCN®) or Blood & Marrow Transplant Certified Nurse (BMTCN®).
All of these certifications generally require an active RN license, 2,000 hours of relevant nursing practice, at least 2 years of experience in the field, and at least 10 contact hours of relevant continuing education.
3) Earn Your Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Degree
Earning your Master of Science in Nursing is the next stage of the required education to become an oncology nurse practitioner. An MSN program will build upon the fundamentals you learned while completing your BSN, and your clinical experience working as an RN.
Many nursing graduate programs have subspecialties for different career paths. Future oncology NPs should seek out a master’s-level nursing program with a focus on oncology, primary or acute adult care, family care, gerontology, or women’s health.
4) Become Licensed as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN)
After earning your MSN, you’ll need to pass the certification exam for your chosen NP field from either the American Nurses Credentialing Center or the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. After doing so, you can become licensed as a nurse practitioner on a state-by-state basis.
5) Earn Advanced Oncology Nursing Certifications
To get the most out of your career as an oncology nurse practitioner, you should consider pursuing additional credentials specific to oncology nursing. In addition to the RN-level certifications mentioned earlier, the ONCC offers an Advanced Oncology Certified Nurse Practitioner certification, which may lead to increased career opportunities for oncology NPs.
To become AOCNP® certified, you’ll need to have an active nursing license, a graduate-level nursing degree, and at least 500 supervised hours working as an oncology nurse (if you graduated from an oncology NP program)—or at least 1,000 hours if your NP program was in adult or family practice, gerontology, or women’s health.
Oncology Nurse Practitioner Salary
How Much Do Oncology Nurse Practitioners Make?
Although the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics doesn’t report salary* data specifically for oncology nurse practitioners, they do provide overall salary* data for NPs. As of May 2023, the average annual salary* for nurse practitioners (including oncology nurses) was over $128,000 per year.
Even the bottom 25% of earners among NPs earn over $106,000 per year, and the top 10% of earners reported salaries over $168,000 annually. However, it’s important to keep in mind that your salary* is often dependent on your education, experience, and location.
Highest Paying Industries for Oncology Nurse Practitioners
According to the BLS, as of May 2023, these are the industries where you’re most likely to find the top-paying jobs for nurse practitioners:
| Industry | Average Hourly Pay | Average Salary |
| Business Support Services | $86.81 | $180,570 |
| Residential Intellectual and Development Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities | $76.03 | $158,140 |
| Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations | $73.84 | $153,580 |
| Home Health Care Services | $70.60 | $146,850 |
| Other Ambulatory Health Care Services | $69.51 | $144,570 |
Highest Paying States for Oncology Nurses
According to the BLS, as of May 2023, these are the states where you’re most likely to find the top-paying jobs for Oncology Nurse Practitioners:
| State | Average Hourly Pay | Average Salary |
| California | $ 77.66 | $ 161,540 |
| Nevada | $ 71.48 | $ 148,670 |
| Washington | $ 69.90 | $ 145,400 |
| New Jersey | $ 69.73 | $ 145,030 |
| Oregon | $ 69.69 | $ 144,950
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What Is the Job Outlook for Oncology Nurse Practitioners?
While the BLS doesn’t provide detailed job outlook data for oncology NPs, nurse practitioners are one of the fastest-growing fields in healthcare. As of August 2024, the BLS projections indicate the overall employment of nurse practitioners should increase by an eye-popping 46% by 2033, which is several times higher than the average 4% job-growth rate among all careers.
As the demand for healthcare services continues to increase due to an aging population, demand for oncology nurse practitioners should remain high for the foreseeable future.
Start Your Journey Toward Becoming an Oncology NP
While most people who specialize in cancer care will tell you they’d be happy to work themselves out of a job, we’re likely still some time away from that happening. Although the long-term goal is always to eliminate cancer, there will still be millions of people between now and then that need compassionate care from oncology experts!
For anyone considering a career as an oncology nurse practitioner, building a solid foundation of nursing fundamentals is a vital early step in your journey to becoming an NP. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at Provo College is designed to prepare you for a long and successful career, with experienced instructors, a student-focused learning environment, and modern training tools that prepare you to work in modern medical facilities.
If you’re still researching different career options for your future in nursing, you can check out our guide on how to become a registered nurse—or explore the other healthcare training programs available at Provo College.
