Best MSN Programs in Alaska – 2025


Written By: Darby Faubion RN, BSN, MBA

Are you an RN in the Last Frontier State eager to take the next step on your nursing journey? The demand for MSN-educated nurses across Alaska is high and will increase by 10 percent in the coming decade. MSN programs in Alaska can prepare you to become a nurse practitioner, a nurse educator, a nurse administrator, a health policy analyst, or a researcher in nursing science. Many of these programs are taught online, so you won’t have to relinquish your job or sacrifice your family commitments. MSN-educated nurses are compensated handsomely in the Last Frontier State, where they earn $122,960 annually on average. Start moving forward by looking through the list below of the best MSN programs in Alaska.


WHAT ARE THE BEST MSN PROGRAMS IN ALASKA (ONLINE & CAMPUS) FOR 2025?

Based on our Ranking Methodology, listed below are the Best Master of Science in Nursing Programs in Alaska (Online & Campus) for 2025.


1. University of Alaska Anchorage - Anchorage


Programs Offered: MSN

MSN Specialties Offered: Family Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, and Nursing Leadership in Education

MSN Program Details: If you are a registered nurse who wants to earn a master’s degree in nursing in Alaska, the University of Alaska Anchorage is the school for you! The program, which is the only accredited MSN program in Alaska, offers students the opportunity to specialize in one of three MSN specialties: Family Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, or Nursing Leadership in Education.

The MSN program is designed to be completed on a part-time basis in six semesters. However, if you are interested in full-time study, you may discuss that option with a program advisor. The FNP and PMHNP programs admit students once each year. The Nursing Leadership in Education has rolling admissions and admits students each semester.

The Family Nurse Practitioner and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner pathways feature a hybrid learning format with core courses and some specialty courses completely online with synchronous and asynchronous delivery. Clinical courses and physical assessment courses are delivered in a hybrid format with face-to-face intensives required each semester. The Nursing Leadership in Education concentration is an online option with synchronous and asynchronous class offerings.

Both nurse practitioner pathways feature 50-credit curriculum plans. The curriculum includes core courses, such as Advanced Practice Informatics, Advanced Nursing Leadership, and Statistics for Advanced Practice. Each NP specialty has four concentration-specific clinical courses with corresponding clinical practicums. Clinicals are arranged, when possible, in or near your home community and are based on the availability of agencies and qualified preceptors.

The Nursing Leadership in Education pathway is a 36-credit program. In this program, you will study Evidence-Based Practice for Nursing Leaders, Technology & Informatics for Nurse Educators, Curriculum Design & Program Assessment, and Clinical Teaching, Simulation, & Evaluation. The program also includes a teaching practicum, which allows you to engage in teaching experiences, including a two-day on-campus intensive and classroom, clinical, and skills activities. All clinical practicum hours for this concentration must be completed in Alaska in approved facilities with approved preceptors.


MSN Admission Requirements: To be eligible for admission to the MSN program at the University of Alaska Anchorage, you must have a bachelor’s or graduate degree in nursing earned from a program accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education or Accreditation for Education in Nursing. All candidates must have a current RN license in the state of Alaska and a minimum of one year of full-time clinical experience as a registered nurse. You must submit official transcripts from all colleges or universities you have attended and have a minimum graduate or undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. All applicants must have taken an undergraduate or graduate research methods course and a statistics course that covers inferential and descriptive statistics and earned a minimum grade of “C.”


Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• When you pursue your degree at the University of Alaska Anchorage, you will have opportunities to learn in the school’s Interprofessional Health Sciences Simulation Center. The Center features state-of-the-art technology that combines an experiential learning platform that mimics real-life scenarios, designed to prepare you for clinical practice.
• The Recruitment and Retention of Alaska Natives into Nursing (RRANN) works with the University of Alaska Anchorage to recruit and mentor Alaska Native and American Indian students pursuing nursing degrees. RRANN assists nursing majors by offering scholarships, material lending, tutoring services, group meetings, and student success facilitators who offer personal and career advice to help promote student success. What I love about this program is that RRANN encourages students to meet patients where they are by relating to the indigenous ways of knowing, living, and healing of the residents of Alaska. I believe this partnership is just one reason why the program is such an excellent option for MSN programs in Alaska.


VIEW OUR RANKING METHODOLOGY



FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ANSWERED


1. Who Accredits MSN Programs In Alaska?




2. How Many Schools Offer Accredited MSN Programs In Alaska?


1


3. What Is The Average MSN Salary In Alaska?


Hourly$59.12
Weekly$2,365
Monthly$10,250
Annual$122,960


4. On Average, How Much Do Entry-Level MSN Graduates Make In Alaska?


Hourly$43.49
Weekly$1,740
Monthly$7,540
Annual$90,460


5. On Average, How Much Do Experienced MSN Graduates Make In Alaska?


Level of ExperienceHourlyWeeklyMonthlyAnnual
1-4 Years of Experience$49.21$1,968$8,530$102,360
5-9 Years of Experience$58.09$2,324$10,070$120,830
10-19 Years of Experience$64.69$2,588$11,210$134,560
20 Years or More Experience$77.31$3,092$13,400$160,800


6. What Is The Average MSN Salary In Alaska By Metro?


MetroHourlyWeeklyMonthlyAnnual
Anchorage$58.23$2,329$10,090$121,110
Fairbanks$58.82$2,353$10,200$122,340


7. Average MSN Salary In Alaska Vs. Average Salaries Of Other Closely Related Occupations In Alaska


Job TitleAverage
Annual Salary
Difference
Number%
Dentist$201,720-$78,760-39.04%
Pharmacist$151,600-$28,640-18.89%
Physician Assistant$148,480-$25,520-17.19%
Optometrist$148,460-$25,500-17.18%
Chiropractor$134,020-$11,060-8.25%
Nurse With MSN$122,960$00.00%
Radiation Therapist$118,180+$4,780+4.04%
Dental Hygienist$115,980+$6,980+6.02%
Physical Therapist$110,830+$12,130+10.94%
Occupational Therapist$98,960+$24,000+24.25%
Audiologist$98,200+$24,760+25.21%
Speech-Language Pathologist$96,870+$26,090+26.93%


Darby Faubion, RN, BSN, MBA
Darby Faubion is a nurse and allied health instructor with over 20 years of clinical experience. Her work history includes clinical experience in pediatrics, mental health, addiction and behavioral disorders, geriatrics, wound management, and communicable disease. Darby has worked in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and home health and hospice agencies. Darby also has experience as a nursing and allied health educator at both community college and university levels. Her love for nursing and nursing education led to her becoming a test-taking strategist and NCLEX prep coach.



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