14 Best MSN Programs in Missouri – 2025


Written By: Pattie Trumble, MPP, MPH

Has your Missouri nursing career ceased to be a challenge? MSN programs in Missouri can help remind you what attracted you to the nursing profession in the first place while providing you with enhanced earning potential and more employment opportunities. When you pursue a nursing master’s degree in the Show Me State, you’ll train in specialties like nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, healthcare leadership, nursing education, and more. Healthcare employers will automatically give your resume more attention, and your job opportunities will rise by 42 percent in the next 10 years. Your salary will rise, too: On average, Missouri-based MSNs earn $113,710 a year. This guide to the 14 best MSN programs in Missouri has more information.


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

Based on our Ranking Methodology, listed below are the 14 Best Master of Science in Nursing Programs in Missouri (Online & Campus) for 2025.


1. Saint Louis University – St. Louis


Programs Offered: MSN

MSN Specialties Offered: Adult/Gerontological Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, and Clinical Nurse Leader

MSN Program Details: Saint Louis University’s MSN program in Missouri offers five nursing specialties: a 31-credit AGACNP track, a 34-credit FNP track, a 36-credit FPMNP track, a 31-credit PPCNP track, and a 32-credit Clinical Nurse Leader pathway. All five concentrations share a foundational MSN curriculum that includes courses like “Advanced Assessment and Clinical Decision Making,” “Advanced Pathophysiology,” and “General Research Methods.” Though coursework is primarily delivered online, you’ll make one three- to five-day visit to the university’s campus in St. Louis for skills practice and evaluation.

Students enrolled in the four nurse practitioner tracks must complete 600 clinical hours, while students enrolled in the Clinical Nurse Leader pathway must complete 525. You’ll be able to complete your clinical rotation at a healthcare facility in your own community.

All five of Saint Louis University’s MSN concentrations offer full-time and part-time enrollment options. The university admits students on a rolling basis and admits new MSN cohorts in the fall and spring.


Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• Saint Louis University also offers an accelerated MSN program for people who aren’t RNs but have a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field.
• By taking three additional classes, you can earn a Nurse Educator certificate. Saint Louis University also offers a pathway for earning a National League for Nursing Nurse Educator certificate.
• Though Saint Louis University is a Jesuit institution of higher learning, the university welcomes students from all faith backgrounds, and its MSN curriculum does not reflect Catholic doctrine.


2. Webster University - St. Louis


Programs Offered: MSN

MSN Specialties Offered: Nurse Educator and Nurse Leader

MSN Program Details: Webster University’s Nurse Educator track and Nurse Leader track both require 36 credits with core MSN classes like “Policy and Politics in Nursing,” “Collaboration and Communication,” and “Translating Evidence to Practice.” This may be one of the best online MSN programs in Missouri for working students because it’s explicitly designed for part-time enrollment.

Webster University’s nursing master’s program is only available to RNs licensed in Missouri, Kansas, North Carolina, and South Carolina. There are five eight-week terms per year, and most students graduate in two and a half years. The university admits new students into this MSN program in the fall and spring.


Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• Students enrolled in the Nurse Leader track are eligible to earn a joint MSN/Master’s of Health Administration (MHA) degree.
• Webster University’s two MSN pathways use the Live Virtual format, where students complete instructional modules online using asynchronous technology but convene once a week for a two-hour synchronized meeting with their instructor and fellow students via Zoom.


3. Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish College - St. Louis


Programs Offered: MSN

MSN Specialties Offered: Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Health Systems Executive Nurse Leadership, and Nurse Educator

MSN Program Details: Whether you want to pursue advanced RN practice, or you’re leaving clinical nursing to become a nurse leader, the Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish College has an MSN track for you. The Goldfarb School offers three nurse practitioner options: a 54-credit (1,020 clinical hours) AGACNP pathway, a 49-credit (840 clinical hours) AGPCNP pathway, and a 52-credit (840 clinical hours) FNP pathway. The school also offers two non-clinical MSN choices: a 39-credit (540 clinical hours) Health Systems Executive Nurse Leadership track and a 30-credit (240 clinical hours) Nurse Educator track.

This MSN program in Missouri is a blend of distance and in-person learning. All five MSN concentrations share a core curriculum that includes classes like “Health Promotion Theory & Population Health,” “Foundations of Scholarly Writing and Evidence-Based Practice,” and “Health Systems Policy.” Course materials are available online, but students enrolled in the AGACNP and FNP programs must make one to two trips each term to Goldfarb’s campus in St. Louis for skills labs and clinical experiences. Students enrolled in the NP tracks will have the opportunity to participate in clinical rotations at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, consistently ranked as the # 1 hospital in St Louis. Students enrolled in the non-clinical tracks may complete practicum requirements in their own communities.

How long will it take you to complete the program? That depends upon the concentration you choose. The non-clinical concentrations can be completed in four terms (a year and a half), and the NP options in seven to eight terms (two and a half to three years).


Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• Interested in pursuing a career in critical care? The Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish College is one of the few MSN programs in Missouri that offers a dedicated course in invasive procedures like central line insertion, arterial line insertion, airway management, and lumbar puncture.
• Graduates of the school’s AGACNP program have a 99 percent first-time pass rate on their national certification exam.


4. Southeast Missouri State University - Cape Girardeau


Programs Offered: MSN

MSN Specialties Offered: Family Nurse Practitioner

MSN Program Details: Southeast Missouri State University’s 43-credit MSN/FNP track is a hybrid program primarily delivered online. It includes some face-to-face courses at the university’s campus in Cape Girardeau as well as 765 hours of face-to-face clinical experiences. You’ll complete your clinical rotations in Missouri, so applicants must have RN licensure in the Show Me State. This MSN program takes five semesters to complete and begins in the fall semester.

Courses like “Advanced Health Assessment,” “Evidence-Based Practice: Synthesis and Translation,” and “Policy, Politics, and Advocacy in Advanced Nursing Roles,” will give you a solid theoretical foundation for your future professional practice. Your studies will culminate with a capstone project, either a thesis or an MSN portfolio. All students must take a comprehensive examination modeled after the FNP certification exam to qualify for graduation.


Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• Graduates of Southeast Missouri State University’s MSN/FNP program have a 100 percent first-time pass rate on the American Nurse Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Family Nurse Practitioner Certification Examination.
• 70 percent of the nursing instructors at Southeast Missouri State University have doctoral degrees.


5. University of Missouri - Columbia


Programs Offered: MSN

MSN Specialties Offered: Adult Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist, Family Nurse Practitioner, Leadership in Nursing & Healthcare Systems, Nurse Educator, Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner – Primary Care, and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

MSN Program Details: For the past dozen years, U.S. News & World Report has consistently ranked the University of Missouri-Columbia’s nursing master’s program in the nation’s top 50 MSN programs, making it one of the best MSN programs in Missouri. The program offers five APRN concentrations and two non-clinical concentrations. The Adult Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist pathway requires 46 credits and 660 to 780 clinical hours, while the Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist pathway requires 45 credits and 570 to 660 clinical hours.

If you want to become an FNP, you’ll need to complete 45 credits and between 510 and 660 clinical hours. The PPCNP specialty entails 45 credits and between 510 and 600 clinical hours, while the PMHNP track comprises 43 credits and 630 clinical hours. The Leadership in Nursing & Healthcare Systems option involves 30 credits; the Nurse Educator option is 40.

Core MSN classes common to all seven concentrations include “Advanced Nursing Roles and Professional Communication,” “Translational Evidence-Based Nursing Practice,” and “Public Health, Sociocultural Issues, and Health Policy.” Though courses are taught online, you will visit the university’s campus in Columbia once a year for skills intensives and participate in clinical rotations. You’ll need to recruit your own preceptor and clinical site at a healthcare facility near your home.

The University of Missouri-Columbia accepts new cohorts into its MSN program in the spring, summer, and fall. Full-time students can finish the program in two years, and part-time students can finish in three.


Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• At the end of Mizzou’s MSN program, you’ll demonstrate your mastery of the subject matter by passing a comprehensive examination modeled after the one you’ll take to earn certification in your chosen concentration.
• The Leadership in Nursing and Healthcare Systems concentration has no on-campus visit requirement.


6. Maryville University - St. Louis


Programs Offered: MSN

MSN Specialties Offered: Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

MSN Program Details: Want to pursue an MSN degree completely online as a full-time student and graduate in 20 months? Check out Maryville University’s MSN program in Missouri. You’ll be able to choose among five concentrations: a 51-credit AGACNP track, a 47-credit AGPCNP track, a 47-credit FNP track, a 44-credit PNP track, and a 51-credit PMHNP track. Each of these five specialties involves 500 clinical hours, which you can do at a local healthcare facility.

Core courses like “Professional Role Development: Advanced Practice Nurse,” “Health Promotion/Disease Prevention,” and “Health Care Policy” will give you a firm foundation in advanced nursing practices before you start your APRN specialization coursework. Maryville University offers six convenient start dates in January, March, May, July, August, and October. Full-time students should be able to complete this program in five terms (20 months), while part-time students should be able to complete it in eight (32 months.)


Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• Maryville University depends upon the Canvas Learning Management System to deliver asynchronous online content. Canvas utilizes recorded lectures, VoiceThread presentations, discussion boards, assessments, and individual and group projects.
• Maryville University doesn’t maintain a waiting list for its MSN program. Once you’re accepted into it, you can begin classes at the next start date.


7. University of Central Missouri - Warrensburg


Programs Offered: MSN

MSN Specialties Offered: Family Nurse Practitioner and Nurse Educator

MSN Program Details: At the University of Central Missouri, you can pursue two nursing master’s pathways. The 44-credit (855 clinical hours) Family Nurse Practitioner pathway is offered primarily online. However, you will need to pay two visits to UCM’s campus in Lee’s Summit for skills intensives and participate in person at practicums in healthcare facilities near your home. For the online 33-credit Nurse Educator track, you’ll need to complete a teaching project that focuses upon teaching and learning in academic and professional development settings.

Core MSN classes common to both specialties include “Theories of Nursing,” “Organizational Leadership in Complex Health Systems,” and “Family/Population Health.” This MSN program in Missouri is only offered as a part-time enrollment option, and most students can graduate from it in nine semesters (three years.) The University of Central Missouri welcomes new cohorts into this program in the spring, summer, and fall.


Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

Fortune Magazine calls the University of Central Missouri’s FNP/nursing master’s program the nation’s most affordable online MSN Nurse Practitioner program.
• UCM’s nurse practitioner graduates have a 100 percent pass rate on the FNP certification exams given by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) and the ANCC.
• Interested in making yourself more marketable by learning about the latest technology in nursing education? UCM offers a certificate in Simulation Education in Health Science.


8. Missouri State University - Springfield


Programs Offered: MSN

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

MSN Program Details: Missouri State University has four MSN specialties: a 55-credit AGACNP pathway, a 53-credit FNP pathway, a 53-credit PMHNP pathway, and a 36-credit Practice Leadership track. The three NP pathways each require 672 clinical hours. The Practice Leadership track involves 432 clinical hours plus a capstone project during which you’ll apply what you’ve learned in classes to a challenge you’ve encountered in the clinical realm. All four MSN specialties are available via distance learning, and the FNP and PMHNP are also available as classroom options.

Certain core classes like “Population Health: A Local to Global Perspective” and “Clinical Epidemiology” are requirements for all four concentrations. Campus-based students can complete clinical rotations at healthcare facilities in Springfield, like the MSU Care Clinic in the O'Reilly Clinical Health Sciences Center and CoxHealth; distance learning students can pursue practicums at hospitals and clinics in their own geographic area. New students can start MSU’s MSN program in the spring and fall.


Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• 100 percent of the family nurse practitioners who graduate from MSU’s MSN program find employment in their chosen field within 12 months of earning their degree.
• Missouri State University also offers an accelerated MSN with a concentration in Practice Management for students currently enrolled in MSU’s BSN program.


9. Graceland University - Independence


Programs Offered: MSN

MSN Specialties Offered: Family Nurse Practitioner, Adult & Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

MSN Program Details: At Graceland University, online MSN classes are recorded and archived so you can access the educational materials you need any time of the night or day. This MSN program in Missouri offers three APRN concentrations: a 38-credit FNP track, a 41-credit AGACNP track, and a 41-credit PMHNP track. The Adult & Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner tracks both entail 540 clinical hours, while the Family Nurse Practitioner track involves 600 clinical hours.

Apart from clinical rotations and a single two-day visit to the university’s campus in Independence to participate in skills intensives, this MSN program is taught online using asynchronous technology. Full-time students can expect to complete their MSN degree in 32 months, while part-time students can anticipate finishing in 48 months. Graceland University accepts new cohorts into its MSN program in the spring, summer, and fall.


Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• Graceland University’s RN-to-MSN program—which gives ADN- and hospital diploma-educated RNs the opportunity to earn both a nursing bachelor’s and a nursing master’s degree—accepts new students every eight weeks.
Minority Nurse Magazine has designated Graceland University a Nursing Diversity Champion.
• Graceland University partners with NPHub, a technology company that specializes in matching graduate students with experienced preceptors.
• While Graceland University welcomes persons of all faiths, the school is affiliated with the Community of Christ, and its educational instruction reflects Christian values and doctrines.


10. Central Methodist University - Fayette


Programs Offered: MSN

MSN Specialties Offered: Clinical Nurse Leader and Nurse Educator

MSN Program Details: Enrolling in Central Methodist University’s MSN program gives you two specialization options. Both the Clinical Nurse Leader and the Nurse Educator tracks require 44 credits, 16 of which are core MSN courses like “Clinical Management of Selected Patient Populations,” “Advanced Health Assessment,” and “Advanced Pharmacology.” Both MSN pathways are 100 percent online except for 240 clinical hours during your last semester, which you can complete at a healthcare facility in your own community.

This is one of the MSN programs in Missouri that admits new students in the fall (August) and spring (January) semesters. Full-time students can complete the curriculum and graduate in 18 months, while part-time students have up to five years to earn their MSN from CMU.


Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• CMU will not admit a new MSN cohort unless it has accepted at least 10 to 12 qualified applicants.
• While Central Methodist University is affiliated with the United Methodist Church, the university welcomes students of all different religious backgrounds, and faith does not play a significant role in educational instruction.


11. University of Missouri - Kansas City


Programs Offered: MSN

MSN Specialties Offered: Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Women's Health Nurse Practitioner, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric/Acute Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, and Nurse Educator

MSN Program Details: With full-time and part-time enrollment options and eight nursing specializations, the University of Missouri-Kansas City is one of the most flexible MSN programs in Missouri. The AGNP, FNP, WHNP, PCPNP, and PMHNP tracks each comprise 46 credits. You must complete 45 credits to graduate from the NNP pathway and 52 credits to earn the PACNP degree. If you’re interested in pursuing the Nurse Educator pathway, you’ll need to complete 41 credits.

The APRN tracks each require 660 clinical hours and 90 lab hours, except for the Neonatal Nurse Practitioner pathway, which requires 743 clinical hours. If you choose the nurse educator specialization, you’ll participate in 495 hours of real-time teaching experience.

All eight of UMKC’s MSN concentrations use a hybrid delivery method. Though the majority of your coursework will be accessible online, all students must visit the campus at least once during the semesters when clinical courses are scheduled, though you’ll be able to complete practicums in the state where you’re licensed. Online courses are conducted using the Canvas learning platform; though you’ll be able to access most of your classwork asynchronously, some classes will require real-time interaction via Zoom.

The Nurse Practitioner pathways accept new students in the spring and summer. The Nurse Educator track admits fresh cohorts in the spring and fall. If you’re a full-time student, you can graduate in two years by taking three courses each semester. Part-time students typically graduate in three years.


Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

U.S. News & World Report ranks UMKC’s online nursing programs among the 20 best in the nation.
• The University of Missouri’s FNP pathway meets the requirements for APRN certification in every state, so once you graduate and pass your certification exam, you can practice anywhere in the nation.


12. Southwest Baptist University – Springfield


Programs Offered: MSN
MSN Specialties Offered: Nursing Education

MSN Program Details: Southwest Baptist University offers a nursing master’s degree with a 39-credit Nursing Education concentration. The program also includes 360 clinical hours, during which you’ll work with students in an academic or clinical nursing setting in your own community under the supervision of a professional nurse educator.

Your classes will include “Concepts of Advanced Practice Roles,” “Teaching and Learning Principles in Nursing Education,” and “Advanced Ethics and Policy Issues.” Courses are taught over eight-week intervals, allowing Southwest Baptist University to offer multiple start dates throughout the year. If you enroll in this program full-time, you can complete your degree in two years. Part-time students can anticipate graduating in three years.


Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• Southwest Baptist University is a Christ-centered institution of higher learning associated with the Missouri Baptist Convention. This university educates from a Christian perspective.
• In your final course, you’ll complete a capstone project, where you’ll apply your newly learned skills to an intervention, such as developing a new curriculum or evaluating learning outcomes.


13. Cox College - Springfield


Programs Offered: MSN

MSN Specialties Offered: Family Nurse Practitioner and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

MSN Program Details: Want to become a nurse practitioner quickly? Whether you enroll in Cox College’s 45-credit FNP track or 46-credit PMHNP pathway, you’ll be able to complete your course of study in just five semesters as a full-time student. If you choose to enroll part-time, you can earn your degree in seven semesters.

Both APRN pathways deliver the same MSN core classes such as “Role of the advanced practice nurse I & II,” “Leadership in health care and nursing education systems,” and “Ethical and legal practice in health care.” You’ll also complete 780 clinical hours at a hospital, clinic, or community agency close to where you live. This MSN program in Missouri admits new cohorts in the spring and fall.


Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• Cox College is affiliated with the CoxHealth healthcare system, which operates six hospitals in the Springfield area; you can depend upon getting a first-rate nursing education here.
• 96% of Cox College MSN graduates find employment in their chosen field within one year of earning their degree.


14. Missouri Western State University – St. Joseph


Programs Offered: RN-to-MSN and MSN

MSN Specialties Offered: Health Care Leadership and Nurse Educator

RN-to-MSN Program Details: It will only take you two years to earn a Bachelor of Nursing Science degree and a Master’s of Science in Nursing degree with Missouri Western State University’s RN-to-MSN program. This 50-credit accelerated program doesn’t offer specific concentrations per se. Instead, it focuses upon providing a solid foundation in advanced nursing practice with courses like “Research for Evidence-Based Nursing Leadership,” “Professional Role Development for Nursing Leaders,” and “Informatics for Decision Support.” Courses are entirely online in an eight-week format. You can enroll in this program three times a year in August, January, or May.


MSN Program Details: Missouri Western State University’s nursing master’s program offers two non-clinical concentrations: Health Care Leadership and Nurse Educator. Both specialties entail 32 credits that include core MSN courses like “Professional Role Development for Nursing Leaders,” “Research for Evidence-Based Nursing Leadership,” and “Foundations for Nursing Leadership.” Both concentrations include a clinical component. This MSN program in Missouri accepts new students in the fall and spring, and depending upon the course load you carry, it will take either one or two years to complete.


Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• Missouri Western State University offers a joint MSN in Health Care Leadership/Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree.
• Missouri Western State University partners with Mosaic Health on the Nursing Scholars of Promise initiative, which provides tuition assistance for the university’s nursing students.


VIEW OUR RANKING METHODOLOGY



FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ANSWERED


1. Who Accredits MSN Programs In Missouri?




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


19


3. What Is The Average MSN Salary In Missouri?


Hourly$54.67
Weekly$2,187
Monthly$9,480
Annual$113,710


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


Hourly$40.22
Weekly$1,609
Monthly$6,970
Annual$83,660


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


Level of ExperienceHourlyWeeklyMonthlyAnnual
1-4 Years of Experience$45.51$1,820$7,890$94,660
5-9 Years of Experience$53.72$2,149$9,310$111,740
10-19 Years of Experience$59.83$2,393$10,370$124,440
20 Years or More Experience$71.49$2,860$12,390$148,700


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


MetroHourlyWeeklyMonthlyAnnual
Cape Girardeau$55.02$2,201$9,540$114,440
Columbia$52.30$2,092$9,070$108,790
Jefferson City$53.03$2,121$9,190$110,310
Joplin$55.02$2,201$9,540$114,440
Kansas City$57.08$2,283$9,890$118,730
St. Joseph$57.09$2,283$9,900$118,740
St. Louis$55.35$2,214$9,590$115,130
Springfield$51.57$2,063$8,940$107,260


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


Job TitleAverage
Annual Salary
Difference
Number%
Podiatrist$200,420-$86,710-43.26%
Pharmacist$132,570-$18,860-14.23%
Physician Assistant$128,280-$14,570-11.36%
Nurse With MSN$113,710$00.00%
Optometrist$109,890$3,8203.48%
Veterinarian$104,380$9,3308.94%
Audiologist$96,510$17,20017.82%
Physical Therapist$91,030$22,68024.91%
Occupational Therapist$87,970$25,74029.26%
Radiation Therapist$85,630$28,08032.79%
Speech-Language Pathologist$80,730$32,98040.85%
Dental Hygienist$79,740$33,97042.60%
Chiropractor$72,730$40,98056.35%


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.



Best MSN Programs in Other States



Popular Related Articles