Top Online PMHNP Programs for 2025

Yale offers a three-year PMHNP program online, comprised of 52.5 total credit hours and 774 clinical hours. This program provides a diverse learning environment and uses many educational methods to develop aspiring PMHNPs.

Yale's online mental health nurse practitioner program graduates earn a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree. Applicants don't need a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree or a set number of clinical hours to be eligible for acceptance. However, applicants must have a bachelor's degree and an active RN license.

Currently, students from Alabama, Arizona, California, District of Columbia, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Tennessee are not eligible to enroll in this program.

Baylor University’s Louise Herrington School of Nursing offers a 100% online BSN-Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) PMHNP track. This program prepares nurses to be leaders in mental health patient care, policy, and processes. It is 77 credits offered through 15-week courses in three terms per year, with 1,125 practicum hours required.

The program incorporates both leadership and team-building strategies in its curriculum. Its admission requirements include a 3.0 GPA, one year of full-time nursing experience, and three letters of recommendation.

Baylor’s program does not currently accept students from all 50 states, so it’s important to speak to an admissions counselor and make sure you are eligible for online admission. Students from states such as Pennsylvania, California, Alaska, and New York are not eligible for enrollment. 

Duke University’s psychiatric mental health nursing program ranks #1 in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report. This distance-based, interactive PMHNP program leads to an MSN degree. It develops the expertise and skills needed to provide family-centered, integrated mental health care to all ages in all settings.

The program comprises seven MSN core classes, nine clinical courses and electives, and three nurse practitioner intensives. Most students complete the program in two and a half years. It comprises of 49 credit hours and 560 in-person clinical hours

Duke's clinical placement team facilitates students’ ability to complete clinicals near their homes. They do so by leveraging the school’s nationwide network of more than two thousand facilities and practices.  

Through coursework and clinical experiences, Ohio State University’s online PMHNP programs prepare graduates for professional opportunities in the field. Students may complete several PMHNP tracks online via OSU, including:

• Traditional MSN
• Post-Master's program
• BSN-DNP
• BSN-PhD

Students may complete their preceptorships at various sites in Ohio and other approved states. However, a PMHNP or psychiatrist must precept students' clinical experiences. The online PMHNP track requires that students complete 600 clinical hours during their final year of study. 

A PMHNP degree can also be completed on campus through the Graduate Entry Master of Science program, which is specifically geared for students holding a bachelor’s degree but who are not nurses. 

Drexel University’s College of Nursing and Health Professions offers a robust online PMHNP program. Offered on a synchronous basis, clinically active faculty teach Drexel's online PMHNP courses. The highly interactive e-learning method that Drexel employs challenges and engages students and culminates in a master’s degree.

The program consists of 52 credits organized into four 10-week quarters per year. Students must attend a mandatory online orientation several months before starting clinical courses. They must also participate in on-campus or virtual intensives held during clinical rotations. 

Students can find and coordinate their clinical site and preceptor or seek assistance from the Division of Graduate Nursing. 

Stony Brook University’s School of Nursing offers a 45-credit hybrid online PMHNP program. This program combines distance learning with on-site requirements.

Stony Brook's hybrid PMHNP program prepares students to promote, maintain, supervise, and restore mental health. By the end of the degree, students can identify health risks and assess, diagnose, and manage patients’ mental health issues. The track emphasizes students' abilities to educate, lead, consult, advocate, and act as an agent of change for their patients.

Stony Brook’s Office of Clinical Placements processes clinical placement requests. It works collaboratively with faculty to secure clinical placement sites for students. 

Duquesne University's online PMHNP program includes a unique substance abuse component and develops students' skills to assess, diagnose, and provide mental health treatment. It prepares graduates to work with individuals, families, and large groups.

Duquesne’s faculty are leaders in advanced practice nursing, and class cohorts are limited to 12-15 students. The program prides itself on the personalized support provided by a team of advisors from the time of enrollment through graduation. 

Students must attend campus twice throughout the entire program; otherwise, attending online asynchronous classes. The three-year program consists of 44 credits taught over 15 courses, which students may participate in full or part-time. Students must also complete 550 clinical hours during the course of the program. The program is 100% online and offers three start dates throughout the year, increasing enrollment and flexibility. 

The tuition for the PMHNP program is not one of the cheapest programs on the list, but Duquesne does offer a hefty tuition discount for full-time or part-time employees at a tuition discount partner.

Composed of 47 credits offered over nine semesters, Gonzaga University boasts one of the best online PMHNP programs in the US. It prepares graduates for clinical practice, treating mental health patients of all ages, from individuals and families to at-risk groups and communities. 

Gonzaga offers flexible classes that allow students to continue working and complete their studies on their schedule. The program includes:

• 15 credits of 8-week MSN courses
• 13 credits of PMHNP core courses (1 semester for each class)
• Nine credits of PMHNP specialty courses (1 semester for each class)
• 660 clinical hours
• Five on-campus immersions

Rush University's online PMHNP program places a particular emphasis on preparing PMHNPs to practice autonomously. The program is offered strictly on a part-time basis, allowing for students to work during parts of the program. 

The program focuses on treating psychiatric disorders in individuals, families, and groups within a relationship framework across the lifespan. There are 34 students per cohort, and the program takes two and a half to three years to complete.

The program is entirely online; however, a one-day on-campus orientation is highly suggested but not required. Students may also present their DNP thesis online or on campus with the expectation that they are present for all of their co-student's presentations.

The University of Rochester’s family psych NP program combines synchronous and asynchronous online learning with hands-on practice opportunities. The school offers this program entirely online with short on-site intensives. Two courses require travel to campus at the University of Rochester School of Nursing, each for a one to two-day intensive learning experience (scheduled during the weekday). During the program, there are also two full-day skills workshops held at the School of Nursing.

Rochester recently revamped their NP curriculums, offering more flexible learning formats for working nurses and reflecting evolving national standards. The new curriculum impacts students graduating after Spring 2026.