HomeRankingsTop Online Psychiatric-Mental Health NP Programs

Top Online Psychiatric-Mental Health NP Programs (2026-2027)

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Psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNPs) play an essential role in patient care in the United States. PMHNPs serve populations across the lifespan with their mental health needs, including patient education and disease prevention.

Psychiatric-mental health nurses are RNs who have completed an advanced master’s (MSN) or doctoral degree (DNP) specializing in psychopharmacology and psychotherapy, earning them the title of APRN or advanced practice registered nurse.

Most typically, these PMH-APRNs are PMHNPs (APNA, 2023).

PMHNPs can provide mental health assessments and prescribe treatments. They can specialize in gerontology, substance abuse, or holistic, integrated nursing. PMHNPs are expected to be in high demand due to decreased social stigma around mental health, expanded healthcare access, and stressful world events.

Aspiring psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners must earn a master of science in nursing (MSN), post-master’s certificate (PMC), or doctor of nursing practice (DNP) with a PMHNP specialization. While nursing communities have called for DNP degrees to become the standard educational requirement for nurse practitioners, an MSN coupled with an NP specialization remains the base-level requirement.

Most online PMHNP programs offer flexibility in learning with online coursework, a minimal number of campus visits for immersions/intensives, and preceptorships local to the student. Since requirements vary from program to program, we have built out full-page online NP school profiles to more thoroughly detail what to expect. We update these yearly. Click on a school name in the rankings table below to view its profile.

Purdue Global
MSN - Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Post-Master's Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certificate
Wilkes University
MSN - Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
MSN - Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (RN to MS option)
Walden University
MSN - Psychiatric-Mental Health NP - ADN route
MSN - Psychiatric-Mental Health NP - BSN route
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For the latest academic year, we have over 180 NP schools in our database and those that advertise with us are labeled “sponsor”. When you click on a sponsoring school or program, or fill out a form to request information from a sponsoring school, we may earn a commission. View our advertising disclosure for more details.

Online PMHNP Program Rankings (2026-2027)

The online psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner programs listed here are ranked by a combination of cost, admissions flexibility, and program variety. They are drawn from an in-depth database comprising 1,333 online NP programs at the MSN, DNP, and post-master’s certificate levels, representing what we believe to be a comprehensive list of online PMHNP programs entering the 2026-2027 academic year.

For our purposes, a program must require no more than nine campus visits in total to qualify for inclusion as an online program.

The tuition numbers listed in the table below represent the total estimated program tuition, and not the cost per semester or year.

At NPSchools.com, we seek to ensure the accuracy of the data on our website. Should you wish to report a new program, missing program, or informational error, please contact us to bring it to our attention.

The NPSchools.com AdvanceU score measures a school’s Commitment to helping RNs become APRNs online.

Score 		School Programs & Tuition Program Tuition
(Resident)		 Tuition
(Non-Resident)
76 University of South Alabama (#1)
  • Post-Graduate Certificate – Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner – $19,602.00 (in-state), $19,602.00 (out)
  • DNP – Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner (MSN to DNP) – $21,384.00 (in-state), $21,384.00 (out)
  • MSN – Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner (post-BSN) – $26,730.00 (in-state), $26,730.00 (out)
  • MSN – Psychiatric NP (RN-to-MSN for RNs with a non-nursing bachelor's degree) – $33,858.00 (in-state), $33,858.00 (out)
  • DNP – Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner (BSN to DNP) – $40,986.00 (in-state), $40,986.00 (out)
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Post-Graduate Certificate – Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner $19,602.00 $19,602.00
DNP – Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner (MSN to DNP) $21,384.00 $21,384.00
MSN – Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner (post-BSN) $26,730.00 $26,730.00
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MSN – Psychiatric NP (RN-to-MSN for RNs with a non-nursing bachelor's degree) $33,858.00 $33,858.00
DNP – Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner (BSN to DNP) $40,986.00 $40,986.00
Show Fewer Programs (-)
73 Herzing University (#2)
  • Post-Master's Certificate – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner – $25,410.00 (in-state), $25,410.00 (out)
  • MSN – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner – $36,960.00 (in-state), $36,960.00 (out)
  • RN to MSN – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner – $49,280.00 (in-state), $49,280.00 (out)
Post-Master's Certificate – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner $25,410.00 $25,410.00
MSN – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner $36,960.00 $36,960.00
RN to MSN – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner $49,280.00 $49,280.00
70 Walden University (#3)
  • Post-Master's Certificate – PMHNP – $31,400.00 (in-state), $31,400.00 (out)
  • MSN – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP – BSN route – $49,455.00 (in-state), $49,455.00 (out)
  • MSN – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP – ADN route – $60,764.75 (in-state), $60,764.75 (out)
  • MSN to DNP – Psychiatric Mental Health NP – $71,325.20 (in-state), $71,325.20 (out)
  • BSN to DNP – Psychiatric Mental Health NP – $76,274.55 (in-state), $76,274.55 (out)
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Post-Master's Certificate – PMHNP $31,400.00 $31,400.00
MSN – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP – BSN route $49,455.00 $49,455.00
MSN – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP – ADN route $60,764.75 $60,764.75
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MSN to DNP – Psychiatric Mental Health NP $71,325.20 $71,325.20
BSN to DNP – Psychiatric Mental Health NP $76,274.55 $76,274.55
Show Fewer Programs (-)
68 SUNY – Stony Brook University (#4)
  • Post-Master's Certificate – PMHNP – $9,420.00 (in-state), $11,300.00 (out)
  • MSN – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP – $21,195.00 (in-state), $25,425.00 (out)
Post-Master's Certificate – PMHNP $9,420.00 $11,300.00
MSN – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP $21,195.00 $25,425.00
68 Regis College (#5)
  • Post-Master's FNP Certificate – for NPs (second specialty) – $20,159.00 (in-state), $20,159.00 (out)
  • Post-Master's PMHNP Certificate – for MSN-prepared non-NPs – $42,440.00 (in-state), $42,440.00 (out)
  • MSN – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner – $51,989.00 (in-state), $51,989.00 (out)
  • MSN to DNP – PMHNP – for MSN-prepared non-NPs – $64,721.00 (in-state), $64,721.00 (out)
  • MSN to DNP – PMHNP – for NPs (second specialty) – $64,721.00 (in-state), $64,721.00 (out)
  • MSN – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner – BA route – $67,904.00 (in-state), $67,904.00 (out)
  • MS to DNP – PMHNP – for RNs with Non-Nursing Master's – $77,453.00 (in-state), $77,453.00 (out)
  • BSN to DNP – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner – $80,636.00 (in-state), $80,636.00 (out)
  • MSN – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner – ADN route – $149,601.00 (in-state), $149,601.00 (out)
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Post-Master's FNP Certificate – for NPs (second specialty) $20,159.00 $20,159.00
Post-Master's PMHNP Certificate – for MSN-prepared non-NPs $42,440.00 $42,440.00
MSN – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner $51,989.00 $51,989.00
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MSN to DNP – PMHNP – for MSN-prepared non-NPs $64,721.00 $64,721.00
MSN to DNP – PMHNP – for NPs (second specialty) $64,721.00 $64,721.00
MSN – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner – BA route $67,904.00 $67,904.00
MS to DNP – PMHNP – for RNs with Non-Nursing Master's $77,453.00 $77,453.00
BSN to DNP – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner $80,636.00 $80,636.00
MSN – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner – ADN route $149,601.00 $149,601.00
Show Fewer Programs (-)
68 Maryville University (#6)
  • Post-Master's Certificate – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP – $34,200.00 (in-state), $34,200.00 (out)
  • MSN – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP (MSN PMHNP) – $45,000.00 (in-state), $45,000.00 (out)
  • DNP – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP – $70,645.00 (in-state), $70,645.00 (out)
  • BSN to DNP – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP (BSN to DNP PMHNP) – $71,864.87 (in-state), $71,864.87 (out)
  • Show More Programs (+)
Post-Master's Certificate – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP $34,200.00 $34,200.00
MSN – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP (MSN PMHNP) $45,000.00 $45,000.00
DNP – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP $70,645.00 $70,645.00
Show More Programs (+)
BSN to DNP – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP (BSN to DNP PMHNP) $71,864.87 $71,864.87
Show Fewer Programs (-)
67 Frontier Nursing University (#7)
  • Post-Graduate Certificate – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner – $26,425.00 (in-state), $26,425.00 (out)
  • MSN – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner – $36,240.00 (in-state), $36,240.00 (out)
  • MSN with DNP – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner – $58,890.00 (in-state), $58,890.00 (out)
Post-Graduate Certificate – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner $26,425.00 $26,425.00
MSN – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner $36,240.00 $36,240.00
MSN with DNP – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner $58,890.00 $58,890.00
67 Arkansas State University (#8)
  • Post-Master's Cert – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP – $14,025.00 (in-state), $14,025.00 (out)
  • MSN – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP – $23,750.00 (in-state), $23,750.00 (out)
Post-Master's Cert – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP $14,025.00 $14,025.00
MSN – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP $23,750.00 $23,750.00
66 Franklin University (#9)
  • Post-Graduate Certificate – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP – $27,600.00 (in-state), $27,600.00 (out)
  • MSN – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP – $34,500.00 (in-state), $34,500.00 (out)
  • MSN – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP (ADN bridge) – $37,260.00 (in-state), $37,260.00 (out)
  • DNP – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP – $52,992.00 (in-state), $52,992.00 (out)
  • DNP – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP (BSN to DNP) – $52,992.00 (in-state), $52,992.00 (out)
  • Show More Programs (+)
Post-Graduate Certificate – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP $27,600.00 $27,600.00
MSN – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP $34,500.00 $34,500.00
MSN – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP (ADN bridge) $37,260.00 $37,260.00
Show More Programs (+)
DNP – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP $52,992.00 $52,992.00
DNP – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP (BSN to DNP) $52,992.00 $52,992.00
Show Fewer Programs (-)
66 University of Nevada Reno (#10)
  • Post-Master's Certificate – Psychiatric Mental Health NP (for APRNs) – $8,814.75 (in-state), $18,515.00 (out)
  • Post-Master's Certificate – Psychiatric Mental Health NP (for Non-APRNs) – $14,563.50 (in-state), $30,590.00 (out)
  • MSN – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner – $19,162.50 (in-state), $40,250.00 (out)
  • BSN to DNP – Psychiatric Mental Health NP – $26,827.50 (in-state), $56,350.00 (out)
  • Show More Programs (+)
Post-Master's Certificate – Psychiatric Mental Health NP (for APRNs) $8,814.75 $18,515.00
Post-Master's Certificate – Psychiatric Mental Health NP (for Non-APRNs) $14,563.50 $30,590.00
MSN – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner $19,162.50 $40,250.00
Show More Programs (+)
BSN to DNP – Psychiatric Mental Health NP $26,827.50 $56,350.00
Show Fewer Programs (-)
65 Texas Tech University (#11)
  • Post-Master's Psychiatric Mental Health NP Certificate – $8,125.22 (in-state), $17,081.00 (out)
  • MSN – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Track – $13,728.82 (in-state), $28,861.00 (out)
Post-Master's Psychiatric Mental Health NP Certificate $8,125.22 $17,081.00
MSN – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Track $13,728.82 $28,861.00
64 Norwich University (#12)
  • Post-Master's Certificate – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner – $14,850.00 (in-state), $14,850.00 (out)
  • MSN – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner – $37,125.00 (in-state), $37,125.00 (out)
Post-Master's Certificate – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner $14,850.00 $14,850.00
MSN – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner $37,125.00 $37,125.00
64 University of Alabama at Birmingham (#13)
  • Post-Graduate Certificate – Psychiatric Mental Health Primary Care NP – $20,088.00 (in-state), $20,088.00 (out)
  • MSN – Psychiatric Mental Health Primary Care NP – $33,480.00 (in-state), $33,480.00 (out)
  • MSN – Psychiatric Mental Health Primary Care NP (RN to MSN Bridge) – $41,664.00 (in-state), $41,664.00 (out)
  • BSN to DNP – Psychiatric Mental Health Primary Care NP – $58,776.00 (in-state), $58,776.00 (out)
  • Show More Programs (+)
Post-Graduate Certificate – Psychiatric Mental Health Primary Care NP $20,088.00 $20,088.00
MSN – Psychiatric Mental Health Primary Care NP $33,480.00 $33,480.00
MSN – Psychiatric Mental Health Primary Care NP (RN to MSN Bridge) $41,664.00 $41,664.00
Show More Programs (+)
BSN to DNP – Psychiatric Mental Health Primary Care NP $58,776.00 $58,776.00
Show Fewer Programs (-)
64 University of Alabama (#14)
  • Post-Graduate Certificate – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP – $13,920.00 (in-state), $13,920.00 (out)
  • MSN to DNP – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP – $16,800.00 (in-state), $16,800.00 (out)
  • MSN – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner – $28,320.00 (in-state), $28,320.00 (out)
  • BSN to DNP – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP – $30,240.00 (in-state), $30,240.00 (out)
  • Show More Programs (+)
Post-Graduate Certificate – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP $13,920.00 $13,920.00
MSN to DNP – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP $16,800.00 $16,800.00
MSN – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner $28,320.00 $28,320.00
Show More Programs (+)
BSN to DNP – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP $30,240.00 $30,240.00
Show Fewer Programs (-)
64 Tennessee Tech University (#15)
  • Post-Master's Certificate – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP – $18,216.00 (in-state), $21,436.00 (out)
  • MSN – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner – $35,640.00 (in-state), $41,940.00 (out)
  • MSN – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (for RNs with non-nursing bachelor's) – $38,808.00 (in-state), $45,668.00 (out)
Post-Master's Certificate – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP $18,216.00 $21,436.00
MSN – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner $35,640.00 $41,940.00
MSN – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (for RNs with non-nursing bachelor's) $38,808.00 $45,668.00
64 Northern Kentucky University (#16)
  • Post-Master's Psychiatric-Mental Health NP Certificate – $20,720.00 (in-state), $20,720.00 (out)
  • MSN – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner – $28,200.00 (in-state), $28,200.00 (out)
Post-Master's Psychiatric-Mental Health NP Certificate $20,720.00 $20,720.00
MSN – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner $28,200.00 $28,200.00
64 Purdue Global (#17)
  • Post-Master's Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certificate – $20,160.00 (in-state), $20,160.00 (out)
  • MSN – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner – $32,760.00 (in-state), $32,760.00 (out)
Post-Master's Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certificate $20,160.00 $20,160.00
MSN – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner $32,760.00 $32,760.00
64 St. Thomas University (#18)
  • Post-Master’s PMHNP Certificate (for NPs) – $16,930.00 (in-state), $16,930.00 (out)
  • Post-Master’s PMHNP Certificate – $24,990.00 (in-state), $24,990.00 (out)
  • MSN – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner – $30,250.00 (in-state), $30,250.00 (out)
Post-Master’s PMHNP Certificate (for NPs) $16,930.00 $16,930.00
Post-Master’s PMHNP Certificate $24,990.00 $24,990.00
MSN – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner $30,250.00 $30,250.00
63 University of Missouri (#19)
  • Post-Graduate Certificate – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner – $15,876.00 (in-state), $15,876.00 (out)
  • MSN – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner – $31,752.00 (in-state), $31,752.00 (out)
  • DNP – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner – $47,628.00 (in-state), $47,628.00 (out)
Post-Graduate Certificate – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner $15,876.00 $15,876.00
MSN – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner $31,752.00 $31,752.00
DNP – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner $47,628.00 $47,628.00
63 Saint Joseph's College of Maine (#20)
  • Post-Master's Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP Certificate – $22,380.00 (in-state), $22,380.00 (out)
  • Post-Master's Psychiatric-Mental Health NP Certificate – $22,380.00 (in-state), $22,380.00 (out)
  • MSN – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner – $33,570.00 (in-state), $33,570.00 (out)
  • MSN – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner – $33,570.00 (in-state), $33,570.00 (out)
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Post-Master's Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP Certificate $22,380.00 $22,380.00
Post-Master's Psychiatric-Mental Health NP Certificate $22,380.00 $22,380.00
MSN – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner $33,570.00 $33,570.00
Show More Programs (+)
MSN – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner $33,570.00 $33,570.00
Show Fewer Programs (-)
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Psychiatric Mental Health NP Career and Salary

According to the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Competencies from the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties, PMHNPs must know how to:

  • Perform comprehensive physical and mental health assessments, psychiatric evaluations, and family assessments
  • Identify factors that affect mental health including trauma, environment, family, genetics, coping skills, culture, gender, socioeconomic status, spiritual beliefs, cognition, substance abuse, developmental stage, and others
  • Interpret diagnostic and lab tests
  • Diagnose psychiatric disorders
  • Develop treatment plans and recommend therapeutic interventions
  • Prescribe psychotropic medications and other types of medications necessary for the improvement of their patients

The majority of PMHNPs work in psychiatric-mental health care facilities. Other prominent PMHNP work environments include hospitals, treatment facilities, private practice, and schools and educational facilities.

According to the American Psychological Association, mental health awareness has recently become more normalized, partly thanks to celebrities and influencers sharing their struggles on social media. In addition to increased awareness, the Minority Nurse lists the top four reasons for increased demand for psychiatric nurse practitioners:

  • Expanded access to care with the Affordable Care Act
  • PTSD treatment for veterans
  • Caring for aging Baby Boomers
  • Forecasted demand for APRNs

With expected nurse practitioner job growth of 40 percent between 2024 and 2034, which is well above the national average growth rate of 3 percent, over 128,400 new jobs should open up for NPs in the coming years (BLS, 2025).

The median wage for nurse practitioners falls at $129,210 (BLS, 2024).

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