Barkley & Associates

What Barkley & Associates does

Barkley & Associates, Inc. is a privately held, founder-owned nurse practitioner continuing education and certification review company headquartered in Los Angeles, California. The company sells accredited CE courses, certification review packages, and clinical updates to two primary customer segments: NP students preparing for national certification exams (ANCC, AANP, AACN, PNCB, NCC) and practicing NPs seeking continuing education contact hours for recertification. A tertiary segment of NP faculty and university programs is served via a dedicated Faculty Resources portal. The catalog spans eight NP specialties (FNP, AGPCNP, AGACNP, PMHNP, WHNP, ENP, PNP-PC, PNP-AC) and includes 500+ courses across formats.

The product portfolio layers several SKU tiers: (1) one-time perpetual-license Home Study Packages in three tiers (Essentials, Premium, Ultimate) priced $239-$1,229.50; (2) 45-hour Advanced Pharmacology and Differential Diagnosis courses meeting initial certification requirements ($459-$689); (3) live 3-day in-person certification reviews held in major US cities; (4) live webinar certification reviews; (5) individual CE Store courses; (6) Barkley Blocks modular content; (7) subscription-based Barkley's Brain Boosters interactive exercise platforms (FNP, AGACNP, AGPCNP, PNP-PC, PMHNP) priced $29.95-$34.95/month; (8) Diagnostic Readiness Tests (100-question practice exams with remediation); (9) practice question textbooks; and (10) the annual NPAC Acute Care conference with on-demand access. Distribution runs exclusively through company-owned channels: npcourses.com, iOS/Android apps, and in-person live courses in seven US cities.

The business model is overwhelmingly transactional B2C with a growing subscription layer. Most revenue is one-time/perpetual-license course purchases, with audio stream renewals at 50% discount and Brain Boosters subscriptions providing the only significant recurring component. Differentiators include AANP (Provider #080518) and California BRN (CEP 15436) accreditation, founder credibility (Dr. Thomas W. Barkley, Jr., FAAN, FAANP), 125,000+ cumulative NPs prepared, and category firsts such as the only live 3-day FNP review in the country and the first PMHNP certification review. The technology stack is a proprietary video/LMS platform with mobile app extension rather than an AI-driven or adaptive system; competitive advantage rests on regulatory accreditation, content library depth, and faculty reputation rather than algorithmic differentiation.

Name

Barkley & Associates

Legal name

Barkley & Associates, Inc.

Website

https://npcourses.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Barkley & Associates, Inc. is a Los Angeles-based, founder-owned provider of accredited nurse practitioner continuing education and certification review courses, serving NP students preparing for boards and practicing NPs pursuing recertification CE across eight specialties via home study, live webinars, and in-person courses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nurse Practitioner Continuing Education

NAICS

Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Behavioral Health & Counseling (Social Work, Psychology, Substance Use CE) (EDAAALAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Education Professionals (Teacher/Administrator CE, CPD) (EDAAALAE)

Keywords

• Nurse practitioner education
• Certification review courses
• Continuing education
• Clinical pharmacology training
• Differential diagnosis courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual CE Courses: Sale of individual continuing education courses ranging from 0.5 to 21.75 contact hours, accessible via streaming for 6 months from purchase
2. Home Study Packages: Comprehensive certification review packages with multiple tiers (Essentials, Premium, Ultimate) offering course manuals, audio recordings, video access, and DRTs
3. Brain Boosters Subscription: Monthly subscription-based access to interactive exercises, starting at $29.95/month for AGACNP and $34.95/month for FNP
4. Barkley Blocks: A la carte modular content purchases for specific PMHNP, WHNP, and ENP topics ranging from $21.95 to $179.95
5. NPAC Conference: Annual acute care conference with on-demand access priced at $369.99-$409.99
6. Certificate Reissue: $30 administrative fee for replacement CE certificates
7. 45-Hour Courses: Comprehensive 45-hour courses in Advanced Pharmacology ($589-$689) and Differential Diagnosis ($459-$499) for initial certification requirements

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Barkley & Associates sells nurse practitioner continuing education and certification exam preparation products across eight NP specialties, delivered as live in-person courses, live webinars, self-paced home study packages, on-demand CE courses, interactive Brain Boosters subscriptions, Barkley Blocks modular content, Diagnostic Readiness Tests, and the annual NPAC conference. All offerings are AANP- and California BRN-accredited to provide contact hours accepted by every national certifying body and state board of nursing.

Product overview

Barkley & Associates operates as a comprehensive NP continuing education platform offering a portfolio of interconnected products across eight nurse practitioner specialties (FNP, AGPCNP, AGACNP, PMHNP, WHNP, ENP, PNP-PC, PNP-AC). The core offerings include certification review courses (available as Live In-Person, Live Webinar, or Home Study formats) providing structured exam preparation, supported by Home Study Packages in three tiers (Essentials, Premium, Ultimate). The product line extends to modular learning solutions called Barkley Blocks for targeted topic review, subscription-based interactive exercise platforms branded as Brain Boosters, 100-item Diagnostic Readiness Tests for practice assessment, and comprehensive 45-hour courses in Advanced Pharmacology and Differential Diagnosis. Additional offerings include CE Store individual courses, practice question textbooks, NPAC annual conferences, and certificate reissue services. The company leverages multiple delivery formats (audio, video, mobile app, web) with AANP accreditation for CE credit recognition.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 45-Hour Advanced Pharmacology Course Comprehensive 45-contact hour pharmacology course for nurse practitioners meeting CE requirements for initial certification and recertification. Available in general and California-specific versions covering CA BRN requirements.
• 45-Hour Differential Diagnosis Across the Life Span Course 45-contact hour course covering differential diagnosis skills across all age groups from pediatric to geriatric populations. Includes 26 video modules, 33 class sessions, 5 quizzes, and 2 exams.
• Certification Review Live Courses In-person live 2-3 day certification review courses held in multiple US cities (Birmingham, Chicago, Dallas, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Philadelphia, Washington D.C.) covering all NP specialties, including the only live 3-day FNP review course in the country.
• Certification Review Live Webinars Live webinar certification review courses for all NP specialties, providing interactive learning with expert faculty and live Q&A sessions.
• Family NP Home Study Package Self-paced FNP certification review with up to 39 contact hours across three tiers (Essentials, Premium, Ultimate) from $459.50 to $918.50, including audio recordings, video access, Diagnostic Readiness Tests, and practice question book.
• Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP Home Study Package Self-paced AGACNP certification review for ANCC and AACN exams with up to 33.75 contact hours, voiceover PowerPoint presentations, and Diagnostic Readiness Tests. Three tiers from $459.50 to $1,229.50.
• Psychiatric-Mental Health NP Home Study Package Self-paced PMHNP certification review with up to 27 contact hours. The first PMHNP certification review offered in the country with over 20 years of experience. Three tiers priced $379-$849.50.
• Pediatric Primary Care NP Home Study Package Self-paced PNP-PC certification review designed for the PNCB exam with up to 21.75 contact hours across three tiers from $249.50 to $499.50.
• Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP Home Study Package Self-paced AGPCNP/AGNP certification review with up to 28.5 contact hours across three tiers from $409.50 to $839.50.
• Women's Health Care NP Home Study Package Self-paced WHNP certification review for the NCC exam with up to 25.75 contact hours including 10 pharmacology hours. Three tiers from $449.50 to $869.50.
• Emergency NP Home Study Package Self-paced ENP certification review for the AANP exam with up to 27.75 contact hours including pharmacology and emergency care procedural skills. Three tiers from $369.50 to $789.50.
• Pediatric Acute Care NP Home Study Package Self-paced PNP-AC certification review with up to 28.5 contact hours across three tiers from $389.50 to $680.50.
• Dual Pediatric Primary/Acute Care NP Home Study Package Combined certification review for both PNP-PC and PNP-AC specialties with up to 35.75 contact hours across three tiers from $514.25 to $985.25.
• Barkley's Brain Boosters for Family NP Subscription-based interactive exercise platform with 1,110 exercises across 37 chapters for FNP curriculum review. Five question formats (matching, rank order, free answer, multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank) accessible via web browser or mobile app. Priced from $34.95/month.
• Barkley's Brain Boosters for AGACNP Subscription-based interactive exercise platform with 600 exercises across 15 chapters for Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP curriculum review. Accessible via web browser or mobile app. Priced from $29.95/month.
• Barkley's Brain Boosters for PNP-PC Subscription-based interactive exercise platform with 600 exercises across 20 chapters for Pediatric Primary Care NP curriculum review.
• Barkley's Brain Boosters for AGPCNP Subscription-based interactive exercise platform with 510 exercises across 17 chapters for Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP curriculum review.
• Barkley's Brain Boosters for PMHNP Subscription-based interactive exercise platform with 660 exercises across 22 chapters for Psychiatric-Mental Health NP curriculum review.
• Barkley Blocks for PMHNP Modular, focused learning packages for Psychiatric-Mental Health NP content. Nine blocks covering topics from core principles to clinical disorders. Each block includes video lectures with 3-month access and contact hours upon quiz completion.
• Barkley Blocks for WHNP Modular learning blocks for Women's Health Care NP aligned to NCC Core Competency Areas. Seven blocks covering pharmacology, primary care, gynecology, obstetrics, and professional practice.
• Barkley Blocks for ENP Modular learning blocks for Emergency NP. Five blocks covering skin/bones, PNS/CNS, GI/GU, trauma, and practice issues with focused clinical topics.
• Diagnostic Readiness Tests (DRTs) 100-question practice exams available for all NP specialties. Includes remediation sessions, full reports with graphs, and 2.5 contact hours upon completion. Available for 6 months from purchase. Priced from $29.95 per test.
• CE Store (Continuing Education Course Catalog) Online catalog of individual continuing education courses organized by specialty including FNP, AGPCNP, AGACNP, PMHNP, WHNP, ENP, and PNP specialties. Features evidence-based voiceover PowerPoint videos accessible 24/7 with 90+ courses available.
• NPAC Conference NPAC (Nurse Practitioner Acute Care) annual conference providing continuing education for acute care nurse practitioners. On-demand access available for the 2026 conference priced $369.99-$409.99 with 21.75 contact hours.
• NP Practice Question Textbooks Practice question textbooks for FNP, AGPCNP, and PNP-PC specialties providing exam preparation and board review content. Available as 2nd edition for PNP-PC and 3rd edition for AGACNP digital eBook.
• PNP-AC Live Webinar Series 8-week interactive live webinar series starting September 1, 2026, designed to strengthen clinical knowledge and prepare for the PNP-AC certification exam. Covers pediatric primary care essentials, neurological issues, GI/renal disorders, respiratory issues, cardiovascular disorders, infectious diseases, oncologic issues, endocrine disorders, and trauma/burn injuries with expert instruction and live Q&A.
• CE Certificate Reissue Replacement service for lost or misplaced Continuing Education certificates priced at $30 administrative fee per certificate.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBarkley & Associates is AANP-accredited as an approved provider of NP continuing education (Provider #080518). AANP recognition enables CE credit acceptance by all national certifying bodies (ANCC, AACN, PNCB, NCC) and state boards of nursing.
• California Board of Registered NursingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerApproved provider of continuing education by California BRN (Provider Number CEP 15436), enabling offerings specifically designed for California CE requirements.
• American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerANCC recognizes and accepts AANP CE credit for recertification, allowing Barkley graduates to use CE hours toward ANCC certification renewal.
• American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAACN accepts AANP CE credit for recertification of AACN-certified nurses, including AGACNP certification holders.
• Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPNCB recognizes and accepts AANP CE credit for recertification, benefiting PNP-PC and PNP-AC certified practitioners.
• National Certification Corporation (NCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCC recognizes and accepts AANP CE credit for maintenance of NCC certifications including WHNP credentials.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Wild Iris Medical Education: Wild Iris is an accredited provider of nursing and healthcare CE with online self-paced courses, similar in regulatory position (ANCC-accredited) and individual-purchase DTC model. Comparable as an independent nursing CE specialist serving licensure renewal needs.
• CEUfast / Colibri Healthcare: CEUfast offers accredited nursing CE, including ANCC-approved courses, via subscription and individual purchase. Comparable as a nursing-specialist CE platform with subscription revenue model and similar regulatory positioning.
• Fitzgerald Health Education Associates (FHEA): FHEA is the most directly comparable peer - founded and led by Dr. Margaret Fitzgerald (NP educator) and offering NP certification review, pharmacology, and continuing education across specialties. It mirrors Barkley's model of NP-faculty-led content, AANP-accredited CE, and dual live/home-study delivery.
• APEA (Advanced Practice Education Associates): APEA provides NP certification review, practice questions, and clinical resources for family, adult-gerontology, and psychiatric-mental health NP candidates. Closely comparable as an NP-focused review and CE company with practice-question textbooks and certification prep products.

Emerging players

• TrueLearn: TrueLearn provides data-driven exam prep including smart banks for nurse practitioner certification. Comparable as an emerging digital exam prep platform targeting the same NP certification candidate segment.
• Lecturio Nursing: Lecturio offers video-based nursing and medical education, including NCLEX and advanced practice content via subscription. Comparable as an emerging digital education platform with a learning-system approach competing for nurse practitioner study time.
• BoardVitals / Wolters Kluwer Health: BoardVitals provides exam preparation practice questions and review tools for nurse practitioners and other healthcare professionals. Overlaps with Barkley's certification review (DRTs and question books) but operates as a digital Q-bank platform rather than a full CE/content company.

Broad incumbents

• Relias (Nurse.com / Relias Nursing): Relias is a large, established healthcare workforce education platform offering CE courses to nurses, NPs, and allied health professionals via enterprise and individual subscriptions. It serves overlapping nursing CE buyer needs at much greater scale but covers broader healthcare audiences beyond NPs.
• Pri-Med: Pri-Med delivers primary care CME/CE for NPs, PAs, and physicians through live conferences and online learning. Comparable in delivering acute-care and primary-care-focused continuing education including the NP audience, though it operates across multiple professions.
• Kaplan Nursing (Kaplan): Kaplan is an established test prep and continuing education incumbent offering NCLEX and broader healthcare exam preparation. Comparable as a major brand in nursing certification test prep, though it focuses more on entry-level nursing exams and broader test-prep portfolio than NP specialty CE.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/barkleyandassoc

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Barkley & Associates