12 Best DNP Programs in Indiana – 2025


Written By: Pattie Trumble, MPP, MPH

Can earning a DNP in Indiana help you fall back in love with your nursing career? The answer is yes! Whether your passion is hands-on patient care, nursing education, or executive healthcare leadership, DNP programs in Indiana will teach you the advanced knowledge and skills you need to excel. A DNP is an educational investment that pays off! Nurses in the Hoosier State with a Doctor of Nursing Practice diploma make an average salary of $132,840 annually, and the need for their services is projected to rise by 46 percent in the next decade. Could enrolling in a DNP program be the right move for you? This list of the 12 best DNP programs in Indiana will help you decide.


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

Based on our Ranking Methodology, listed below are the 12 Best Doctor of Nursing Practice programs in Indiana (Online & Campus) for 2025.


1. Purdue University - West Lafayette


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


BSN-to-DNP Specialties Offered: Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Primary Care Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner, and Psych Mental Health Nurse Practitioner


BSN-to-DNP Program Details: Purdue University's Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)-to-Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree stands out from other DNP programs in Indiana through its emphasis on interprofessional collaboration and a systems approach to health, illness, and the social determinants of health. This DNP program in Indiana offers four APRN concentrations: a 74-credit (1,142 clinical hours) Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (PPCNP) track, a 78-credit (1,157 clinical hours) Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) track, a 76-credit (1,142 clinical hours) Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP), and a 78-credit (1,162 clinical hours) Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) track.

All four tracks share a common core DNP curriculum that includes courses like "Evidence-Based Practice," "Quality Initiatives, Leadership and Advanced Practice Nursing," and "Systems Approaches In Healthcare." Starting in the fall semester of your second year of the three-year program, you'll also participate in a DNP project in which you'll translate current research and the nursing theory you've learned into a quantifiable solution to a challenge you've come across during your practicums.

Although many of your educational materials will be available online, Purdue's BSN-to-DNP degree is taught for the most part at the university's campus in West Lafayette. You'll complete clinical rotations at St. Elizabeth Medical Center, Wabash Valley Hospital, and more than 100 other healthcare facilities throughout Tippecanoe County that are clinically affiliated with Purdue University. The program begins in the fall semester and takes three years to complete.

MSN-to-DNP Program Details: Purdue University's Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)-to-DNP program is a blend of in-person and online courses. The curriculum emphasizes foundational DNP classes and the DNP project. The MSN-to-DNP offers a 40-credit option for those with APRN training at the MSN level and a 55-credit option for students without APRN credentials. Depending on whether you enroll full-time or part-time, you can complete this program in 1.5 to 3 years.

APRN-prepared students must complete 704 residency hours, but they can transfer the remaining 296 hours needed to make up the 1,000-hour DNP requirement from their nursing master's program. Non-APRN students must complete 1,069 clinical hours. You'll be able to complete your practicums at a healthcare facility in your own home state.


Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• Graduates of Purdue University's nurse practitioner tracks have first-time pass rates of 94 percent on their national certification exams.
• The Purdue University system also features an MSN-to-DNP program through its online affiliate, Purdue Global. Purdue Global's MSN-to-DNP program offers six concentrations: an Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) track, an AGPCNP track, an FNP track, a PMHNP track, a Nurse Educator track, and an Executive Leader track.
• Additionally, the Purdue University system offers a post-master's DNP program through its regional campus in Hammond.


2. Indiana University School of Nursing - Indianapolis


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


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


MSN-to-DNP Specialties Offered: Advanced Clinical and Executive Leadership


BSN-to-DNP Program Details: Established in 1914 as a branch of Indiana University's medical school, the Indiana University School of Nursing maintains a semi-autonomous identity within the IU system. Its Doctor of Nursing Practice track is widely regarded as one of the best DNP programs in Indiana. Students can choose among four specialty concentrations: an AGACNP track, an FNP track, a PPCNP track, and a PMHNP track. Each concentration requires 66 credits and 1,005 clinical hours.

You'll enroll in core DNP courses like "Analytical Thinking for Evidence-Based Practice," "Population Health Surveillance & Management," and "Application of Biostatistics & Epidemiology in Advanced Nursing Practice." You'll also complete a four-semester DNP project, which requires three practicums. You'll participate in clinical rotations throughout central Indiana at healthcare facilities like the Indiana University Health System, Columbus Regional Health, and Major Health Partners, so all applicants must have Indiana RN licenses.

IU School of Nursing's BSN-to-DNP program is a hybrid program, mixing online classes with in-person learning sessions at the university's campus in Indianapolis. The Simulation Center at Fairbanks Hall is a significant resource; it's here that you'll first learn high-level hands-on skills like endotracheal intubation and central line insertion before you begin your practicums. Full-time students can complete this program in three years. Classes begin in the fall. All applicants must have at least one year of professional experience (1,800 hours) in a practice setting similar to the NP track to which they are applying.

MSN-to-DNP Program Details: The IU School of Nursing's 38-credit MSN-to-DNP program offers two concentrations: Executive Leadership and Advanced Clinical. It provides the same foundational DNP courses you'll find in the BSN-to-DNP program, but it's taught online. Full-time students should be able to complete this program in two years, while part-time students can complete it in three. Like all DNP programs in Indiana, it requires 1,000 post-BSN clinical residency hours, but you'll be able to transfer up to 475 hours from your MSN degree.


Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• Since its inception, the National League for Nursing has included the Indiana University School of Nursing on its Centers of Nursing Excellence lists. Most recently, the IU School of Nursing was singled out in two categories: Advancement of Science of Nursing Education and Promotion of Pedagogical Expertise of Faculty.
• The IU School of Nursing offers some of the most competitive DNP tuition rates in the state.


3. University of Indianapolis - Indianapolis


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


BSN-to-DNP Specialties Offered: Adult/Gerontological Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, and Neonatal Nurse Practitioner


MSN-to-DNP Specialties Offered: Executive and Clinical Expert


BSN-to-DNP Program Details: Are you a nurse interested in pursuing a DNP who can't afford to quit work? The University of Indianapolis offers an online BSN-to-DNP program that's specifically designed for working RNs. Three clinical specialties are available: a 62-credit AGPCNP track, a 72-credit FNP track, and a 68-credit Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP) track. To graduate from this program, you'll need to complete between 1,050 and 1,250 clinical hours.

Non-clinical courses are offered asynchronously, but clinical courses use a synchronous format. You will have to visit the university's campus in Indianapolis periodically for skills assessments and Observed Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE) learning experiences during your clinical courses.

Core DNP courses include "Role Transformation and Scientific Underpinning for Advanced Nursing Practice," "Inquiry 1: Methods of Evidence-Based Practice," and "Inquiry 2: Translation of Evidence Into Practice." The curriculum also showcases a four-semester sequence during which you'll develop, implement, evaluate, and disseminate an evidence-based scholarly DNP project focusing on a practice issue of specific interest to you.

Uindy's clinical team will help AGPCNP and FNP students find clinical rotations in their own states, but NNP students must complete practicums at designated neonatal intensive care units throughout Indiana, including those at Riley Children’s and St. Vincent Hospitals.

The BSN-to-DNP/AGPCNP and BSN-to-DNP/FNP tracks are designed to be pursued part-time and can be completed in 10 consecutive semesters; the BSN-to-DNP/NNP option can be pursued full-time (three years) or part-time (four years). The BSN-to-DNP/NNP track only accepts new cohorts in the fall semester, but the other two tracks have entry points in the fall and spring. FNP and AGPCNP applicants must have at least two years of professional nursing experience, preferably in a critical care setting. NNP applicants must have at least two years of experience working with critically ill neonates or infants in a Level III and/or Level IV NICU.

MSN-to-DNP Program Details: The University of Indianapolis offers two fully online post-master's DNP tracks: a 31- to 36-credit MSN-to-DNP/Executive option and a 33-credit MSN-to-DNP/Clinical Expert option. The MSN-to-DNP/Executive track is designed to be pursued part-time and completed in six to eight consecutive semesters. The MSN-to-DNP/Clinical Expert track offers a full-time option (two years) as well as a part-time option (three years). New cohorts can begin either of these two tracks in the spring or fall.


Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• UIndy's BSN-to-DNP/NNP track is the only neonatal nurse practitioner track in Indiana.
• The University of Indianapolis only accepts students into its BSN-to-DNP program who are licensed RNs in the states of Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, and Kentucky.


4. Ball State University - Muncie


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


BSN-to-DNP Specialties Offered: Family Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Executive, and Nurse Educator


MSN-to-DNP Specialties Offered: Family Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Executive, Nurse Educator


BSN-to-DNP Program Details: Ball State University's 78-credit BSN-to-DNP/FNP track, 76-credit BSN-to-DNP/Nurse Executive track, and 76-credit BSN-to-DNP/Nurse Educator track all share a common DNP core curriculum. Courses like "Statistics for Health Care Research," "Research for Evidence-Based Practice," and "Outcomes Research and Evaluation" will prepare you to tackle a three-semester DNP project that aims to improve the quality of healthcare or healthcare outcomes in either a clinical or a community setting.

This DNP program in Indiana also entails 1,000 hours of clinical practicum. FNP students will complete all 1,000 hours in conjunction with their clinical concentration. Within their respective concentrations, students pursuing a degree as a Nurse Executive are required to complete 750 hours of coursework, while those pursuing a degree as a Nurse Educator are required to complete 810 hours. The program is entirely online, and you can carry out your clinical rotations at a healthcare facility in your own local area. Ball State University offers spring and fall entry points into its BSN-to-DNP program, and you can enroll full-time or part-time.

MSN-to-DNP Program Details: Ball State University's MSN-to-DNP program is essentially identical to its BSN-to-DNP program, meaning it offers the same specializations and those specializations require the same number of credits. However, you will be able to transfer equivalent MSN credits toward your Ball State University DNP degree. MSN-to-DNP/FNP students must complete 475 practicum hours at Ball State, while Nurse Executive and Nurse Educator students must complete 600 hours; you can port over the remaining hours necessary to meet the 1,000-clinical-hour DNP requirement from your nursing master's degree clinical hours. Applicants must have a grade point average of 3.2 or higher.


Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• Ball State's FNP grads consistently score first-time pass rates on their nurse practitioner examinations between 95 and 100 percent.
• Ball State University will let you complete your DNP practicums at your workplace so long as your preceptor is not a supervisor that you report to.


5. Valparaiso University - Valparaiso


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


BSN-to-DNP Specialties Offered: Family Nurse Practitioner


BSN-to-DNP Program Details: You'll be able to complete Valparaiso University's 69-credit BSN-to-DNP/FNP program in just three years. The online program is tailored to the needs of working RNs. Coursework is provided in an asynchronous format, and you'll only have to visit the university's campus twice—once to participate in a simulated patient experience while enrolled in "Advanced Health Assessment" and once to deliver a poster and an oral presentation based on your DNP project. New cohorts join the program in the fall semester.

This DNP program in Indiana offers core DNP courses like "Research Method/Evidence-Based Practice," "Role of the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse," and "Middle Range Theories and Concepts for Advanced Nursing Practice" as well as a four-semester DNP project in which you'll apply research and nursing theory to the solution of a clinical or healthcare delivery challenge. You may be able to complete your practicum experiences in states outside of Indiana pending approval by Valparaiso's College of Nursing and Health Professions.

MSN-to-DNP Program Details: The university's MSN-to-DNP program is a streamlined version of its BSN-to-DNP curriculum without FNP coursework. You'll only have to visit the campus once to present your DNP project.


Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• Valparaiso University enjoys a close relationship with the Lutheran Church. While the university's mission is rooted in service, its nursing curriculum doesn't reflect Lutheran precepts per se, and its doors are open to students of all faiths.
• Valparaiso University's FNP grads achieve 100 percent first-time pass rates on their national nurse practitioner certification exams.


6. Indiana Wesleyan University - Marion


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


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


MSN-to-DNP Specialties Offered: Systems Leadership


BSN-to-DNP Program Details: Indiana Wesleyan University offers two clinical specialty options for BSN-educated students pursuing their clinical nursing doctorate: a BSN-to-DNP/FNP track and a BSN-to-DNP/PMHNP track. Both programs require 76 credits and 1,000 clinical hours. You can complete your coursework online for the most part, but you will be required to spend three residencies at the university's campus in Marion—for DNP project orientation at the start of the program, for DNP project proposal presentation, and for DNP project defense. Though much of your learning will utilize an asynchronous format, you will be expected to participate in synchronous interactive online discussions and workshops.

Foundational DNP courses like "Critical Inquiry and Data Management," "Evidence-Based Project Planning," and "Systems and Organizational Leadership" will lay the groundwork for a three-semester scholarly DNP project. Practicum placements can be completed in your own state.

IWU's BSN-to-DNP program accepts new cohorts each fall. The program was designed to be completed in 48 months as a member of the same cohort to which you were initially admitted to the university. Although you have up to 78 months from your start date to graduate, if you fall behind, you will only be accepted into a new cohort if there is space available. All applicants must have a minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.25.

MSN-to-DNP Program Details: Are you ready to pursue the professional challenge of nursing leadership? Indiana Wesleyan University's 31-credit MSN-to-DNP/Systems Leadership track will prepare you well! IWU's Systems Leadership track includes the same core DNP coursework and DNP project requirements as its more clinically focused BSN-to-DNP program, but it also features a unique focus on global healthcare: all students are required to participate in an international travel experience.

Indiana Wesleyan University's MSN-to-DNP requires 500 clinical hours. You'll be able to complete these in a healthcare facility in your own community. Like many other DNP programs in Indiana, IWU will let you transfer practicum hours from your MSN studies to make up the 1,000-hour DNP clinical requirement. You'll start the program in the fall semester and graduate in 24 months.


Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• Indiana Wesleyan University is a private evangelical Christian institution. Though the university welcomes students from many different faith backgrounds, its nursing curriculum is firmly grounded in Christian perspectives.
• IWU accepts students without a nursing master's degree into its MSN-to-DNP program, so long as they have a master's degree in another field from an accredited university or college, plus at least seven years of nursing experience, which they can document in a submitted portfolio.


7. University of Saint Francis - Fort Wayne


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


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


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


MSN-to-DNP Specialties Offered: Family Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioners, and Leadership


ADN-to-DNP Program Details: Are you an RN with an associate degree or a hospital diploma who's eager to become a nurse practitioner but reluctant to invest more than five years of time in additional education? The University of Saint Francis's Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)-to-DNP program is one of the best DNP programs in Indiana for helping you fulfill your dream. Full-time students will be able to complete this program in a little under four years, while part-time students will be able to complete it in a little under five.

The bulk of the ADN-to-DNP pathway consists of the university's BSN-to-DNP program, allowing ADN-educated nurses to access FNP, AGACNP, PMHNP, and Leadership concentration specialties. Before they begin this program, however, ADN-educated nurses must take a two-semester transition sequence designed to impart an essential knowledge of BSN practice. (They won't receive a BSN, though.) You must have an undergraduate GPA of 3.2 or over to apply to this program and submit your application through NursingCAS.

BSN-to-DNP Program Details: The University of Saint Francis offers three clinical concentrations in conjunction with its clinical doctoral program: a BSN-to-DNP/FNP track, a BSN-to-DNP/AGACNP track, and a BSN-to-DNP/PMHNP track. These three clinical tracks each comprise 78 credits and a minimum of 1,000 clinical hours. Courses are taught online for the most part, using a combination of synchronous and asynchronous technology, but you'll be visiting the university's campus twice each semester for lectures, group work, simulations, patient visits, and evaluations. You can enroll in this program part-time or full-time.

USF offers a fourth, non-clinical option as well: a BSN-to-DNP/Leadership track. If you enroll in this track, you'll have the opportunity to take courses from the university’s Master's of Business Administration, Master's of Health Administration, and Master's of Arts in Teaching programs.

All four tracks include foundational DNP courses like "Frameworks and Models for Examining Nursing Practice," "Innovative Leadership and Project Management," and "Methods and Evaluation of Nursing Outcomes," as well as a three-semester DNP project. The University of Saint Francis accepts new cohorts into its BSN-to-DNP program in the fall semester. Full-time students are expected to graduate in three years; part-time students in four.


MSN-to-DNP Program Details: USF's MSN-to-DNP program offers the same four specialty concentrations as the university's other two DNP pathways. It was specifically designed for working nurses: You can complete it in 24 months of part-time study. Applicants must have a grade point average of 3.2 or higher.


Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• The University of Saint Francis is a Catholic institution of higher learning, and while it admits students regardless of their religious affiliation, its nursing curriculum reflects Catholic doctrines. For example, the DNP curriculum includes a course entitled “Advanced Health Ethics and Spiritual Care” that focuses upon the spiritual dimension of patient care.
• Graduates from USF's NP programs achieve a 100 percent first-time pass rate on nurse practitioner board exams through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP).


8. Indiana State University - Terre Haute


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


BSN-to-DNP Specialties Offered: Family Nurse Practitioner


BSN-to-DNP Program Details: New students are accepted into Indiana State University's BSN-to-DNP/FNP track in the spring and fall. The 78-credit degree pathway takes seven semesters (28 months) to complete. In addition to APRN courses, clinical specialty courses, and practicums, its curriculum includes core DNP courses like "Analytical Methods," "Community Health Planning," and "Health Policy Leadership," which will prepare you to tackle the four-semester DNP project that will become the focal point of your second and third academic years.

ISU's BSN-to-DNP/FNP program also includes 1,450 clinical hours—1,100 performing supervised patient care in healthcare facilities in your own local community and 350 dedicated to working on your DNP project. Apart from clinical rotations, this program is offered entirely online.

MSN-to-DNP Program Details: Indiana State University's 37-credit MSN-to-DNP program is a distance-learning track that focuses on a streamlined foundational DNP curriculum. In addition to core courses, you will also complete a four-semester DNP project. The curriculum only includes 350 hours of supervised clinical preceptorship, so you will have to meet the 1,000-hour DNP clinical hour requirement by transferring credits from your nursing master's degree.

This DNP program in Indiana is specifically designed for APRNs with nursing master's degrees. You can apply in the last semester of your MSN program. The program will take you two years to complete, and you can begin it in either the spring or fall semester.


Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• The first-time certification exam success rate for Indiana State University's FNP graduates is 92 percent.
• Your DNP project courses at ISU will have a faculty-student ratio of 1:8, which is extremely low for a capstone class at a major university.


9. Saint Mary's College - Notre Dame


Programs Offered: BSN-to-DNP


BSN-to-DNP Specialties Offered: Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner and Family Nurse Practitioner


BSN-to-DNP Program Details: Saint Mary's College's BSN-to-DNP/FNP and BSN-to-DNP/AGACNP programs are primarily distance learning tracks, but you will be required to spend one long weekend each semester at the college's campus in Notre Dame. Both tracks require 84 credits and 1,180 clinical hours, comprising 780 hours of supervised direct patient care and 400 hours of DNP project practicum.

Both tracks share the same foundational DNP coursework, with classes like "Statistics for Health and Biological Sciences," "Evidence-based Practice 1 & 2," and "Resource and Practice Management," culminating in a four-part DNP Practice Innovation project. Clinical rotations may be arranged within your own state. You'll begin courses in the fall semester and graduate after 11 semesters (44 months). You can apply to either NP track without professional work experience, but if you are applying to the AGACNP track, you must have some documented professional acute care experience within your first year.

Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• Although a Catholic school, Saint Mary’s College admits students from many different faith traditions, and its nursing curriculum is not grounded in Catholic doctrine.
• Saint Mary's College offers DNP students a unique geriatric neuropsychiatry specialty: By taking five additional courses, you can graduate with a DNP with an advanced area of emphasis in Geriatric Neuropsychiatry. The geriatric neuropsychiatry specialty is also open to advanced practice RNs who are not pursuing a DNP.


10. Marian University - Indianapolis


Programs Offered: BSN-to-DNP


BSN-to-DNP Specialties Offered: Family Nurse Practitioner and Nurse Anesthesia


BSN-to-DNP Program Details: Marian University's BSN-to-DNP program offers two tracks. Its 71-credit FNP track will take you eight semesters (24 months) of full-time study to complete, while its 87-credit Nurse Anesthesia track will take 12 semesters (36 months) to complete. The FNP track requires 630 supervised patient care hours and 270 practicum hours related to the DNP project for a total of 1,000 DNP clinical hours. Nurse Anesthesia students must complete a minimum of 2,000 clinical hours and participate in at least 600 anesthesia cases.

Both tracks essentially use the same core DNP curriculum, but the Nurse Anesthesiology DNP courses are more skewed toward nurse anesthetist practice. DNP classes include "Nursing Research," "Theoretical Foundations of Nursing," and "Systems and Program Planning for Quality Improvement." Both concentrations in this DNP program in Indiana require a three-semester-long capstone DNP project.

BSN-to-DNP/FNP students will take a combination of online and in-person classes at the university's campus in Indianapolis and complete their clinical rotations at healthcare facilities within the Indianapolis metro area, such as Ascension St Vincent and Community Health Network.

While Nurse Anesthesia students may take some didactic courses online, the majority of their classes will be on campus, and students will spend many hours in Marian University's high-fidelity anesthesia simulation lab. Nurse Anesthesia students complete their clinical residencies at hospitals throughout Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan, and Tennessee, such as Community Hospital North & South, Memorial Hospital, and Vanderbilt University Medical Center. One Nurse Anesthesia student every year will have the opportunity to participate in a medical mission trip to the Dominican Republic.

Both tracks accept new cohorts in the spring semester. Applicants to the Nurse Anesthesia track must have at least one year of critical care nursing experience (preferably at a Level I or Level II trauma center); Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), and Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN) certification; and experience shadowing a CRNA.

Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• While Marian University is a Catholic institution shaped by its Franciscan traditions, the university welcomes students from all religious backgrounds. Catholic values like service and justice influence the university's identity, but its nursing curriculum is not religiously focused.
• Marian University offers the only program in Indiana where you can become a certified registered nurse anesthetist and earn your DNP at the same time.


11. University of Southern Indiana - Evansville


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


BSN-to-DNP Specialties Offered: Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist, Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric Mental Health Family Nurse Practitioner, and Organizational & Systems Leadership


MSN-to-DNP Specialties Offered: Advanced Nursing Practice and Organizational & Systems Leadership


BSN-to-DNP Program Details: Students enrolling in the University of Southern Indiana's BSN-to-DNP program will have their choice of five specializations: an Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist track, an AGACNP track, an FNP track, a PMHNP track, and an Organizational & Systems Leadership track. The PMHNP track involves 80 credits, while the other four tracks each involve 78 credits. All five tracks require a minimum of 1,000 clinical hours. Apart from clinical residencies, which you can fulfill in the state where you live and are licensed, this DNP program in Indiana is entirely online and requires no campus residencies.

DNP core courses common to all five tracks include "Evidence-Based Practice for Advanced Nursing," "Analytical Methods for Population-Based Care," and "Systems Leadership and Interprofessional Collaboration." The curriculum also includes a three-part DNP project during which you'll use nursing theory and evidence-based research to target a challenge you've come across in your clinical practicums affecting patient outcomes or healthcare delivery systems.

The University of Southern Indiana's BSN-to-DNP program begins in the fall semester. Full-time students can complete the program in four years, while part-time students will take five years to graduate. Although it's not a hard and fast requirement, the university prefers to accept students who have at least one year (2,000 hours) of professional nursing experience.

MSN-to-DNP Program Details: The University of Southern Indiana offers two non-clinical post-master's concentrations: an MSN-to-DNP/Organizational & Systems Leadership track and an MSN-to-DNP/Advanced Nursing Practice track. Both tracks require 78 credits (the same number of credits needed for the BSN-to-DNP program), but you can apply a maximum of 42 graduate credits from your MSN program toward this requirement. You may also transfer as many as 500 clinical hours from your MSN program and apply them toward your 1,000-hour DNP requirement.

USI's MSN-to-DNP study plan includes the same 12 required DNP courses and DNP project you'll find in the BSN-to-DNP program. Apart from clinical rotations, USI's MSN-to-DNP program is delivered entirely online, but you will have to participate in synchronous online intensives twice a year. The program accepts new cohorts each fall, and most full-time students can graduate in a little over two years.


Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• 100 percent of the University of Southern Indiana's FNP, AGACNP, and PMHNP grads passed their nurse practitioner certification examinations the very first time they took them.
• As a state-supported institution of higher learning, the University of Southern Indiana can offer significantly more affordable DNP program tuition than private university options, particularly for residents of the Hoosier State.


12. Goshen College - Goshen


Programs Offered: MSN-to-DNP


MSN-to-DNP Program Details: Goshen College's MSN-to-DNP program is a 33-credit track, consisting of 10 courses. For the most part, coursework is delivered using an asynchronous distance-learning model, but the program also entails some synchronous video conferences and an in-person residency. Most students enroll in this DNP program in Indiana part-time and graduate in nine semesters, but you also have the option of full-time enrollment, which will allow you to graduate in six semesters.

Core DNP coursework will include classes like "Foundations for Clinical Scholarship," "Biostatistics," and "Population Health & Epidemiology" as well as a three-semester DNP project. Goshen College accepts new students into this program in the fall semester. Applicants must be MSN-educated students with a grade point average of 3.3 or higher.

Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• Goshen College is connected to the Mennonite Church USA, a Christian denomination originating from the 16th-century Anabaptist movement. Although the college accepts students from other faiths, the nursing curriculum hews closely to Mennonite values and principles.
• Goshen College's MSN-to-DNP program is offered in partnership with Eastern Mennonite University.


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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ANSWERED


1. Who Accredits DNP Programs In Indiana?




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


12


3. What Is The Average DNP Salary In Indiana?


Hourly$63.87
Weekly$2,555
Monthly$11,070
Annual$132,840


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


Hourly$46.99
Weekly$1,879
Monthly$8,140
Annual$97,730


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


Level of ExperienceHourlyWeeklyMonthlyAnnual
1-4 Years of Experience$53.16$2,127$9,220$110,580
5-9 Years of Experience$62.75$2,510$10,880$130,530
10-19 Years of Experience$69.89$2,796$12,110$145,370
20 Years or More Experience$83.52$3,341$14,480$173,720


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


MetroHourlyWeeklyMonthlyAnnual
Bloomington$63.91$2,557$11,080$132,940
Elkhart-Goshen$62.39$2,496$10,820$129,780
Evansville$59.44$2,378$10,300$123,630
Fort Wayne$65.13$2,605$11,290$135,460
Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson$64.72$2,589$11,220$134,610
Kokomo$60.38$2,415$10,470$125,600
Lafayette-West Lafayette$60.83$2,433$10,540$126,530
Michigan City-La Porte$62.71$2,508$10,870$130,440
Muncie$64.75$2,590$11,220$134,690
South Bend-Mishawaka$63.24$2,530$10,960$131,540
Terre Haute$61.42$2,457$10,650$127,760


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


Job TitleAverage
Annual Salary
Difference
Number%
Dentist$200,000-$67,160-33.58%
Podiatrist$163,400-$30,560-18.70%
Nurse With DNP$132,840$00.00%
Physician Assistant$131,120+$1,720+1.31%
Pharmacist$130,600+$2,240+1.72%
Veterinarian$124,120+$8,720+7.03%
Optometrist$117,600+$15,240+12.96%
Physical Therapist$96,760+$36,080+37.29%
Chiropractor$90,610+$42,230+46.61%
Audiologist$89,950+$42,890+47.68%
Radiation Therapist$89,680+$43,160+48.13%
Occupational Therapist$88,700+$44,140+49.76%
Speech-Language Pathologist$85,700+$47,140+55.01%
Dental Hygienist$82,800+$50,040+60.43%


Pattie Trumble, MPP, MPH
Pattie 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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