4 Best BSN-to-DNP Programs in Mississippi – 2025
Written By: Pattie Trumble, MPP, MPH
One of the reasons why DNP-educated RNs are so highly sought after in the Magnolia State is because Mississippi suffers from a severe shortage of primary care providers. Graduates of BSN-to-DNP programs in Mississippi help provide a solution to that issue. In addition to educating clinical primary care leaders, DNP programs prepare the executive nurse leaders who drive the delivery of high-quality healthcare. DNP graduates average $126,560 a year, and their employment prospects are expected to rise by 43 percent over the coming decade. Ready to find out more? Check out the list of the 4 best BSN-to-DNP programs in Mississippi below.
WHAT ARE THE BEST BSN-TO-DNP PROGRAMS IN MISSISSIPPI (ONLINE & CAMPUS) FOR 2025?
(Based on our Ranking Methodology, listed below are the 4 Best BSN-to-DNP programs in Mississippi (Online & Campus) for 2025.
1. University of Mississippi Medical Center - Jackson
Specialties Offered: Nursing & Health Care Administrator, Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, and Family Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
UMMC's BSN-to-DNP program is primarily taught at the medical center's campus in Jacksonville, which is also where you'll do your clinical practicums. Students in the AGACNP, PMHNP, and FNP tracks must complete 1,230 clinical hours. Students in the Nursing and Health Care Administration track must complete 1,050 clinical hours, and students in the two pediatric tracks must complete a minimum of 1,000 clinical hours. UMMC's hospital is the only designated Level 1 trauma center in the state of Florida.
Core DNP classes like "Research Design and Methods for Advanced Nursing Practice," "Theoretical Foundations for Advanced Nursing Practice," and "Evaluation Approaches, Models, and Methods" will prepare you for the rigors of a three-semester DNP project. This program accepts new students in the fall semester, and you'll be able to graduate in eight semesters (32 months) if you enroll full-time. The program also offers part-time enrollment options.
Admission Requirements: The University of Mississippi Medical Center's BSN-to-DNP program is open to RNs with a nursing bachelor's degree from an accredited program who've maintained an undergraduate grade point average of 3.2 or higher. You'll need to hold an RN license in Mississippi. If you're applying to the PPCNP or PACNP tracks, you must have at least one year of professional nursing experience working with children; if you're applying to the AGACNP track, you must have one year of critical care experience. Applicants must submit three professional references with their application.
Why Choose This Program
• Interested in teaching your BSN-to-DNP specialty to other nurses? UMMC offers a 10-credit Nursing Education and Instruction concentration that you can add to any specialty, which will prepare you to work in nursing staff development, educating other nurses in your chosen specialty.• The University of Mississippi Medical Center will shortly be launching a BSN-to-DNP/Nurse Anesthesia track.
• Jacksonville, FL, is a major medical hub, and as a BSN-to-DNP student there, you will benefit from its clinical, research, and networking opportunities.
2. Delta State University - Cleveland
Specialties Offered: Family Nurse Practitioner
If you enroll in this program full-time, you can graduate in six semesters (24 months). Part-time students can complete the coursework in nine semesters (36 months). The curriculum is front-loaded with foundational DNP classes like "Evidence Based Nursing Practice: Theory, Design and Methods," "Advanced Theory and Ethical Issues in Advanced Nursing Practice," and "Health Care Policy and Economics in Clinical Practice" and culminates with a three-semester DNP project. Enrollment begins in the fall semester.
Admission Requirements: Applicants to Delta State University must have a BSN from an accredited nursing program with a minimum GPA of 3.0 and a current RN license in Mississippi or Arkansas.
Why Choose This Program
• Delta State University's BSN-to-DNP program has one of the lowest tuition rates of any online clinical doctoral program in the U.S.• Delta State University's BSN-to-DNP/FNP curriculum incorporates case studies, clinical experiences, and population health considerations specific to Mississippi's Delta Region.
3. University of Southern Mississippi - Hattiesburg
Specialties Offered: Family Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, and Nurse Anesthesia
The University of Southern Mississippi also offers a 63- to 67-credit BSN-to-DNP/FNP track and a 73-credit BSN-to-DNP/PMHNP track. The curricula are presented in a hybrid format: While most of your coursework will be offered online, you can expect to make up to nine visits over the course of the program —one per semester—to the university's Hattiesburg campus. You'll participate in at least 1,000 hours of clinical experiences at healthcare facilities in Hattiesburg and adjacent communities. The FNP and PMHNP tracks begin in the fall and can be completed in nine semesters (36 months), but the university also offers a part-time enrollment option.
All three tracks share a common core DNP curriculum with classes like "Role Development in Advanced Practice Nursing," "Methods for Evaluating Evidence Based Practice," and Quality and Leadership in Healthcare Systems." Students pursuing each of these three BSN-to-DNP tracks will also complete a three-semester DNP project that translates research and nursing theory into innovative solutions to healthcare delivery challenges.
Admission Requirements: The University of Southern Mississippi requires all applicants to have a BSN from an accredited nursing program with an undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 or higher. The BSN-to-DNP/Nurse Anesthesia track also admits MSN-prepared nurses.
You must have a combined score on the Graduate Record Exam of 3.0 or higher. Applicants to the Nurse Anesthesia track must have at least two years of critical care experience as well as Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Life Support (ALS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), and Critical Care Nurse Certification (CCRN). Applicants to the BSN-to-DNP/FNP and PMHNP tracks must have at least one year of recent RN experience. All applicants must have an unencumbered Mississippi RN license.
Why Choose This Program
• U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Southern Mississippi's BSN-to-DNP program as the finest in the Magnolia State.• USM's Nurse Anesthesia grads have a 100 percent pass rate on their national certification exams.
4. Mississippi University for Women - Columbus
Once you complete MUW's MSN requirements, you must work for two years as an MSN-educated nurse before returning to take such foundational DNP classes as "Standards of Care and Evidenced Based Practice," "Philosophy and Theory of Nursing Practice," and "Health Care Policy & Economics." The DNP curriculum also includes a two-semester DNP project. The MSN and DNP curricula both involve 38 credits for a total of 76 credits. You'll attend classes at the university's campus in Columbus.
This BSN-to-DNP program in Mississippi includes a minimum of 1,000 clinical hours, which you'll do at hospitals and clinics in the Columbus area. You can graduate in as few as eight terms. Courses begin in the fall semester.
Admission Requirements: The best way to think of the Mississippi University for Women's DNP program is to think of it as a non-consecutive BSN-to-MSN-to-DNP program. The program admits both BSN-educated and MSN-educated RNs with a minimum GPA of 3.0 in their undergraduate or graduate studies. All applicants must be licensed RNs in the state of Mississippi. You'll need to submit three professional references with your application.
Why Choose This Program
• The Mississippi University for Women accepts 100 percent of its DNP applicants.• MUW prioritizes educating healthcare leaders who can improve delivery outcomes in the organizational healthcare sector.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ANSWERED
1. Who Accredits BSN-to-DNP Programs In Mississippi?
| S.No. | Accrediting Agency |
| 1 | Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) |
| 2 | Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) |
2. How Many Schools Offer Accredited BSN-to-DNP Programs In Mississippi?
| 4 |
3. What Is The Average BSN-to-DNP Salary In Mississippi?
| Hourly | $60.85 |
| Weekly | $2,434 |
| Monthly | $10,550 |
| Annual | $126,560 |
4. On Average, How Much Do Entry-Level BSN-to-DNP Graduates Make In Mississippi?
| Hourly | $44.76 |
| Weekly | $1,791 |
| Monthly | $7,760 |
| Annual | $93,110 |
5. On Average, How Much Do Experienced BSN-to-DNP Graduates Make In Mississippi?
| Level of Experience | Hourly | Weekly | Monthly | Annual |
| 1-4 Years of Experience | $50.65 | $2,026 | $8,780 | $105,350 |
| 5-9 Years of Experience | $59.79 | $2,392 | $10,360 | $124,360 |
| 10-19 Years of Experience | $66.59 | $2,663 | $11,540 | $138,500 |
| 20 Years or More Experience | $79.57 | $3,183 | $13,790 | $165,510 |
6. What Is The Average BSN-to-DNP Salary In Mississippi By Metro?
| Metro | Hourly | Monthly | Weekly | Annual |
| Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula | $61.96 | $10,740 | $2,478 | $128,880 |
| Hattiesburg | $58.31 | $10,110 | $2,332 | $121,280 |
| Jackson | $62.14 | $10,770 | $2,486 | $129,260 |
7. Average BSN-to-DNP Salary In Mississippi VS. Average Salaries Of Other Closely Related Occupations In Mississippi
| Job Title | Average Annual Salary | Difference | |
| Number | % | ||
| Dentist | $130,550 | -$3,990 | -3.06% |
| Nurse With BSN-to-DNP | $126,560 | $0 | 0.00% |
| Pharmacist | $125,330 | +$1,230 | +0.98% |
| Optometrist | $124,000 | +$2,560 | +2.06% |
| Veterinarian | $102,660 | +$23,900 | +23.28% |
| Physical Therapist | $95,230 | +$31,330 | +32.90% |
| Occupational Therapist | $90,510 | +$36,050 | +39.83% |
| Radiation Therapist | $84,360 | +$42,200 | +50.02% |
| Chiropractor | $83,870 | +$42,690 | +50.90% |
| Speech-Language Pathologist | $76,680 | +$49,880 | +65.05% |
| Audiologist | $75,150 | +$51,410 | +68.41% |
| Dental Hygienist | $62,120 | +$64,440 | +103.73% |
Nearby States
Pattie Trumble, MPP, MPHPattie Trumble is a nurse who worked in both California and New York for many years as an emergency room nurse. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley, and an Associate Degree in Nursing from the Samuel Merritt Hospital School of Nursing. After 10 years of providing direct care, she went back to school and earned concurrent Master’s degrees in both public policy and public health from the University of California, Berkeley. Thereafter, she worked for various public health agencies in California at both the community and state levels providing economic and legislative analysis.
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