15 Best DNP Programs in Texas – 2025
Written By: Editorial Staff @ NursingProcess.org
If you’re interested in affecting the way that nursing practice and healthcare delivery are going to evolve in Texas in the coming years, you may want to consider earning a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. Many DNP programs in Texas are offered online, which means you’ll be able to further your education without cutting back on existing work and family commitments. DNP-prepared RNs make excellent salaries; on average, they earn $133,570 a year. Interested in learning more? Read these reviews of the 15 best DNP programs in Texas for 2025.
WHAT ARE THE BEST DNP PROGRAMS IN TEXAS (ONLINE & CAMPUS)?
Based on our Ranking Methodology, listed below are the 15 Best Doctor of Nursing Practice programs in Texas (Online & Campus).
Programs Offered: DNP
If enrolling in one of the best DNP programs in Texas is on your mind, then University of Texas-Austin’s doctorate mustn't be overlooked. The college has been ranked highly by reputed online publications for the quality and affordability of education it offers. Armed with a faculty of clinicians and exceptional scholars, including Fellows in the American Academy of Nursing, here you will be mentored for clinical excellence post-graduation. This DNP program prepares you for leadership in healthcare as well as for faculty positions in nursing schools.
The DNP is a 45-credit curriculum that is offered in a hybrid format. The coursework educates you on the methods of nursing science, policy, healthcare management, healthcare informatics, epidemiology, and health economics. The practice-oriented program also includes teaching electives that you can complete, should you plan to take up the much-in-demand position of a nursing faculty. With on-campus visits scheduled only once a month, you can easily fit this academic schedule into your busy life. To be considered for this program, you must have completed your master’s in nursing with a minimum GPA of 3.0.
Programs Offered: BSN to DNP and
MSN to DNP
Texas Christian University produces DNP graduates with a global perspective to transform health at a global level. With a faith-based curriculum, here you will be provided with ample clinical training at its state-of-art simulation lab after which you will hone professional skills at the nursing school’s various community partners.
BSN to DNP Tracks: Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP),
Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP),
Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) (Adult-Gerontology or Pediatric), and
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)
Whether you find you find your calling in family health, adult-gerontology care, or psychiatric mental health, with this BSN to DNP program you can achieve the highest level of clinical skills in your chosen area of emphasis. Also, if you are interested in playing the role of a clinical nurse specialist, you can enroll in the CNS track with either a focus on adult-gerontology or pediatrics.
This Texas Doctor of Nursing degree can be obtained after completing your baccalaureate in nursing, seamlessly within three to four years, depending on whether you enroll in a part-time or full-time schedule. To graduate, you must complete credits ranging from 64 to 67 and a minimum of 1000 hours of clinical practice.
MSN to DNP: To qualify for this MSN to DNP program you must have preferably completed your MSN, however, you can apply even with an MBA, MHA, or MPH degree. The curriculum is designed to build upon your previous degree, taking it to the highest level of nursing leadership. To graduate you must complete 30 credits, comprising 20 hours of didactic courses, 4 hours of practicum courses, and the remaining 6 credits in the DNP project. The coursework is offered in an online format, allowing you to pursue your education while juggling other life’s responsibilities.
Programs Offered: BSN-DNP and
DNP
Are you shortlisting top-ranking DNP programs in Texas that are known for their excellent teaching and research? If so, you should check out the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston that has been ranked #1 in TX by the U.S. News & World Report for its high-quality DNP program. The college offers its doctorate through two paths of BSN to DNP and post-master's DNP, offered in conjunction with four concentration options.
BSN-DNP Tracks: Family, Psychiatric/Mental Health, Adult/Gerontology Primary Care and
Nurse Anesthesia
The BSN to DNP track is open to registered nurses prepared with a baccalaureate degree. Depending on the interest you can choose your area of emphasis in either an NP specialty or in anesthesia. Offered in a hybrid format, you can complete this program either on a full-time or part-time basis. The NP tracks start in fall every year and require earning 79 credits in courses mainly centered on advanced practice, leadership, quality improvement, and enhanced patient outcomes. Whereas, if you choose the anesthesia track which starts in summer, you must complete a total of 112 credits by taking full-time face-to-face classes. The school has earned the proud distinction of being the first and only public university in Texas to offer the BSN to DNP path in nurse anesthesia.
Post-Master's DNP: Well-known for being the state’s first DNP program, this practice-focused doctorate admits NPs, CNSs, CRNAs, Nurse Executives, and Nurse Informatics. It starts in fall every year and requires completing 34 to 51 credits which are offered in a blended format.
Programs Offered: BSN to DNP and
Post-Master's DNP
If you have a passion for helping others by improving their health and wellness, you may want to consider enrolling in the DNP programs offered by Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. Doctoral education here focuses on health promotion and prevention of diseases for patients across the lifespan. The program is designed to suit the needs of working students, offering classes both, online and through executive sessions which entail attending the campus only 3 times during the semester.
BSN to DNP Tracks: Family Nurse Practitioner and
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
This program leads to earning a DNP in Texas along with getting certified as either a Family Nurse Practitioner or Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. To be considered for admission, you must have completed your BSN with a minimum GPA of 3.0 and have an unencumbered RN license in Texas. The core courses common to both specialties educate you in the scientific foundation for advanced practice, advanced pathophysiology, healthcare informatics, pharmacotherapeutics, statistics in healthcare, evidence-based inquiry, leadership, health innovations, and the role of a DNP nurse in complex care.
Post-Master's DNP: This post-masters DNP is meant for an MSN graduate who has worked as a nurse practitioner for at least one year. Also, you must have a minimum of one year of experience in healthcare leadership. Graduation requires earning around 45 credits which most students complete within six consecutive semesters. As a graduate of this program, you will be prepared to transform health in urban as well as rural settings.
Programs Offered: Post-BSN to DNP and
Post-MSN to DNP
The only academic health science center in South Texas, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio offers DNP students a diverse and supportive learning environment. Here, you will rub shoulders with a multi-cultured student population and study under the able guidance of an expert faculty, some of whom are endowed chairs and Fellows of the American Academy of Nursing. The school’s state-of-art simulation lab and a vast network of clinical partners provide DNP students with varied clinical experiences, besides securing preceptors for students.
Post-BSN to DNP Tracks: Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Primary Care, and Public Health
To be able to apply to this program you must have completed your BSN with a minimum GPA of 3.0. Depending on your interest you can choose any specialization from the five-track options. Regardless of the track you choose, within the three years of graduation, you will be prepared for health care leadership by demonstrating interprofessional collaboration and critical evaluation.
Post-MSN to DNP Tracks: Leadership tracks in Advanced Practice Leadership (APL), Executive Administrative Management (EAM), and Public Health Nurse Leader (PHL)
Typically designed for MSN graduates, this post MSN to DNP track can be pursued either in Advanced Practice Leadership, Administrative Management, or Public Health Nurse Leadership. You can complete this program with a choice of full-time and part-time enrollment. The core DNP courses focus on public policy advocacy, scientific inquiry, financial & business management, and health informatics.
Programs Offered: DNP
Are you searching for DNP schools in Texas that offer Christian-based Doctoral education committed to caring for the community? A well-known Christian university, Baylor along with offering faith-based education boasts of excellent placement and first-time pass rates on the certification exam. As a Baylor DNP student, you will take online classes delivered by a faculty who strives for your success. Ensuring you stay focused on achieving a positive academic outcome, the college takes care of the mundane stuff, be it arranging clinical sites close to home or simplifying the paperwork required for admission.
DNP Tracks: Family Nurse Practitioner,
Neonatal Nurse Practitioner,
Nurse Midwifery,
Executive Nurse Leadership,
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, and
U.S. Army Anesthesia Nursing
Counted among the top-ranking online DNP programs in Texas, this doctorate can be pursued either after a BSN or an MSN. Offered in conjunction with six specializations, the U.S. Army Anesthesia Nursing track particularly stands out for preparing you to serve the defense forces and VA hospitals.
Depending on at what point you enter and the area of emphasis you choose, you may require spending anywhere close to 2 to 3 years for earning the DNP degree. As such the number of credits for graduation range around 75 to 95 covering graduate core, advanced practice, and specialty-specific courses.
Programs Offered: DNP
Would you like to complete your doctorate from a center of excellence in nursing education and research? Well, if your answer is yes you may want to look no further than the University of Texas at Arlington, an NLN Center of Excellence. The Smart Hospital which the college is equipped with serves as a perfect learning ground for DNP students to experience a variety of simulated learning experiences.
This Texas Doctor of Nursing Practice program is offered in two formats, one is purely online, and the other which is on-campus with 2 to 3 online meetings.
As a prerequisite for admission into this program, you must have completed your master’s degree in nursing with a minimum GPA of 3.0 along with carrying an unencumbered RN or APRN license. Upon enrollment, most students complete the program within two years, taking six credits per semester. The program comprises 36 credits and trains you in leadership in health systems, translational research, epidemiology, health care policy, evidence appraisal, population health, clinical information systems, and healthcare informatics. Upon completion of the program, you will be prepared to lead as a clinical expert, working towards solving issues in the delivery of healthcare.
Programs Offered: DNP (BSN to DNP and MSN to DNP)
Getting yourself enrolled in Abilene Christian University will provide you with a Christ-centered environment where the college’s Christian faculty nurtures students from all faiths and cultural backgrounds. With a robust evidence-based curriculum, the college prepares you for various job positions such as director of nursing, lead clinician, public health coordinator, and academic nurse leader. Here, you can complete your doctoral degree either after a BSN or post an MSN and gain the highest level of knowledge and skills in direct and indirect patient care.
BSN to DNP Tracks: Executive Nursing Leadership
This BSN to DNP program is available to BSN graduates with a minimum GPA of 3.0. This path seamlessly takes you to the doctorate without an exit option after an MSN. The program comes only with the Executive Leadership specialization that prepares you for leadership roles in indirect patient care. To graduate, you must complete a total of 57 credits over 38 months. You will be educated in advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology, health assessment, epidemiology & population health, healthcare finance & clinical practice, human resources development, and leadership.
MSN to DNP Tracks: Executive Nursing Leadership and Advanced Practice Nurse
To be eligible for this MSN to DNP you must have completed your MSN with a minimum GPA of 3.0. This program builds upon your master’s in nursing by adding specialized skills in either executive leadership or advanced practice nursing. Regardless of the track you choose, you must complete 39 credits in 26 months. The common core courses educate you in using information technology to improve patient outcomes, applied statistics & research, epidemiology & population health, and organizational & system leadership. Additionally, you will also complete the track-specific courses that prepare you to play impactful roles within healthcare.
Programs Offered: BSN to DNP and
MSN to DNP
University of Incarnate Word combines the best of both, Christ-based values and exceptional scientific foundations. With community-oriented doctoral education, the school has played a pivotal role in improving health of the San Antonio community. Not only that, the school has also served the underserved and vulnerable populations, having many of its students experience similar health needs in their own lives. Here, clinical experiences range from a variety of civilian to military healthcare settings.
BSN to DNP Tracks: Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)
Based on the values of faith, service, and innovation, this BSN to DNP program comes with specialization options in family health and psychiatric mental health. Depending on the concentration you choose, you require completing 76 to 77 credits and around 1152 hours of clinical practice spanning over 9 semesters.
MSN to DNP: One of the reputed online DNP programs in Texas, this MSN to DNP builds up on your master’s in nursing, providing you with the highest level of skills and knowledge in leadership and clinical expertise. To graduate, you require completing 32 credits through synchronous and asynchronous online classes. In addition to courses in epidemiology, quality & safety, foundations of systems leaders, data management & analysis, and healthcare & economics, you must also complete 528 hours of clinical practice.
Programs Offered: DNP
Prairie View A & M University has contributed to the state’s healthcare through its practice-focused doctoral degree. By producing clinical leaders, the college has helped in reducing health disparities and also addressed Texas’s need for quality nursing faculty. If you are interested in gaining a well-rounded education, you may want to consider the college DNP program that has been recognized by well-known online publications for innovative academics and research.
The DNP program which is offered to MSN graduates prepares you with the highest level of knowledge in direct patient care and system-based roles. Post your MSN the program requires completing 39 credits and a total of 1000 clinical hours. The curriculum mainly entails completing core courses, a DNP project, and a practice residency, in addition to the elective courses. Some of the courses you take include nursing science & complex systems, leadership, health care policy, health informatics, evidence-based practice, analytical approaches to outcomes management, and translating evidence into advanced nursing practice.
Programs Offered: DNP
Texas Woman’s University trains you to improve healthcare through a well-designed curriculum well supplemented by various co-curricular & extra-curricular activities. If you are looking at enhancing your nursing knowledge and skill-set, its evidence-based curriculum builds up on your previous nursing experience, preparing you for leadership in an interdisciplinary healthcare environment. Through its research on women’s health and health systems management, the college has helped in transforming health outcomes across the state and beyond.
To enter this DNP in Texas, you must have completed your masters with a minimum GPA of 3.5 and hold an active RN and APRN license in Texas. As an advanced practice nurse, by completing this program you will be able to work as an expert clinician in any type of acute or primary care settings. The coursework is offered in a hybrid format and requires completing 46 credits, in addition to the 500 clinical hours of practice. You will learn about the philosophy of nursing science, ethical dimensions of nursing, health policy, financial management, health outcomes, epidemiology, health promotion, population health, informatics, and clinical investigation in nursing.
Programs Offered: DNP
Compassion, diversity, lifelong learning, excellence are some of the hallmarks of the doctorate offered by the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. Through its evidence-based curriculum, the college focuses on improving health of the vulnerable populations and reducing disparities. Here, the small-sized classes enhance learning, besides clinical practice experiences are customized to match induvial interests. This Texas DNP program in addition to being affordable offers considerable flexibility in scheduling to suit the needs of working nurses.
To be eligible for this program you must have completed your masters in nursing with a minimum GPA of 3.0. Earning the DNP degree entails completing 16 courses over a period of eight semesters. The 41 credits of the coursework that you must complete comprise of courses, some of which include foundations of DNP practice, nursing leadership & management, healthcare informatics, the business of healthcare, strategies to improve population health, health care policy, and transformational leadership.
Programs Offered: DNP
Counted among the reputed DNP programs in Texas, University of Texas at El Paso offers a conducive research environment, where faculty and DNP students actively engage in research to improve the delivery of healthcare. The school’s high-quality education is enriched by its multi-cultural settings, helping you graduate with skills to offer advanced nursing care to the state’s diverse patient population.
To be eligible for this doctorate, you must have completed your MSN and carry an unencumbered NP license. The program is designed to expand on your nursing practice by advancing your skills in healthcare informatics, evidence-based practice, and leadership. For enrollment, the college prefers NPs who teach or plan to teach or are currently serving the underserved or rural areas. Upon enrollment, you progress through the program as part of a cohort and complete it within 5 semesters of full-time study.
Programs Offered: DNP
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi is proudly a Hispanic Serving Institution, serving nearly 50% of Hispanic students. The university has extensively been engaging in research to solve healthcare issues and has also been recently classified as the Doctoral High Research Activity by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education. This DNP program in Texas is offered in the online format to easily fit into the lives of busy working nurses.
DNP Tracks: Nurse Practitioner (NP) and Executive Leadership
The DNP program aims at deepening your nursing knowledge and is open to either certified NPs or RNs who have completed an MSN with an administrative focus. To graduate you are required to earn 40 credits in courses that prepare you to lead and work towards health promotions and disease prevention. To complement didactic learning, here, you will be provided with clinical experiences in varied settings, including healthcare agencies, veterans’ services, and other healthcare providers. Graduation requires completing 33 credits in core courses, 3 in a specialty-specific course, and 4 credits in a DNP seminar. Also, included are a total of 1000 hours of clinical practice, precisely 500 hours after completing your MSN.
Programs Offered: DNP
As a graduate of the University of Texas at Tyler, you will be equipped with the skills required to become an agent of change in healthcare as well as in nursing education. The program is a popular doctorate in Texas and majorly offered online with occasional on-campus intensives. Its involvement with various health improvement activities such as the Cancer Foundation for Life and March of Dimes, to name a few, have provided DNP students with several learning opportunities through service to the community.
DNP Tracks: Clinical DNP Track and Leadership DNP Track (Administration, Education, & Informatics)
The DNP program is offered in two tracks – Clinical-DNP and Leadership-DNP. To qualify for the program, you must have completed your MSN from an accredited college. The 42-credit curriculum comprises 36 credits in required courses and six credits in electives. Offered on a part-time basis, the program usually takes three years to complete, however, if need be you can stretch it up to seven years. Throughout your coursework, you will mainly learn about the roles of DNP, advanced epidemiology, population health within the context of culture, healthcare informatics, organizational leadership, and healthcare policy development.
VIEW OUR RANKING METHODOLOGY
DNP Programs in Other States
Popular Related Articles