Pediatric Nursing Certification Board

What Pediatric Nursing Certification Board does

The Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB), founded in 1975 and headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, is a private nonprofit credentialing organization that issues four NCCA-accredited certifications for pediatric nursing professionals: the Certified Pediatric Nurse (CPN), Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner – Primary Care (CPNP-PC), Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner – Acute Care (CPNP-AC), and Pediatric Primary Care Mental Health Specialist (PMHS). Its core technology is a psychometric exam development platform that applies Job Task Analysis, Item Response Theory, Modified-Angoff standard setting, and statistical equating, producing scaled scores on a 200–800 range with a 400 passing threshold. PNCB delivers exams via Pearson VUE's global test center network and offers live remote proctoring for CPN and PMHS candidates, supported by the MY PNCB Portal for applications, scheduling, recertification, and CE module purchases.

The organization monetizes through one-time certification exam fees, recurring recertification fees on multi-year cycles, a portfolio of over 100 continuing education hours, and online practice tests. It also operates the No Pass, No Pay employer-sponsored program, under which healthcare organizations pay only for passed exams, absorbing failed exam costs as a customer acquisition lever. Distribution is predominantly direct-to-consumer via pncb.org, with enterprise sales to children's hospitals and academic medical centers, complemented by referral partnerships with NAPNAP, SPN, AAP, and AFPNP.

PNCB serves more than 50,000 actively certified nursing professionals and achieves a 96% recertification rate. The organization's scale supports a relatively lean 11–50 employee operating footprint, with approximately $1.5 million in annual spending on exam development, delivery, and seat fees across four exam programs. Leadership is headed by CEO Sheri Sesay Tuffour, and PNCB earned Great Place to Work Certification on its first attempt.

Name

Pediatric Nursing Certification Board

Legal name

Pediatric Nursing Certification Board

Website

https://pncb.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

PNCB is a nonprofit credentialing organization founded in 1975 that issues four NCCA-accredited pediatric nursing certifications (CPN, CPNP-PC, CPNP-AC, PMHS) and continuing education to over 50,000 actively certified nursing professionals and healthcare employers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Rockville

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, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Certification Exams: PNCB charges fees for initial certification exams (CPN, CPNP-PC, CPNP-AC, PMHS). Under the No Pass, No Pay program, employers pay only for passed exams while PNCB absorbs failed exam fees.
2. Recertification Fees: Certified nursing professionals pay recurring recertification fees to maintain their credentials. Employers can add recertification fees to their No Pass, No Pay contracts to support their nursing staff.
3. Continuing Education Modules: PNCB offers over 100 hours of CE including free modules, Pediatric Updates CE for Acute Care, Primary Care, and Pharmacology, Journal Club CE, Pain/Opioid/Controlled Substances CE, and Psychopharmacology & Behavioral/Mental Health CE. Modules can be purchased through the online portal.
4. Practice Tests: Online practice tests with in-depth rationale for right answers are available for purchase through the portal.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

PNCB develops and administers NCCA-accredited certification examinations that validate specialized pediatric nursing knowledge for Registered Nurses (CPN) and Pediatric Nurse Practitioners in primary care (CPNP-PC), acute care (CPNP-AC), and pediatric mental health (PMHS). It sells these certifications directly to nurses, supports credentials through recurring recertification fees and 100+ hours of continuing education modules, and offers an employer-sponsored No Pass No Pay program.

Product overview

PNCB offers a portfolio of four nationally recognized pediatric nursing certification exams: Certified Pediatric Nurse (CPN), Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner - Primary Care (CPNP-PC), Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner - Acute Care (CPNP-AC), and Pediatric Primary Care Mental Health Specialist (PMHS). All certifications are accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) and are accepted for Magnet Recognition Program demographic data collection. The organization provides supporting products including the No Pass, No Pay employer support program, continuing education modules (Pediatric Updates), online practice tests, live remote proctoring for exams, a career center job board, and credential verification services. PNCB serves over 50,000 actively certified nursing professionals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Certified Pediatric Nurse (CPN) Entry-to-practice certification exam validating the knowledge and experience of pediatric nurses beyond basic RN licensure for nurses caring for children from birth through young adulthood. Candidates take a 175-item multiple-choice exam (150 scored, 25 pretest).
• Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner - Primary Care (CPNP-PC) Entry-to-practice certification for Pediatric Nurse Practitioners focused on primary care, including wellness visits, immunizations, behavioral assessments, and managing common acute and chronic conditions for pediatric patients from infancy to early adulthood.
• Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner - Acute Care (CPNP-AC) Specialized certification for Pediatric Nurse Practitioners working with infants, children, adolescents, and young adults with complex acute, critical, and life-threatening illnesses across the continuum of care.
• Pediatric Primary Care Mental Health Specialist (PMHS) Certification for nursing professionals validating competency in screening, diagnosing, and managing common pediatric behavioral and mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, and autism in primary care settings. Exam contains 150 multiple-choice items (125 scored, 25 pretest).
• No Pass, No Pay Employer-sponsored certification support program enabling healthcare organizations to pay only when their nurses pass CPN or CPNP certification exams, with PNCB absorbing the cost of failed attempts. Reduces financial risk for hospitals certifying their nursing workforce.
• Pediatric Updates Continuing Education Continuing education modules covering Acute Care, Primary Care, and Pharmacology content designed to support pediatric nurses' continuing competence, recertification, and professional development. Includes more than 100 hours of CE with free and paid options.
• Practice Tests Online practice tests with detailed rationales for correct answers sold through the MY PNCB portal to help certification candidates prepare for the CPN, CPNP-PC, CPNP-AC, and PMHS exams.
• Credential Verification Public verification service that allows employers, state boards, and the public to verify PNCB nursing credentials and current certification status.

Quantifiable outcome

• 96% of PNCB-certified nurses recertified their credentials for 2021
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NAPNAP (National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPNCB collaborates with NAPNAP on PMHS certification. NAPNAP offers a live PMHS certification prep course in partnership with PNCB, providing training resources for nurses seeking the PMHS credential. Both organizations work together to advance pediatric nurse practitioner competencies.
• Association of Faculties of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (AFPNP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAFPNP is recognized by PNCB as a key professional organization for pediatric nurse practitioners. PNCB exams are recognized by AFPNP as part of the validation process for PNP education and practice.
• Society of Pediatric Nurses (SPN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSPN is recognized by PNCB as a key professional organization. PNCB certifications are recognized by SPN as validating specialized pediatric nursing knowledge and practice standards.
• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAAP is recognized by PNCB as a key professional organization for pediatric healthcare. PNCB exams are recognized by AAP as validating competency standards for pediatric nursing professionals.
• Children's Hospital Association (CHA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCHA collaborates with PNCB on content marketing, with CHA providing blog posts about pediatric care topics on the PNCB website, such as '7 Ways Pediatric Care is Different from Adult Care'.
• Pearson VUEcoreTechnology or IntegrationPearson VUE provides test delivery services for PNCB certification exams. The partnership enables exam administration at Pearson VUE test centers worldwide and integration with PNCB's online exam scheduling and proctoring systems.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC): ANCC offers the Pediatric Nursing board certification (PED-BC), which directly competes with PNCB's CPN credential for the same healthcare-leader preference and Magnet Recognition credit. ANCC is a larger, broader nursing credentialing body within the ANA enterprise with deeper employer relationships, making it PNCB's most relevant direct competitor.
• National Certification Corporation (NCC): NCC is a nonprofit credentialing body for obstetric, gynecologic, and neonatal nursing specialties, operating with the same NCCA-accredited model and Magnet Recognition positioning as PNCB. It is structurally comparable as a specialty nursing certification organization serving the maternal-child continuum.
• Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation (ONCC): ONCC certifies oncology nurses (OCN, CPHON, AOCNP, etc.) using the same nonprofit, NCCA-accredited, psychometrically validated model as PNCB. It is a structurally direct peer in specialty nursing credentialing, employer-sponsored exam programs, and CE monetization.
• AACN Certification Corporation: AACN Certification Corporation administers CCRN and other acute/critical care nursing certifications under the same NCCA-accredited, Magnet-aligned, multi-credential framework as PNCB. It competes for the same acute-care pediatric nursing candidates via its PCCN and CCRN specialty tracks.
• Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN): BCEN offers the CEN, CPEN, and TCRN certifications for emergency, pediatric emergency, and trauma nursing. Its CPEN credential is the closest direct competitor to PNCB's acute-care pediatric offerings and shares the same nonprofit, NCCA-accredited model.
• National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA): NBCRNA administers the NCE and SEE for nurse anesthetists under a structurally identical nonprofit, NCCA-accredited certification and recertification model. It is a direct structural peer to PNCB in credential lifecycle management and Magnet-recognized specialty certification.
• Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center (HPCC): HPCC offers CHPN, CHPPN, and CHPNA credentials for hospice and palliative nursing using the same NCCA-accredited, multi-credential, recertification-driven nonprofit model as PNCB. It is a direct structural peer in specialty nursing credentialing economics.

Others

• National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN): NCSBN administers the NCLEX for entry-level nursing licensure — not a PNCB competitor, but a regulatory upstream of PNCB's certifications. Relevant as the gating body whose licensure standards shape demand for PNCB's specialty certifications.
• Pearson VUE: Pearson VUE is PNCB's test delivery partner, providing global test-center access and live remote proctoring. Relevant as an infrastructure enabler and a competitor's channel: if Pearson VUE terms change, PNCB's certification delivery economics shift materially.
• National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP): NAPNAP is a PNCB strategic partner that co-markets PMHS certification prep and recognizes PNCB's credentials. It is a peer-adjacent ecosystem participant — comparable as a pediatric nursing community brand but not a competing certification body.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PediatricNursingCertificationBoard
• Xx.com/PNCB_nursing
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pediatric-nursing-certification-board

Compliance1 record

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 Pediatric Nursing Certification Board