8 Best DNP Programs in Colorado – 2025

Written By: Pattie Trumble, MPP, MPH

Is expanding your professional scope of practice a goal for you as an RN in Colorado? As a DNP-educated APRN, you’ll be able to practice to the full extent of your training. Graduating from one of the DNP programs in Colorado can also help you become a top-notch healthcare executive, using your skills to help enhance positive patient outcomes at the organizational level. DNPs are well compensated in the Centennial State, with salaries that average $131,410 per year. Their futures are bright, too, since employment opportunities for DNPs will jump 56 percent in the next decade. What are you waiting for? Check out this collection of the 8 best DNP programs in Colorado.

WHAT ARE THE BEST DNP PROGRAMS IN COLORADO (ONLINE & CAMPUS) FOR 2025?

Based on our Ranking Methodology, listed below are the 8 Best Doctor of Nursing Practice programs in Colorado (Online & Campus) for 2025.

1. University of Colorado Anschutz - Aurora

Programs Offered: BSN-to-DNP and MSN-to-DNP

BSN-to-DNP Specialties Offered: Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, i-LEAD in Nursing & Health Care Systems, Nurse-Midwifery, Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Veteran & Military Health Care, and Women's Health Nurse Practitioner

MSN-to-DNP Specialties Offered: Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, Health Systems Leadership, Public Health Nursing, and Veteran & Military Health Care Leadership

BSN-to-DNP Program Details: What puts the clinical nursing doctorate at the University of Colorado Anschutz at the forefront of the best DNP programs in Colorado? Its multiple specialized tracks, its affiliation with top clinics and hospitals throughout the Denver metro region that provide students with so many excellent clinical opportunities, and the fact that at UC Anschutz, you can earn a Master's of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree and a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree concurrently.

The university's 61-credit (1,000 clinical hours) Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)-to-DNP/Veteran & Military Health Care track is a unique program that was the first of its kind in the nation. Another distinctive track is the university's 52-credit (1,000 clinical hours) BSN-to-DNP/i-LEAD in Nursing & Health Care Systems, which focuses on the business end of healthcare delivery. Other tracks offered by CU Anschutz include a 76-credit (1,125 clinical hours) BSN-to-DNP/Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (PACNP) track, a 74-credit (1,215 clinical hours) BSN-to-DNP/Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) track, a 74-credit BSN-to-DNP/Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP) track, an 82-credit (1,170 clinical hours) BSN-to-DNP/Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) track, an 85-credit (1,260 clinical hours) BSN-to-DNP/Nurse Midwifery track, a 73-credit (1,080 clinical hours) BSN-to-DNP/Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (PPCNP) track, a 78-credit (1,170 clinical hours) BSN-to-DNP/Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) track, and a 76-credit (1,170 clinical hours) BSN-to-DNP/Women's Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP) track.

CU Anschutz's program is unusual in that you'll earn both an MSN and a DNP degree. All 10 tracks include the same core DNP curriculum with classes like "Inferential Statistics and Quality," "Evidence-Based Practice: Evaluating Evidence," and "Research Methods," as well as a three-semester DNP project. If you live outside the Denver area, you're responsible for identifying your own preceptors and clinical practicum sites. If you choose to complete your clinical rotations in Colorado, however, you'll be able to take advantage of CU Anschutz's strong relationships with prestigious hospitals like UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital and Children's Hospital Colorado.

The i-LEAD in Nursing & Health Care Systems is the only track that's 100 percent online, apart from practicums. Though most of your coursework in the other nine tracks will be taught online, you will need to visit the university's Aurora campus periodically throughout your studies for clinical skills intensives and networking opportunities. The i-LEAD in Nursing & Health Care Systems also takes 10 semesters to complete if you enroll full-time, whereas full-time students can graduate from any of the other nine tracks in eight semesters. The majority of CU Anschutz's BSN-to-DNP students, however, opt for part-time enrollment.

Prospective cohorts for the AGPCNP, FNP, Nurse Midwifery, and i-LEAD in Nursing & Health Care Systems tracks can begin classes in either the spring or fall semester. The entry point for the other six tracks is the fall semester only. Applications must be submitted through NursingCas. All applicants must have a BSN from an accredited nursing program with a grade point average of 3.0 or higher, as well as a valid RN license in the state where they'll be completing clinical rotations.

MSN-to-DNP Program Details: The University of Colorado Anschutz also has you covered if you already have an MSN and want to level up to a DNP. You can choose a 26-credit MSN-to-DNP/APRN track, a 41-credit MSN-to-DNP/Health Systems Leadership track, a 20- to 21-credit MSN-to-DNP/Public Health Nursing track, and a 45-credit MSN-to-DNP/Veteran & Military Health Care Leadership track. All four tracks involve a minimum of 540 clinical hours, but you'll be able to apply the clinical hours you accrued pursuing your nursing master's toward your clinical DNP requirement.

All four MSN-to-DNP tracks feature foundational DNP courses that are identical to the clinical nursing doctorate curriculum. You can enroll in the spring or fall semester. When you enroll, the UC Anschutz College of Nursing will do a gap analysis and prepare an individualized study plan for you. You must have a master's degree in nursing from an accredited program with a GPA of 3.0 or higher, and a current U.S. nursing license to apply. Submit your application through NursingCAS.

Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• U.S. News & World Report ranks CU Anschutz's BSN-to-DNP tracks highly. Its Nurse-Midwifery track is the second-best in the nation, while its AGACNP track is the 10th-best.
• CU Anschutz's BSN-to-DNP AGACNP, AGPCNP, FNP, PMHNP, and Nurse Midwifery grads have a 100 percent first-time pass rate on their national nurse practitioner certification exams.
• If you're passionate about community health, CU Anschutz also offers a dual degree Master's of Public Health (MPH)/DNP program.

2. University of Northern Colorado - Greeley

Programs Offered: BSN-to-DNP and MSN-to-DNP

BSN-to-DNP Specialties Offered: Family Nurse Practitioner

BSN-to-DNP Program Details: The University of Northern Colorado's BSN-to-DNP/FNP program aims to help address the primary healthcare provider shortage that particularly impacts the Centennial State's rural areas. This DNP program in Colorado was set up to appeal to working RNs. You'll complete the 84-credit program over five years, taking fewer than nine credits a term. Though much of your coursework will be delivered via distance learning, you'll visit the campus in Greeley on Thursdays for a person-to-person class.

You'll complete 1,125 clinical hours. Seven hundred sixty-five hours will be supervised patient care in a primary practice setting, while 270 will be practicum hours you'll spend developing your DNP project. Clinical rotations and practicums must be completed in Colorado. UNC partners with many of the top hospitals, clinics, and community agencies throughout Colorado.

Your foundational DNP coursework will include classes like "Research and Evidence-based Practice in Nursing," "Leadership in the Measurement of Clinical Outcomes for Advanced Nursing Practice," and "Translational Research Methods." Over three semesters, you'll develop a DNP project that addresses a challenge in either clinical care or healthcare delivery at the organizational level. New cohorts enter this program in the fall semester. Applicants must have a BSN with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, a valid Colorado RN license, and at least one year of professional nursing experience to apply. Applications must be submitted through NursingCAS.

MSN-to-DNP Program Details: The University of Northern Colorado's 44-credit MSN-to-DNP program is specifically designed for APRNs who want to learn the critical thinking and leadership skills necessary to effect change in the healthcare system at both the clinical and systems levels. Foundational DNP courses, including the DNP project, parallel the DNP curriculum in the post-baccalaureate clinical nursing doctorate track. This is a part-time program, designed to be completed in two years.

Coursework is entirely online, though you do have the option to come to the university's campus for orientation and your DNP project proposal and defense if you wish. You must have completed at least 750 clinical hours while pursuing your MSN so that you'll meet your 1,000-clinical-hours DNP requirement. Submit your application through NursingCAS.

Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• The University of Northern Colorado also offers a limited number of MSN-to-DNP/FNP spots.
• This BSN-to-DNP/FNP program focuses on preparing RNs to deliver healthcare services to underserved and rural populations.

3. University of Colorado - Colorado Springs

Programs Offered: BSN-to-DNP and MSN-to-DNP

BSN-to-DNP Specialties Offered: Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner

BSN-to-DNP Program Details: The BSN-to-DNP program at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs prepares RNs for advanced clinical practice roles with two tracks: a 48-credit BSN-to-DNP/PMHNP track and a 47-credit BSN-to-DNP/AGPCNP track. Both tracks include a minimum of 1,000 clinical hours, 630 of which will be supervised patient care hours in your chosen specialty. Except for clinical rotations, you'll be able to complete your coursework remotely through distance learning. You'll be able to participate in clinical experiences in the state where you hold your RN license.

You'll accrue the theoretical nursing knowledge base and analytical skills you need to tackle a five-semester DNP project by taking foundational DNP courses like "Clinical Nursing Scholarship for Evidence-Based Practice," "Research and Knowledge Translation in Nursing," and "Evaluation of Clinical Research & Quality Improvement Projects." You'll need to present your findings in a paper and a poster.

Both BSN-to-DNP tracks accept new students in the spring, summer, and fall semesters. Full-time students typically complete the program in three years, while part-time students take up to five years to graduate. All applicants must have a valid RN license in the state where they'll be doing practicums and a BSN from an accredited nursing program with a grade point average of 3.0 or higher.

MSN-to-DNP Program Details: If you've already earned a nursing master's degree but want to take advantage of the professional opportunities that only a clinical nursing doctorate can afford, then UCCS's 33-credit MSN-to-DNP degree may be for you. The pared-down curriculum mirrors the university's post-baccalaureate DNP core curriculum. This DNP program in Colorado is fully online, apart from practicum activities related to your DNP project. You will be able to transfer over MSN clinical hours to make up the 1,000 clinical hours you'll need to satisfy DNP clinical requirements.

Entry points for new students are in the fall, spring, and summer semesters. The average student can graduate from this program in three years. The program is only open to nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, nurse midwives, and certified registered nurse anesthetists who have an MSN and a valid U.S. nursing license in the state where practicums will be completed.

Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• The first-time national certification pass rate for CUCS Anschutz PMHNP and AGPCNP nurse practitioner graduates is 100 percent.
• USCS's DNP curriculum does not meet licensure requirements in Kansas or Maryland.

4. Regis University - Denver

Programs Offered: BSN-to-DNP and MSN-to-DNP

BSN-to-DNP Specialties Offered: Family Nurse Practitioner, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

MSN-to-DNP Specialties Offered: Advanced Leadership in Health Care and Advanced Practice Registered Nursing

BSN-to-DNP Program Details: Regis University's 73-credit BSN-to-DNP/FNP track, 73- to 76-credit BSN-to-DNP/NNP track, and 76-credit BSN-to-DNP/PMHNP track are divided into two parts. For the first two years of the program, which you can take either online in a synchronous format or in classrooms on the university's Denver campus, you'll immerse yourself in studies about your NP specialty. At this juncture, you'll receive an MSN degree, and you'll be prepared to sit for your nurse practitioner certification boards. Some students even take a year off at this point to practice professionally as an APRN.

In your third year, which is online except for practicums, you'll focus on the DNP curriculum, taking courses like "Analysis of Biomedical Data for the DNP," "Health System Decision Making," and "Clinical Research for the DNP." You'll also complete a four-semester capstone DNP project, implementing and evaluating a change initiative with the potential to improve healthcare delivery for a vulnerable population. Regis University also offers part-time enrollment options.

Clinical rotations will start in your second year. If you live outside the Greater Denver Metropolitan Region, you can pursue clinical rotations in your own community. Regis University accepts new students on a rolling basis; FNP and PMHNP students begin the program in the spring, and NNP students begin in the fall. You must have a BSN with an undergraduate grade point average of 2.75 or higher, and you must submit your application through NursingCAS. All applicants to the BSN-to-DNP program must have at least two years of professional experience. NNP applicants must have two years of experience in a Level III or Level IV nursery. While PMHNP students don't need to have experience in a behavioral or community health setting, it is preferred.

MSN-to-DNP Program Details: Regis University also offers two online post-master's DNP tracks for students who've earned their nursing master's degree at another university: a 31-credit MSN-to-DNP/Advanced Leadership in Health Care track and a 27-credit MSN-to-DNP/Advanced Practice Registered Nurse track. The curriculum will include the same core DNP coursework and capstone project that students enrolled in the university's BSN-to-DNP program take, with a focus on improving direct and indirect healthcare services to underserved and vulnerable populations in urban and rural settings.

Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• Regis University is a Catholic institution of higher learning in the Jesuit tradition. While the university strives to welcome students of all faiths, its nursing curriculum reflects Catholic teachings to some degree.
• Regis University's first-time pass rate for PMHNP grads is 94 percent.
• 96 percent of Regis University's DNP grads find employment in their chosen field within six months of completing their clinical nursing doctorate.

5. Colorado State University-Pueblo - Pueblo

Programs Offered: BSN-to-DNP and MSN-to-DNP

BSN-to-DNP Specialties Offered: Adult/Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner/Family Nurse Practitioner, and Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

MSN-to-DNP Specialties Offered: Population Health

BSN-to-DNP Program Details: Colorado State University-Pueblo offers three BSN-to-DNP tracks: an 83-credit AGACNP track, a 103-credit joint AGACNP + FNP track, and an 87-credit PMHNP track. The two solo nurse practitioner specializations entail 1,320 clinical hours, while the dual specialization requires 2,100 hours. Like several other DNP programs in Colorado, CSU-Pueblo relies upon a hybrid teaching model that integrates online and in-person participation. Clinical practicums must be completed in Colorado. CSU Pueblo maintains strong clinical partnerships with many of the top healthcare facilities in Southern Colorado.

To prepare for your multi-semester DNP project, you'll take foundational DNP courses like "Biostatistics & Research," "Research & Evidence Based Practice," and "Healthcare Informatics." New students enter this program in the fall semester and can complete it in 12 semesters (48 months) of full-time study. You'll need to submit separate applications to CSU-Pueblo and the School of Nursing. This program is open only to applicants who hold a Colorado RN license and a BSN from an accredited nursing program with a minimum grade point average of 3.0.

MSN-to-DNP Program Details: Although CSU-Pueblo will admit candidates who've finished their nursing master's degrees at other schools into its 32-credit MSN-to-DNP/Population Health track, the program was designed to be the second half of its BSN-to-DNP program, and the concentration will be most relevant for NPs certified in adult/geriatric acute care, family, or psychiatric-mental health. You'll take the same foundational DNP courses as students enrolled in CSU-Pueblo's BSN-to-DNP pathway.

The program has a fall start. Full-time students should be able to complete the program in five semesters (20 months); part-time students will graduate in eight semesters (32 months). The program includes 540 hours of clinical practicum, so you'll need to have completed at least 440 MSN clinical hours that you can apply toward your 1,000-hour DNP requirement. You'll need a Colorado RN license and an MSN from an accredited nursing program with a GPA of 3.0 or higher to apply.

Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• CSU-Pueblo awards concurrent MSN and DNP degrees to graduates of its BSN-to-DNP program.
• CSU-Pueblo will allow you to complete practicums at your place of employment so long as your supervisor does not act as your preceptor.

6. Colorado Mesa University - Grand Junction

Programs Offered: BSN-to-DNP

BSN-to-DNP Specialties Offered: Family Nurse Practitioner

BSN-to-DNP Program Details: Colorado Mesa University is one of the best DNP programs in Colorado for students whose primary interest is access to healthcare in vulnerable communities. In fact, CMU's 74-credit BSN-to-DNP/FNP's clinical practicum capstone is called " Primary Care of Rural and Underserved Populations." To prepare for this capstone and your three-semester DNP project, you'll take classes like "Evidence-Based Practice," "Statistics for Health Sciences," and "Translational Evidence-Based Practice."

You'll also complete 1,050 clinical hours, 700 of which must be spent providing supervised care to patients in primary care settings. While you may be able to complete your clinical residencies in the state where you live, you may have to travel for specialized clinical rotations (for example, clinical rotations at rural healthcare facilities).

For the most part, you'll access your courses and educational materials online, though you may have to visit the university's campus a few times for graduate program student intensives. New cohorts enter this program in the fall semester, and if they enroll full-time, they'll graduate in 13 semesters (52 months). Applications must be submitted through NursingCAS. This program is only open to applicants with a BSN degree with a GP of 3.0 or higher from an accredited nursing program and a valid U.S. nursing license.

Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• Family Nurse Practitioner grads from Colorado Mesa University have a 100 percent first-time pass rate for national FNP certification for multiple consecutive years.
• Colorado Mesa University also accepts students who hold MSN or APRN degrees into its BSN program. These RNs will be given advanced placement.

7. Colorado Christian University - Lakewood

Programs Offered: MSN-to-DNP

MSN-to-DNP Specialties Offered: Visionary Leadership

MSN-to-DNP Program Details: Colorado Christian University's 32-credit MSN-to-DNP/Visionary Leadership track is open to nurse practitioners, nurse administrators, nurse anesthetists, healthcare leaders, clinical nurse specialists, nurse educators, and other RNs who hold an MSN degree. You'll augment the required 525 clinical hours with clinical hours from your nursing master's studies to satisfy your 1,020-hour DNP requirement. Apart from clinical rotations, which you'll be able to complete at healthcare facilities close to where you live, this program is 100 percent online.

Colorado Christian University offers core DNP courses like "Translational Research & Evidence-Based Practice," "Theoretical Foundations of DNP Studies," and "Leadership in Organizations and Systems," which will prepare you for a three-semester DNP program. You can complete this program in as few as two years if you enroll part-time. New cohorts begin this DNP program in Colorado in the fall semester. All applicants must have an RN license in the state where clinical rotations will be completed and have an MSN with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• Colorado Christian University is the premier Christ-centered institution of higher learning in the Rocky Mountain region. Applicants to the DNP program are evaluated on their commitment to participating in a Christ-centered community of nurse leaders. Christian theory is deeply integrated into the university's nursing curriculum and consistent with a biblical worldview.
• Colorado Christian University's asynchronous online format makes it a convenient choice for working nurses who must schedule educational activities around their existing commitments.

8. Colorado Technical University - Colorado Springs

Programs Offered: MSN-to-DNP

MSN-to-DNP Program Details: Are you an MSN-prepared RN looking for an efficient way to prepare for advanced roles in healthcare leadership and administration? Colorado Technical University offers a 49-credit post-master's clinical nursing doctorate degree that focuses on DNP essentials. Classes like "Applying Evidence-Based Practice and Research to Improve Health Outcomes," "Information Systems and Advanced Nursing Practice," and "Organization and Systems Leadership" will lay the groundwork for a three-semester DNP project during which you'll implement and evaluate an evidence-based initiative that aims to improve health outcomes and healthcare delivery effectiveness. You'll need to complete at least 500 practicum hours so that your post-baccalaureate and post-master's clinical hours meet the 1,000-clinical-hours DNP requirement. You can participate in practicums at hospitals and clinics in your own location.

Colorado Technical University does not use a traditional semester system. Courses are taught over 10-week sessions. Applicants must hold an MSN from an accredited nursing program, with a GPA of 3.0 or higher, and a valid U.S. nursing license.

Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• CTU's online DNP program in Colorado uses intellipath® adaptive learning technology, which allows students to speed through materials they already know.
• While Colorado Technical University MSN-to-DNP students can complete required practicums at the healthcare facility where they work, they cannot complete practicum hours in units where they work or with in-line supervisors acting as preceptors.


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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ANSWERED

1. Who Accredits DNP Programs In Colorado?

2. How Many Schools Offer Accredited DNP Programs In Colorado?

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3. What Is The Average DNP Salary In Colorado?

4. On Average, How Much Do Entry-Level DNP Graduates Make In Colorado?

5. On Average, How Much Do Experienced DNP Graduates Make In Colorado?

6. What Is The Average DNP Salary In Colorado By Metro?

7. Average DNP Salary In Colorado VS. Average Salaries Of Other Closely Related Occupations In Colorado

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