5 Best DNP Programs in Mississippi – 2026

Written By: Pattie Trumble, MPP, MPH

Want to stand out to employers looking to fill Mississippi healthcare positions? Consider earning a degree from one of the DNP programs in Mississippi. DNP programs offer a variety of concentrations that will enable you to focus on the nursing specialty most interesting to you. Whether your career plans include becoming a first-rate clinician, a nurse executive, or a nurse educator, a DNP diploma will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to be successful. DNPs in the Magnolia State make $126,560 a year, and job openings for DNPs are projected to go up by 43 percent within one decade. This guide to the 5 best DNP programs in Mississippi will tell you more.

WHAT ARE THE BEST DNP PROGRAMS IN MISSISSIPPI (ONLINE & CAMPUS) FOR 2026?

Based on our Ranking Methodology, listed below are the 5 Best Doctor of Nursing Practice programs in Mississippi (Online & Campus) for 2026.

1. University of Southern Mississippi - Hattiesburg

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

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

MSN-to-DNP Specialties Offered: Clinical Nursing

BSN-to-DNP Program Details: The University of Southern Mississippi offers three clinical concentrations in conjunction with its Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)-to-Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree program: a 71-credit Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) option, a 73-credit Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner option, and a 114-credit Nurse Anesthesia option. The Nurse Anesthesia track is taught on the Hattiesburg campus. The two nurse practitioner tracks are primarily online, requiring just one visit to the university's campus for a hands-on skills intensive.

The three tracks share a common DNP core curriculum that includes classes like "Methods for Evaluating Evidence Based Practice," "Quality and Leadership in Healthcare Systems," and "Population Health and Epidemiology." You'll also complete a DNP project that focuses on translating your own nursing research into an actionable initiative that seeks to improve healthcare outcomes at either the clinical or organizational level.

This DNP program in Mississippi can be completed in nine semesters (36 months). The two nurse practitioner programs also offer a part-time enrollment option. The two nurse practitioner programs commence in the fall semester; the Nurse Anesthesia program begins in the spring semester. Nurse practitioner students can complete their 1,000-hour clinical requirement at healthcare facilities in their own community or nearby communities. Nurse Anesthesia students will complete their 2,000-hour clinical requirements at large and mid-size private hospitals, level I and level II trauma centers, outpatient surgery centers, Veterans Administration hospitals, and county-owned facilities throughout the Magnolia State.

BSN-to-DNP Admission Requirements: All applicants must have a valid Mississippi RN license and a BSN from an accredited nursing program with a grade point average of 3.0 or higher. Applicants to the nurse practitioner tracks must have at least one year of hands-on nursing experience. Applicants to the Nurse Anesthesia track must have at least one year of intensive care unit experience (two is preferred), plus basic life support (BLS), advanced cardiac life support (ACLS), pediatric advanced life support (PALS), and Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN) certification.

MSN-to-DNP Program Details: Already have a Master's of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree? The University of Southern Mississippi offers a 35-credit MSN-to-DNP/Clinical Nursing track from which you can graduate in just five semesters (20 months). The curriculum includes the same DNP coursework that forms the foundation of the university's BSN-to-DNP track. You'll be able to supplement the number of clinical hours you spend researching your DNP project with clinical hours from your MSN studies to meet the 1,000-clinical-hours DNP requirement. New cohorts join this program in the fall semester.

MSN-to-DNP Admission Requirements: This program is open only to applicants who hold an MSN degree with a GPA of 3.0 or higher from an accredited nursing program. All applicants must have current RN licensure in Mississippi.

Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• Along with the University of Mississippi Medical Center, Alcorn State University, Delta State University, and the Mississippi University for Women, USM is part of the Mississippi Educational Consortium for the Doctorate of Nursing Practice. Member schools share resources.
• The University of Southern Mississippi's Nurse Anesthesia grads typically score between 97 and 100 percent on their National Certification Exams (NCEs).
• The University of Southern Mississippi also accepts applicants with MSNs into its Nurse Anesthesia track and caps the cohort size of the track each year to 35 students.

2. University of Mississippi Medical Center - Jackson

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

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

BSN-to-DNP Program Details: Why is the University of Mississippi Medical Center's clinical nursing doctorate consistently ranked among the best DNP programs in Mississippi by august sources such as U.S. News & World Report? Because some of the state's top healthcare facilities, such as University Hospital, Wiser, Children's, and Conerly Critical Care, share the university's Jackson campus, and that's where you'll be completing your clinical experiences. At the clinical nursing doctorate level, UMMC offers five nurse practitioner specialties and one non-clinical specialty: a 62-credit (1,050 clinical hours) BSN-to-DNP/Nursing & Health Care Administrator track, a 74-credit (1,230 clinical hours) BSN-to-DNP/Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner track, a 79-credit (1,230 clinical hours) BSN-to-DNP/FNP track, a 75-credit (1,230 clinical hours) BSN-to-DNP/PMHNP track, a 71-credit BSN-to-DNP/Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (PACNP) track, and a 71-credit BSN-to-DNP/Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (PPCNP) track.

Most of your coursework will consist of online courses, but you will attend some intensive face-to-face learning sessions as well at the university's campus in Jackson. New students can begin this program in the fall semester. You'll complete this program in anywhere from eight semesters (32 months) to 14 semesters (56 months), depending on the track you choose and whether you enroll full-time or part-time.

Foundational DNP courses like "Biostatistics," "Research Design and Methods for Advanced Nursing Practice," and "Evaluation Approaches, Models, and Methods" will prepare you to complete an evidence-based implementation or quality improvement DNP project that addresses a real-world health care problem you've encountered during your clinical rotations. You'll complete clinical experiences and practicums at UMMC affiliates in Jackson and adjacent communities.

BSN-to-DNP Admission Requirements: Applicants must have an unrestricted Mississippi RN license and a BSN from an accredited nursing program with a grade point average of 3.0 or higher. If you're applying to the AGACNP track, you must have at least one year of professional experience in a critical care setting.

MSN-to-DNP Program Details: UMMC's MSN-to-DNP program teaches master's-educated RNs to utilize research in their nursing practice. Its 34-credit curriculum mirrors the BSN-to-DNP program's core DNP curriculum. You'll complete at least 600 clinical hours at healthcare facilities throughout Mississippi, working on your DNP project, and transfer the remainder of the hours needed to make up the 1,000-hour DNP clinical requirement from your MSN studies. Courses begin in the fall and take five semesters (20 months) to complete.

MSN-to-DNP Admission Requirements: All applicants must be licensed RNs in Mississippi and have an MSN from an accredited nursing program with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• The University of Mississippi Medical Center's overall certification rate on national exams for nurse practitioner grads is 97 percent.
• Interested in becoming a nurse educator? UMMC offers a 10-credit Nursing Education and Instruction concentration you can add to your specialty track that will prepare you for a future faculty role.
• UMMC will be launching a BSN-to-DNP/Nurse Anesthesia track in the near future.

3. Mississippi University for Women - Columbus

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

BSN-to-DNP Program Details: Despite its name, the Mississippi University of Women accepts men into its clinical nursing doctorate program. Though MSN coursework is integrated into the BSN-to-DNP program, you will only receive a DNP degree when you graduate. Full-time students can complete this curriculum in eight semesters (32 months); part-time students can graduate in 11 semesters (44 months). All new BSN-to-DNP students start coursework in the fall semester.

The MSN components of the program (39 credits) will prepare you to sit for the national Family Nurse Practitioner exam. The DNP components of the program (38 credits) focus on a DNP project and core courses such as "Standards of Care and Evidenced Based Practice," "Informatics and Transformation of Health Care," and "Quality and Safety in Complex Health Systems."

You'll complete a minimum of 1,000 clinical hours at healthcare facilities throughout Mississippi's Golden Triangle region, such as Oktibonbe Regional Medical Center and Baptist Memorial Hospital. Coursework is mainly delivered online, but you will be required to attend residencies at the university's campus in Columbus for structured activities such as orientations, skills labs, and DNP project oral defenses.

BSN-to-DNP Admission Requirements: This program is only open to applicants with BSNs and MSNs from an accredited nursing program who've maintained a grade point average of 3.0 or higher. You must have a Mississippi RN license and at least two years of professional nursing experience to be accepted.

MSN-to-DNP Program Details: The Mississippi University for Women offers a 38-credit MSN-to-DNP program that focuses on foundational DNP coursework and mirrors the final five semesters of the university's BSN-to-DNP program. While the program is largely online, campus visits are required for activities like orientation and DNP project presentation. You can graduate in as few as five semesters (20 months) if you enroll full-time or eight semesters (32 months) if you enroll part-time. Entry into this program is in the fall semester.

MSN-to-DNP Admission Requirements: Only students with a Mississippi RN license and an MSN with a GPA of 3.0 from an accredited nursing program can be accepted into this BSN-to-DNP pathway.

Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• The Mississippi University for Women's DNP program focuses on the management of chronic illnesses.
• This DNP program in Mississippi offers the lowest DNP degree tuition rates you'll find in the South.

4. Delta State University - Cleveland

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

BSN-to-DNP Specialties Offered: Family Nurse Practitioner

BSN-to-DNP Program Details: Delta State University offers two BSN-to-DNP options: a 65-credit BSN-to-DNP/FNP track and a streamlined 31-credit BSN-to-DNP course with no specialty. The centerpiece of both tracks is a two-semester DNP project, which courses like "Evidence Based Nursing Practice: Theory, Design and Methods," "Advanced Statistics for Clinical Practice," and "Epidemiology and Population Health" will help you prepare for. If you enroll in the BSN-to-DNP pathway full-time, you'll graduate in just six semesters (24 months). If you choose to pursue this curriculum part-time, you'll complete it in nine semesters (36 months). Students who elect the streamlined BSN-to-DNP curriculum can graduate in just three semesters (12 months).

BSN-to-DNP/FNP students will complete 1,200 clinical hours at hospitals, clinics, and community agencies throughout western Mississippi and eastern Arkansas, while BSN-to-DNP students who aren't specializing in a clinical concentration will complete a minimum of 1,000 hours. This BSN-to-DNP program is primarily online using synchronous and asynchronous technologies, but you can expect to make one to three visits to the university's Cleveland campus each semester for hands-on experiences. Both tracks accept new cohorts in the fall semester.

BSN-to-DNP Admission Requirements: You must apply separately to Delta State University and the Robert E. Smith School of Nursing. Applicants must hold RN licensure in the state where they will be completing clinical experiences (Mississippi or Arkansas). You must have a BSN with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. All applicants must have at least one year of professional RN experience.

MSN-to-DNP Program Details: Delta State University's MSN-to-DNP program is identical to the university's streamlined BSN-to-DNP program. You must complete 420 practicum hours. Like other MSN-to-DNP programs in Mississippi, Delta State University's track will allow you to transfer clinical hours from your MSN to meet your 1,000-hour DNP requirement. Coursework begins in the fall semester, and you can graduate in just three semesters (12 months).

MSN-to-DNP Admission Requirements: This program is only open to certified family nurse practitioners. You must have an MSN with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher and an RN license in the state where you'll be pursuing practicum experiences (Mississippi or Arkansas).

Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• Delta State University also offers a 95-credit RN-to-DNP program for RNs with an associate nursing degree or a hospital diploma.
• Delta State University's mission is to "transform" healthcare in the Mississippi Delta region—a rural, medically underserved area that's characterized by a worsening shortage of primary healthcare providers (such as family nurse practitioners).

5. Alcorn State University - Lorman

Programs Offered: MSN-to-DNP

MSN-to-DNP Program Details: Alcorn State University's 36-credit MSN-to-DNP program could well be your passport to higher salaries and better employment opportunities if you're an RN who holds a nursing master's degree. By taking two or three courses per term, you can graduate in just five semesters (20 months). Part-time enrollment is also an option. Courses like "Healthcare Quality Improvement," "Population Health," and "Clinical Epidemiology" will impart the knowledge and research skills you need to tackle a four-semester DNP project.

Apart from clinical practicums and a visit to the university's campus in Lorman to defend your DNP project orally, this program is 100 percent online, and you can schedule practicums at healthcare facilities close to where you live. You'll also be able to transfer MSN clinical hours toward the completion of your 1,000-clinical-hours DNP requirement. New students are accepted into this program in the fall semester.

MSN-to-DNP Admission Requirements: Your MSN must be from an accredited nursing program where you maintained a grade point average of B or higher for acceptance into this program. You must hold an RN license in the state where you'll participate in practicum experiences.

Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• Alcorn State University is the only historically black university in Mississippi with a comprehensive nursing program. However, you don't need to be Black to attend Alcorn: The school welcomes students from all racial and ethnic backgrounds.
• Alcorn State University's class "Business Management in Clinical Practice" is one of the few courses in any DNP curriculum that focuses specifically on preparing DNPs to manage the financial and operational aspects of private practices or hospital departments.


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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ANSWERED

1. Who Accredits DNP Programs In Mississippi?

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

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3. What Is The Average DNP Salary In Mississippi?

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

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

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

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

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