Finding the Right Online DNP Program for You
By earning a doctor of nursing practice (DNP), you can build your expertise to provide the highest levels of education and patient care. This guide walks you through top schools with campus and online DNP programs, concentration options, and funding available to advanced nursing students.
The following professionals lent their expertise to this article:
HealthcareNursingPre-Nursing HealthcareOnline Learning
NursingNursing Ed.Dr. Overturf is a nurse educator with over 20 years of experience in nursing education and leadership. She has taught more an estimated 1,500 undergraduate students, new graduate nurses, and graduate nursing students across didactic, clinical, and simulation settings and has chaired or reviewed over 45 Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) projects to date. Her leadership roles include directing multiple BSN programs and developing innovative curricula that improved NCLEX pass rates and program outcomes. Dr. Overturf has facilitated an estimated 500 high-fidelity simulations and created evidence-based strategies for clinical judgment development. She holds a DNP in Educational Leadership, is a Certified Nurse Educator (CNE), and a Board-Certified Nurse Coach (NC-BC). Passionate about advancing nursing education, she serves on college of nursing and university-wide committees, is a member of state and national nursing organizations and mentors future nurse leaders to ensure excellence in patient-centered care and academic success.
Jennifer Overturf, MSN, DNP
Dr. Overturf is a nurse educator with over 20 years of experience in nursing education and leadership. She has taught more an estimated 1,500 undergraduate students, new graduate nurses, and graduate nursing students across didactic, clinical, and simulation settings and has chaired or reviewed over 45 Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) projects to date. Her leadership roles include directing multiple BSN programs and developing innovative curricula that improved NCLEX pass rates and program outcomes. Dr. Overturf has facilitated an estimated 500 high-fidelity simulations and created evidence-based strategies for clinical judgment development. She holds a DNP in Educational Leadership, is a Certified Nurse Educator (CNE), and a Board-Certified Nurse Coach (NC-BC). Passionate about advancing nursing education, she serves on college of nursing and university-wide committees, is a member of state and national nursing organizations and mentors future nurse leaders to ensure excellence in patient-centered care and academic success.
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Inside Online DNP Programs
If you’re an experienced nurse and have visions of further career growth, enrolling in a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program can be a smart next step, and thanks to the rise of online learning, it’s more accessible for working nurses than ever. Online DNP programs vary in structure but generally fall into two formats:
- Synchronous: Live virtual classes held at scheduled times.
- Asynchronous: Coursework you complete on your own schedule with forum-based interaction.
No matter the format or structure, all online DNP programs require clinical hours, a capstone or final project, and in some cases short on-campus residencies. To help you determine which format and structure best fit your goals and lifestyle, explore the three standout DNP program profiles below.
University of Cincinnati
Whether you want to have a direct role in patient care or influence nursing practice through teaching, research, or administration, the DNP program at the University of Cincinnati prepares you for the most advanced roles in nursing.
This program offers several concentrations that you can choose from based on your goals. For example, if you’re interested in implementing health and safety plans in workplaces, you can enroll in the occupational health nursing specialty. Those who want to work with patients living with complex mental health issues can pursue the psychiatric-mental health concentration.
Other choices include nurse anesthesia, pediatric acute care, public health nursing, and systems leadership.
Duration: Two years
Mode: Online
Cost: $836 per credit (residency dependent)
Admissions Requirements:
- An active, unrestricted RN license
- A nursing bachelor’s degree from an accredited school
- An overall 3.25 grade point average (GPA)
- A 3.0 GPA in science courses
- A 2.0 GPA in a statistics class
Curriculum: The curriculum covers healthcare policy, biostatistics for evidence-based practice, nursing research methods, and quality improvement and patient safety. Students will also take classes that build their leadership skills.
University of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco’s family nurse practitioner DNP program combines principles of evidence-based nursing practice with cultural competence, fiscal responsibility, social justice, and ethical reasoning. This results in an education that holistically prepares students to work as nurse practitioners.
The school’s curriculum is rooted in its Jesuit origins so there is an emphasis on providing humane and equitable care to patients. This hybrid program offers classes online, as well as on campus on Fridays and Saturdays.
During campus sessions, students participate in coursework from 8:00 in the morning until 9:00 at night. After completing the program, you will be equipped to work in hospitals, community health centers, private doctor’s offices, and public clinics.
Duration: One to two years
Mode: Hybrid
Cost: $1,635 per credit
Admissions Requirements:
- A Bachelor of Science in Nursing or a master’s degree from an accredited school
- A current RN license
- A 3.0 GPA or higher recommended
Curriculum: Coursework covers the advanced best practices nurse practitioners need to know to deliver safe patient care. Also, leadership skills, research methods, and professional ethics are included in the curriculum.
Briar Cliff University
Designed for certified nurse practitioners, the DNP program at Briar Cliff University prepares students to move into advanced practice nursing positions. The program emphasizes the art and science of advanced practice nursing by combining nursing principles with humanities and social science in order to encourage a holistic approach to patient care.
At the end of the program, students will understand how to choose the right interventions for specific patients, promote good health in different advanced practice settings, and incorporate tools like nursing informatics into their nursing practice.
The program also includes an overview of the racial, ethnic, and cultural issues that impact healthcare and how political, sociocultural, ethical, spiritual, and legal factors can become a part of advanced nursing practice.
Duration: Two years
Mode: Online
Cost:$585 per credit
Admissions Requirements:
- A nursing master’s degree
- An active nursing license
Curriculum: Specific classes cover leadership in complex healthcare organizations, philosophy and theory for advanced practice nursing, financial management for healthcare organizations, and cultural competence in healthcare.
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Answering Online DNP Program FAQs
What concentrations do DNP programs have?
There are a variety of choices for concentrations in DNP programs. For example, the family nurse practitioner concentration is for nurses who want to provide a range of care to families. Those who enroll in a pediatric nurse practitioner concentration learn how to help children develop and maintain good physical, social, and emotional health.
If you’re interested in treating patients experiencing a range of mental health challenges, the psychiatric mental health nursing practitioner concentration will prepare you to assess and diagnose people who need this type of care. There are also DNP concentrations focusing on adult gerontology, acute care, and nurse anesthesia.
Is there financial aid available for DNP programs?
Yes, you can receive financial aid to help with the cost of your DNP program. To determine what types of funding you may be eligible for, fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to be considered for a wide range of federal opportunities like grants, scholarships, and loans.
Scholarships and grants are some of the best forms of financial aid because they don’t need to be paid back. These awards, which can come from the state or federal government, are often provided based on financial need. If scholarships and grants cannot cover the entire cost of your education, funding the remainder with loans is another option.
Is it important for a DNP program to be accredited?
Nursing school accreditation is extremely important. Graduating from an accredited program is a crucial way to show organizations and employers that you possess the standard of knowledge and skills expected of someone with an advanced education. Furthermore, students must be enrolled in an accredited program to receive federal financial aid.
Online DNP programs may be accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). The standards set by these organizations are designed to further the nursing field and ensure that professionals are prepared for the current and future nursing landscapes.
What is the difference between a DNP and a PhD in nursing?
Although both are terminal nursing degrees, DNPs and PhDs are different. A DNP focuses on the clinical practice of nursing, and these degrees are often for people who want to provide patient care at the top of their licenses.
On the other hand, a PhD in nursing is like the research-driven counterpart to the practice-driven DNP. This degree may be suited to nursing professionals who want to shift away from client care and into research or education.
How much do DNP graduates earn?
Advancing your education will unlock more job opportunities, many of which may include increased salaries. As a result, getting a DNP can significantly boost your earnings. Average salaries for DNP graduates range from around $91,000 to $128,00 annually. How much you can make will depend on what state you live in. For example, nurses with a DNP in Pennsylvania make $106,045, those in North Carolina earn $91,134, and California nurses make $115,411.
What Can You Do with a DNP Degree?
Earning an online DNP can open nursing professionals to a broad variety of leadership-driven advanced nursing careers in both clinical and academic settings. After completing an online DNP program, graduates may further their work in client care. Alternatively, they may want to move into careers focused on policy development and systematic change.
Depending on their concentration in the program, advanced nursing professionals may use their new skills and knowledge to analyze data and conduct research or shift into healthcare management careers. For example, RNs who want to continue working with patients can specialize in a specific type of care and pursue a career as an advanced practice registered nurse. However, if you prefer to move to the administrative side of healthcare, you can leverage the leadership skills you learn during your DNP studies to become an executive. You can also have a significant impact on nursing practice by working as a clinical researcher or nursing educator.
Top-Rated Online DNP Programs
No matter what area of nursing you want to dedicate yourself to, you need a program that will give you the highest quality education. These rankings represent the best online DNP programs that nursing schools have to offer, so you can enroll in confidence that you will be prepared to meet the challenges of advanced nursing care. As you review our list, take a look at the methodology we used to curate our choices in the “About the Rankings” section below. This will give you a roadmap of what to look for when choosing a school.
Program Details
- MSCHE Accreditation
- 58% Graduation Rate
- Public School Type
- 14/1 Student/Faculty Ratio
Why We Selected CUNY Hunter College
- Hunter College's DNP program offers significantly affordable in-state tuition at approximately $7,500 per year, making advanced nursing education financially accessible compared to other NYC nursing schools.
- The program includes 1,000 supervised clinical hours with individualized assessments that may grant advanced standing for students with prior master’s degrees, accelerating time to completion.
- Hunter College’s DNP leverages partnerships with world-class Manhattan hospitals and medical facilities, ensuring high-quality clinical placements and networking opportunities.
Program Details
- MSCHE Accreditation
- 58% Graduation Rate
- Public School Type
- 14/1 Student/Faculty Ratio
Program Details
- MSCHE Accreditation
- 64% Graduation Rate
- Private School Type
- 11/1 Student/Faculty Ratio
Why We Selected D’Youville University
- 1. The Dyukang University Nursing – DNP program offers a flexible online format with immersive courses, allowing students to balance work while advancing their clinical expertise.
- 2. Students receive extensive clinical training, including 960 family primary care hours and 160 DNP practicum hours, ensuring strong practical experience.
- 3. The program prepares graduates for national certification exams and equips them with leadership skills to drive healthcare innovation and evidence-based improvements.
Program Details
- MSCHE Accreditation
- 64% Graduation Rate
- Private School Type
- 11/1 Student/Faculty Ratio
Program Details
- SACSCOC Accreditation
- 68% Graduation Rate
- Private School Type
- 8/1 Student/Faculty Ratio
Why We Selected Union University
- The University of Utah's DNP program offers three new acute care pediatric NP specialty tracks starting Fall 2026, uniquely addressing critical pediatric healthcare needs locally.
- The program provides hybrid and online delivery formats with year-round courses including summer sessions, enabling working nurses to accelerate completion while integrating clinical hours with employment.
- Students benefit from extensive clinical experiences combined with interprofessional learning and simulation training, preparing them for national certification and leadership roles with advanced pediatric or family primary care expertise.
Program Details
- SACSCOC Accreditation
- 68% Graduation Rate
- Private School Type
- 8/1 Student/Faculty Ratio
Program Details
- HLC Accreditation
- 54% Graduation Rate
- Private School Type
- 10/1 Student/Faculty Ratio
Why We Selected Clarke University
- Clarke University's DNP program offers a unique hybrid format with limited cohorts of 20 students for personalized mentorship and strong peer support.
- The program allows flexible completion within three years full-time or five years part-time while requiring 1,000 clinical practice hours tailored to concentrations.
- Practicing DNP faculty teach courses, integrating real-world clinical examples to bridge theory and practice effectively for career advancement.
Program Details
- HLC Accreditation
- 54% Graduation Rate
- Private School Type
- 10/1 Student/Faculty Ratio
Program Details
- NWCCU Accreditation
- 75% Graduation Rate
- Private School Type
- 10/1 Student/Faculty Ratio
Why We Selected Seattle University
- Seattle University’s Nursing – DNP program offers a unique Advanced Practice Nursing Immersion (APNI) pathway allowing college graduates with no nursing background to enter directly and earn both a BSN and DNP in as little as four years.
- The program provides specialized focus areas including Adult-Gerontology Acute Care, Family Nurse Practitioner, Certified Nurse-Midwifery, Psychiatric Mental Health, Women’s Health, and a post-master’s Health Systems Leader DNP, enabling tailored advanced practice preparation.
- Students benefit from state-of-the-art Clinical Performance Labs offering extensive hands-on learning opportunities, ensuring real-world experience in acute and primary care environments.
Program Details
- NWCCU Accreditation
- 75% Graduation Rate
- Private School Type
- 10/1 Student/Faculty Ratio
Program Details
- SACSCOC Accreditation
- 60% Graduation Rate
- Private School Type
- 16/1 Student/Faculty Ratio
Why We Selected Southern Adventist University
- The Nursing – DNP program offers a fast-tracked progression for BSN-prepared nurses seeking rapid advancement to a doctoral degree in nursing leadership.
- Students benefit from personalized faculty mentorship and specialized guidance throughout their DNP scholarly project, enhancing expertise in their clinical focus areas.
- The program facilitates flexible learning with a combination of online coursework and local clinical placement options, supporting students’ professional and geographic needs.
Program Details
- SACSCOC Accreditation
- 60% Graduation Rate
- Private School Type
- 16/1 Student/Faculty Ratio
Program Details
- SACSCOC Accreditation
- 62% Graduation Rate
- Private School Type
- 15/1 Student/Faculty Ratio
Why We Selected Anderson University
- Anderson University’s DNP program offers a hybrid format with intensive on-campus residencies that foster close faculty interaction and peer networking.
- The program provides a cohort-based structure with small class sizes, allowing personalized mentorship and collaborative learning experiences.
- Students complete a scholarly, evidence-based project and clinical residency, developing leadership skills to shape healthcare policies and clinical practices.
Program Details
- SACSCOC Accreditation
- 62% Graduation Rate
- Private School Type
- 15/1 Student/Faculty Ratio
Program Details
- HLC Accreditation
- 63% Graduation Rate
- Public School Type
- 15/1 Student/Faculty Ratio
Why We Selected Winona State University
- The Winona State University Nursing – DNP program offers up to 840 clinical hours with the option to apply previous master's degree clinical hours to fulfill the 1,000 hours required for graduation, providing flexibility in clinical placement.
- Students benefit from personalized mentorship through a Clinical Scholarship Project and leadership practicums that foster advanced nursing practice, innovation, and organizational leadership skills under expert preceptors.
- The program allows tailoring via electives to focus on specialized career tracks such as Family Nurse Practitioner, Practice and Leadership Innovations, Nursing Leadership, and Adult-Gerontology CNS, enabling targeted professional advancement.
Program Details
- HLC Accreditation
- 63% Graduation Rate
- Public School Type
- 15/1 Student/Faculty Ratio
Program Details
- MSCHE Accreditation
- 71% Graduation Rate
- Public School Type
- 11/1 Student/Faculty Ratio
Why We Selected University at Buffalo
- The University at Buffalo DNP program offers flexible full-time and part-time options with a hybrid format, allowing students to balance education and professional commitments effectively.
- Students benefit from community and regional clinical placements providing hands-on immersive experiences that enrich practical learning and professional readiness.
- Graduates are prepared for national certification in multiple specialized advanced practice roles, including Family Nurse Practitioner, Adult/Gerontology, Psychiatric/Mental Health, and Nurse Anesthetist specialties.
Program Details
- MSCHE Accreditation
- 71% Graduation Rate
- Public School Type
- 11/1 Student/Faculty Ratio
Program Details
- MSCHE Accreditation
- 58% Graduation Rate
- Private School Type
- 11/1 Student/Faculty Ratio
Why We Selected Saint Peter’s University
- Saint Peter’s University Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program offers a flexible hybrid learning model, combining virtual instruction with on-campus experiences for optimal skill development in healthcare leadership and innovation.
- The program provides specialized clinical mentorship through the Dedicated Education Unit model, pairing students with experienced nurses for enhanced hands-on training and professional growth.
- Saint Peter’s integrates advanced simulation technology in its nursing education, including a state-of-the-art Simulation Center with robotic mannequins to provide realistic clinical practice and continuing education opportunities.
Program Details
- MSCHE Accreditation
- 58% Graduation Rate
- Private School Type
- 11/1 Student/Faculty Ratio
Base Methodology for EduMed’s “Best Online College Rankings” for the ‘25-’26 school year.
One: Create a list of eligible schools & programs
To be eligible for ranking, schools were required to meet the following criteria based on data pulled from The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), which was self-reported by the schools themselves:
- Institutional accreditation from an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education
- At least one online component in a program within the ranking-subject area.
- The existence of academic and career counseling on campus and/or online.
Two: Assign weightings to eligible schools & programs
After creating the list of eligible schools, EduMed data scientists assigned weights and ranked schools based on a mix of metrics, which were all self-reported by the school themselves to the U.S. Department of Education and IPEDS.
The metrics are listed below in order of most- to least-heavily weighted*.
- Tuition – Average in-state tuition for undergraduate students studying full-time.
- Online Programs – Number of online programs, either partially- or fully-online, in the relevant subject area.
- Avg. Aid Amount – Average amount of institutional grant aid awarded to full-time, first-time undergraduates.
- Students w/ Aid – Percent of full-time, first-time students undergraduates awarded institutional aid.
- Online Enrollment – Percent of undergraduate students taking at least one distance education class.
- Graduation Rate – Percent of full-time, first-time receiving an award in 6 years.
- Student/Faculty Ratio – The number of students per faculty member.
*Metrics #2-5 and #6-7 were equally weighted.
About Our Data
EduMed’s rankings use the latest official data available from The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). Most recent data pull: July 2025
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