7 Best DNP Programs in Louisiana – 2025
Written By: Pattie Trumble, MPP, MPH
Nurses with Doctor of Nursing Practice degrees are in high demand throughout Louisiana, and their employment opportunities are going to become more numerous by 44 percent in the next 10 years. Graduates of DNP programs in Louisiana can provide the comprehensive healthcare the Bayou State needs in direct patient care and organizational leadership. As a DNP-educated RN in Louisiana, you can count on averaging $127,830 a year. Interested in exploring your professional opportunities? Learn more about the advantages of a DNP in the Bayou State by perusing this list of the 7 best DNP programs in Louisiana.
WHAT ARE THE BEST DNP PROGRAMS IN LOUISIANA (ONLINE & CAMPUS) FOR 2025?
Based on our Ranking Methodology, listed below are the 7 Best Doctor of Nursing Practice programs in Louisiana (Online & Campus) for 2025.
1. University of Louisiana at Lafayette - Lafayette
Programs Offered: MSN-to-DNP
You'll also complete three residencies for a total of 420 clinical hours during which you'll implement and evaluate your scholarly DNP project. You'll be able to transfer over the additional hours you need from your MSN clinical hours to make up the remainder of your 1,000-hour DNP requirement. You can complete your clinical residencies at a healthcare facility in the state where you hold RN licensure.
New cohorts join this DNP program in Louisiana in the fall semester. Apart from practicums and two visits to the campus for orientation and DNP project presentation, your coursework will be online, and you'll graduate in six semesters. Applicants must have an MSN from an accredited nursing program with a grade point average of 3.3 or higher.
Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students
• The National League for Nursing has designated UL Lafayette's College of Nursing as a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education.• The University of Louisiana-Lafayette charges all MSN-to-DNP students the same tuition, whether they're Louisiana residents or live out of state. That tuition is significantly lower than the national average for DNP students.
2. Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center-New Orleans - New Orleans
Programs Offered: BSN-to-DNP and MSN-to-DNP
BSN-to-DNP Specialties Offered: Adult Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist, Executive Nurse Leader, Nurse Practitioner (Adult Gerontology Acute Care, Adult Gerontology Primary Care, Neonatal, Pediatric - Acute Care, Pediatric - Primary Care, Primary Care Family, & Psychiatric Mental Health), Public Health/Community Health Nursing, Nurse Anesthesia, and Dual Concentrations (AGACNP & AGCNS, AGACNP & PCFNP, AGACNP & PNP-AC, AGACNP & AGPCNP, PCFNP & PMHNP, PMHNP & AGPCNP, & PNP-PC & PNP-AC)
MSN-to-DNP Specialties Offered: AGACNP, AGPCNP, PNP-AC, PNP-PC, PCFNP, and PMHNP
Other LSUHSC-NO solo tracks include an 83-credit (1,000 clinical hours) BSN-to-DNP/Adult Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist (AGCNS) track, an 80-credit (1,020 clinical hours) BSN-to-DNP/Executive Nurse Leader track, an 84-credit (1,000 clinical hours) BSN-to-DNP/Public/Community Health Nursing track, and a 138-credit BSN-to-DNP/Nurse Anesthesia track.
Additionally, if you're interested in expanding your clinical scope of practice with two related population-focused concentrations, the university offers a dual, 112-credit (1,740 clinical hours) BSN-to-DNP/AGACNP + AGCNS track, a dual, 110-credit (1,860 clinical hours) BSN-to-DNP/AGPCNP + FNP track, a 115-credit (1,920 clinical hours) BSN-to-DNP/AGACNP + PACNP track, a 119-credit (1,800 clinical hours) BSN-to-DNP/FNP + PMHNP track, and a 115-credit (1,920 clinical hours) BSN-to-DNP/PACNP + PPCNP track.
Coursework is taught through a combination of face-to-face classes at the university's campus in New Orleans and synchronous distance learning. DNP core courses like "Research Design and Methodology," "Health Outcomes: Information Systems, Measurement, Analysis and Management," and "Evidence-Based Practice for Advanced Nursing Practice" are taught Monday through Saturday a minimum of six times throughout the semester. In your third and final year, you'll demonstrate what you have learned by developing, implementing, and evaluating a three-semester DNP project.
Practicum experiences must be completed in Louisiana. LSUHSC-NO maintains clinical partnerships with top-notch medical centers, hospitals, and clinics throughout the Bayou State, such as Tulane Medical Center, Ochsner Foundation Medical Center, and New Orleans Children's Hospital. All tracks are nine semesters long and accept new students in the summer semester.
All applicants must have a BSN from an accredited nursing program with a grade point average of 3.0 or higher and eligibility for a Louisiana RN license. Nurse anesthesia applicants must have at least one year of critical care experience within two years of applying, as well as Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certification. PACNP applicants must have 2 years of experience in an acute care pediatric setting; AGACNP applicants must have 1 year of experience in an acute care adult setting; and NNP applicants must have 2 years of experience in a Level III nursery. All applications must be submitted through NursingCAS.
MSN-to-DNP Program Details: The Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center offers two MSN-to-DNP pathways. If you're an MSN-educated RN who's only interested in earning a clinical nursing doctorate, you'll pursue a curriculum that features 36 credits of foundational DNP coursework and involves a minimum of 180 practicum hours. If you choose, however, you can add a new APRN or population-specific specialty to your portfolio of nursing skills by enrolling in a 66-credit MSN-to-DNP/AGACNP track, a 65-credit MSN-to-DNP/AGPCNP track, a 65-credit MSN-to-DNP/PACNP track, a 65-credit MSN-to-DNP/PPCNP track, a 65-credit MSN-to-DNP/FNP track, or a 72-credit MSN-to-DNP/PMHNP track.
You can graduate from the streamlined MSN-to-DNP program in five semesters (20 months), but it will take you nine semesters (36 months) to complete the MSN-to-DNP/PMHNP track and six semesters (24 months) to complete the other MSN-to-DNP nurse practitioner tracks. Clinical hours for the nurse practitioner tracks include supervised patient care hours as well as practicum hours; if that sum is less than the required 1,000 DNP hours, you'll have the option of transferring over some of your MSN clinical hours. Practicums must be completed at healthcare facilities within the Bayou State.
LSUHSC-NO's MSN-to-DNP program is principally taught on campus, though educational materials may be accessible online. New students enter the program in the summer semester. Submit your application through NursingCAS. You must have an MSN with a GPA of 3.0 or higher and eligibility for a Louisiana RN license to apply. You must have professional nursing experience relevant to the concentration you're applying to.
Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students
• U.S. News & World Report rates LSUHSC-NO's Nurse Anesthesia program the 19th best in the nation.• LSUHSC-NO's Nurse Anesthesia grads have a 100 percent first-time pass rate on their National Certification Exams (NCEs).
• The Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans offers three elective specialty nursing sequences that you can add to your BSN-to-DNP concentration: Advanced Emergency Nursing, Advanced Nephrology Nursing, and Advanced Oncology Nursing.
3. Loyola University New Orleans - New Orleans
Programs Offered: BSN-to-DNP and MSN-to-DNP
BSN-to-DNP Specialties Offered: Family Nurse Practitioner, Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Anesthesia, and Dual Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner/Nurse Anesthesia
MSN-to-DNP Specialties Offered: Executive Leader
You'll complete your practicum hours at one of Loyola's many clinical affiliates throughout metropolitan New Orleans and other parts of Louisiana. Online DNP coursework with classes like "Population Health, Epidemiology & Statistical Methods," "Research for Evidence Based Practice," and "Scientific Inquiry and Translational Research dominates the first year of all four tracks, culminating with a three-semester DNP project. Clinical specialization coursework begins in the third semester.
Between them, the Nurse Anesthesia and dual Nurse Anesthesia tracks accept 24 students each fall semester; these students graduate in nine semesters (36 months). The eight-semester (32 months) AGACNP track and the 11-semester (44 months) FNP track accept new students in the spring, summer, and fall semesters.
All 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, 1 year of professional RN experience, and a valid Louisiana RN license by the time clinical rotations begin. Nurse Anesthesia applicants must hold BLS, ACLS, PALS, and Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN) certifications, as well as a minimum of 1 year's experience in a critical care practice setting. Applicants to the AGACNP track must also have at least 1 year of critical care experience.
MSN-to-DNP Program Details: If you already have your MSN and are looking for ways to enhance your leadership skills, the online MSN-to-DNP/Executive Leader program at Loyola University New Orleans is worth a second look. This streamlined 30-credit program is a quick and convenient way to qualify for higher-paying administrative jobs in the healthcare industry. Its core is the same foundational DNP curriculum Loyola uses in its BSN-to-DNP program. You'll develop, implement, and evaluate a DNP project throughout three practicums, and transfer over clinical hours from your MSN degree to meet the 1,000-hour DNP requirement.
While you can pursue practicums in the state where you live, you must maintain a Louisiana RN license while you're enrolled in this program. Applications must be submitted through NursingCAS. All applicants must have a BSN and an MSN from an accredited nursing program with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. This program accepts new applicants in the spring, summer, and fall semesters.
Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students
• Loyola University New Orleans is a Catholic university in the Jesuit tradition that opens its doors to students of all faiths. The university's nursing curriculum is rooted in Jesuit ideals of social justice and service, but does not overtly reflect Catholic doctrine.• According to U.S. News & World Report, the online Family Nurse Practitioner program at Loyola University New Orleans is the seventh best of its kind in the United States.
• 100 percent of Loyola's FNP grads pass their national family nurse practitioner certification boards the very first time they take them.
4. Northwestern State University of Louisiana - Natchitoches
Programs Offered: BSN-to-DNP and MSN-to-DNP
BSN-to-DNP Specialties Offered: Nurse Anesthesia
MSN-to-DNP Specialties Offered: Educational Leadership and Executive Leadership
The core DNP curriculum, including courses like "Statistics for Improving Health Related Outcomes," "Methods of Clinical Nursing Assessment," and "Knowledge for Advanced Nursing Practice," is clustered into the first year of the three-year (nine semesters) program, but you won't begin tackling your DNP project until the end of Year 2.
Twenty-five new cohorts enter this DNP program in Louisiana every spring semester. You must submit separate applications through NursingCAS and Northwestern State University’s Graduate School website.
MSN-to-DNP Program Details: Each spring, NSU admits a total of 20 students into its MSN-to-DNP/Educational Leadership and MSN-to-DNP/Executive Leadership tracks. The program takes six semesters (24 months) to complete, and DNP offerings follow the university's BSN-to-DNP core curriculum. You'll complete practicums related to your DNP project, and these clinical hours will be added to your MSN clinical hours to meet the 1,000-hour DNP requirement. Except for these practicums, the program is entirely online.
Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students
• Northwestern State University of Louisiana's BSN-to-DNP/Nurse Anesthesia track is the only program of its kind in the University of Louisiana system.• Nurse Anesthesia grads from NSU have an 84 percent first-time pass rate on their NCE exams.
5. Southeastern Louisiana University - Hammond
Programs Offered: BSN-to-DNP and MSN-to-DNP
BSN-to-DNP Specialties Offered: Family Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, and Nurse Executive Leadership
Core DNP courses include "Applied Statistics for Health Sciences," "Applied Statistics for Health Sciences," and "Clinical Scholarship and Analytic Methods for Evidence Based Practice," plus a three-semester clinical residency during which you'll complete your DNP project. Between DNP residencies and supervised patient care, you'll complete more than 1,000 clinical hours. You'll choose your own preceptors and practicum sites, but clinical hours must be scheduled at hospitals and medical centers throughout Louisiana. SLU maintains affiliations with prestigious healthcare facilities, including Ochsner Medical Center, Our Lady of the Angels Hospital, and Tulane-Lakeside Hospital.
Apart from clinical rotations and two visits to the university's campus in Hammond for orientation and DNP project defense, this program is online, making it one of the best DNP programs in Louisiana for working nurses. Applicants must have a BSN from an accredited nursing program with a grade point average of 2.7 or higher.
MSN-to-DNP Program Details: Southeastern Louisiana University's MSN-to-DNP program is designed for MSN-educated APRNs and nurse executives seeking to reach the final rung on the nursing professional ladder. The 39-credit program, taught online using the Course Alignment Process, can be completed in four semesters (16 months) and mirrors the BSN-to-DNP core curriculum. The program includes 420 practicum hours, which you can supplement with MSN clinical hours to make up your 1,000-hour DNP requirement. New cohorts begin this program in the spring semester.
Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students
• Southeastern Louisiana University's DNP programs have one of the most affordable tuition rates in the Bayou State.• SLU partners with the University of Louisiana at Lafayette on its DNP program. The two universities accept each other's DNP courses.
6. Southern University and A&M College - Baton Rouge
Programs Offered: MSN-to-DNP
Core DNP courses include "Population Health & Research Methodologies" and "Measurement & Informatics in Nursing Research & Practice." In addition to completing a capstone DNP project, you will take a final DNP comprehensive examination. This DNP program in Louisiana is only open to RNs who hold APRN certification in Louisiana and have a grade point average of 3.2 or higher on courses counted toward their MSN degree.
Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students
• Southern University and A&M College's MSN-to-DNP focuses on vulnerable populations, in keeping with the School of Nursing's overall mission to "provide healthcare to the underserved and overlooked".• You must have at least three years of professional APRN experience to be accepted into this program, so your classmates will be seasoned professionals.
7. McNeese State University - Lake Charles
Programs Offered: MSN-to-DNP
MSN-to-DNP Specialties Offered: Advanced Practice Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing
New students enter McNeese State University's MSN-to-DNP program in the fall and graduate in seven semesters (28 months). Applicants must have an MSN/APRN degree from an accredited nursing program with a GPA of 3.0 or higher and an RN license in either Louisiana or Texas.
Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students
• Graduates of this DNP program in Louisiana have a 100 percent first-time pass rate on their national nurse practitioner certification exams.• This MSN-to-DNP program is specifically designed to address the shortage of mental health services available to Louisiana residents living in underserved rural communities. It is the first program of its kind in the Bayou State.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ANSWERED
1. Who Accredits DNP Programs In Louisiana?
| 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 DNP Programs In Louisiana?
| 7 |
3. What Is The Average DNP Salary In Louisiana?
| Hourly | $61.46 |
| Weekly | $2,458 |
| Monthly | $10,650 |
| Annual | $127,830 |
4. On Average, How Much Do Entry-Level DNP Graduates Make In Louisiana?
| Hourly | $45.21 |
| Weekly | $1,808 |
| Monthly | $7,840 |
| Annual | $94,040 |
5. On Average, How Much Do Experienced DNP Graduates Make In Louisiana?
| Level of Experience | Hourly | Weekly | Monthly | Annual |
| 1-4 Years of Experience | $51.16 | $2,046 | $8,870 | $106,410 |
| 5-9 Years of Experience | $60.39 | $2,416 | $10,470 | $125,610 |
| 10-19 Years of Experience | $67.25 | $2,690 | $11,660 | $139,890 |
| 20 Years or More Experience | $80.37 | $3,215 | $13,930 | $167,170 |
6. What Is The Average DNP Salary In Louisiana By Metro?
| Metro | Hourly | Weekly | Monthly | Annual |
| Alexandria | $55.88 | $2,235 | $9,690 | $116,240 |
| Baton Rouge | $62.32 | $2,493 | $10,800 | $129,620 |
| Hammond | $62.92 | $2,517 | $10,910 | $130,880 |
| Houma-Thibodaux | $68.35 | $2,734 | $11,850 | $142,170 |
| Lafayette | $64.00 | $2,560 | $11,090 | $133,110 |
| Lake Charles | $60.83 | $2,433 | $10,540 | $126,530 |
| Monroe | $59.16 | $2,366 | $10,250 | $123,050 |
| New Orleans-Metairie | $61.75 | $2,470 | $10,700 | $128,450 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $62.48 | $2,499 | $10,830 | $129,950 |
7. Average DNP Salary In Louisiana VS. Average Salaries Of Other Closely Related Occupations In Louisiana
| Job Title | Average Annual Salary | Difference | |
| Number | % | ||
| Podiatrist | $170,450 | -$42,620 | -25.00% |
| Dentist | $164,340 | -$36,510 | -22.22% |
| Optometrist | $131,460 | -$3,630 | -2.76% |
| Nurse With DNP | $127,830 | $0 | 0.00% |
| Pharmacist | $124,770 | +$3,060 | +2.45% |
| Physician Assistant | $123,280 | +$4,550 | +3.69% |
| Veterinarian | $115,450 | +$12,380 | +10.72% |
| Physical Therapist | $97,830 | +$30,000 | +30.67% |
| Occupational Therapist | $93,110 | +$34,720 | +37.29% |
| Radiation Therapist | $88,510 | +$39,320 | +44.42% |
| Chiropractor | $79,800 | +$48,030 | +60.19% |
| Dental Hygienist | $78,980 | +$48,850 | +61.85% |
| Audiologist | $75,210 | +$52,620 | +69.96% |
| Speech-Language Pathologist | $74,390 | +$53,440 | +71.84% |
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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