6 Best Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Programs in Louisiana (Online & Campus) – 2025
Written By: Pattie Trumble, MPP, MPH
Are you looking for an APRN track in Louisiana with traction? Psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners earn an average of $130,660 yearly, and their already ample number of job opportunities is projected to increase by 44 percent over the coming 10 years. PMHNP programs in Louisiana will prepare you for a career in mental healthcare services, enabling you to treat and diagnose individuals facing incapacitating psychiatric, behavioral, and emotional issues. Many PMHNP programs in the Bayou State are administered online, which means you can learn at your own pace and balance your preexisting job and personal commitments with your educational goals. Sound exciting? Our guide to the 6 best PMHNP programs in Louisiana contains much more information.
FOLLOWING ARE THE 6 BEST PSYCHIATRIC NURSE PRACTITIONER PROGRAMS IN LOUISIANA (ONLINE & CAMPUS) FOR 2025
(Based on our Ranking Methodology, we have ranked the 6 best campus-based and online PMHNP programs in Louisiana.)
1. Louisiana State University New Orleans - New Orleans
Programs Offered: BSN-to-DNP (Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and Dual PCFNP & PMHNP) and MSN-to-DNP
BSN-to-DNP Program Details: The Louisiana State University campus in New Orleans offers a 91-credit Bachelor's of Science in Nursing (BSN)-to-Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)/Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) program that you can complete in just nine semesters (36 months) as a full-time student. Your first year of studies will be devoted to core DNP courses like " Foundations of Advanced Nursing Practice," "Family, Genetics and Health Promotion," and "Theoretical and Philosophical Foundations of Nursing." These courses are held Monday through Saturday at the university's NOLA campus.
You'll start taking classes specific to your population focus in the second year of the program. That's also when your 1,050 clinical hour requirement will get underway at healthcare facilities like River Oaks Hospital, Tulane Medical Center, and Ochsner Hospital Jefferson. This PMHNP program in Louisiana entails a three-semester scholarly project as well, during which you'll translate research and core nursing principles into actionable solutions to challenges you've encountered during clinical rotations.
To be accepted into this program, applicants must have at least one year of clinical experience and hold a Louisiana RN license. All applications must be submitted through the NursingCAS platform. LSU accepts new cohorts into this track in the spring, summer, and fall. Note that this program does not offer part-time enrollment.
MSN-to-DNP Program Details: Louisiana State University also offers RNs with nursing master's degrees the opportunity to earn a DNP degree. If you're already a nurse practitioner, you can complete the program without pursuing a population-specific concentration, but you can add the PMHNP focus if you want to expand your advanced practice skill set. This program admits full-time and part-time students. Courses are taught at LSU's campus in New Orleans Monday through Saturday.
If you focus on core DNP coursework without pursuing the PMHNP curriculum, you must complete 36 credits. Pursuing the PMHNP specialization will add 15 credits to your study plan for a total of 51 credits. Most DNP programs require a minimum of 1,000 post-baccalaureate clinical hours, but you may be able to apply your MSN clinical hours toward this requirement. At a minimum, though, you must complete 180 clinical hours at LSU while enrolled in this track.
Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students
• Want to expand your nursing career options? Louisiana State University-New Orleans offers a dual Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)/PMHNP track that will prepare you to be certified as both a primary care and mental health provider. Full-time students will have 12 semesters (48 months) to complete 123 credits and 1,710 clinical hours.• LSU's two DNP/PMHNP tracks are the only psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner programs in the Bayou State that are affiliated with a Health Sciences Center.
2. Northwestern State University of Louisiana - Shreveport
Programs Offered: MSN and Post Master’s Certificate
MSN Program Details: Want to qualify for psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner certification in just 24 months? Northwestern State University of Louisiana offers a 44-credit MSN/PMHNP program that full-time students can access online and finish in four semesters. Part-time students can complete this course in eight semesters (48 months.)
Core nursing master's courses include "Theory-Oriented Nursing Practice," "Research in Nursing," and "Social Forces and Nursing Practice." In addition to foundational courses, you'll also take four clinical courses, classes in advanced assessment, pharmacotherapeutics, psychopharmacology, and neurobiology, as well as clinical practicums.
While most coursework and educational materials will be available online, you may be required to visit the university's Shreveport campus for select classes, testing, lab work, and simulation activities. You must participate in 608 practicum hours at healthcare facilities in communities throughout northwest Louisiana. Classes begin in the fall semester. This program is only open to applicants with a BSN and at least one year of professional nursing experience who've scored 2.90 or higher on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) and have current RN licensure in the Bayou State.
Post Master’s Certificate Program Details: Are you an RN with a nursing master's who wants to boost your professional prospects? Completing Northwestern State University of Louisiana's post-graduate PMHNP certificate will teach you the advanced practice skills and knowledge you'll need to assess, diagnose, treat, and manage patients at risk for or experiencing chronic and acute psychiatric and behavioral conditions.
Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students
• Northwestern State University of Louisiana has one of the lowest tuition rates of any PMHNP programs in Louisiana.• NSU's psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner tracks place a strong emphasis on providing mental health services to rural and other medically underserved populations where the shortage of psychiatric support and mental wellness care is most severe.
3. Southeastern Louisiana University - Hammond
Programs Offered: MSN, DNP (BSN-to-DNP & MSN-to-DNP), and Post-Master’s Certificate
MSN Program Details: Southeastern Louisiana University's MSN/PMHNP program was expressly set up to address the tremendous shortage of mental health providers within the Bayou State. If you elect to write a master's thesis, the track consists of 51 credits; if, instead, you opt to submit a scholarly paper as your final project, the track consists of 48 credits. You'll also be responsible for completing 600 clinical hours. All coursework is offered online.
This PMHNP program in Louisiana admits new students in the spring, summer, and fall semesters, and you can enroll full-time (and graduate in six semesters or 24 months) or part-time. Core MSN courses like "Theoretical Foundations of Advanced Nursing" and "Generating Evidence for Nursing Practice" focus on preparing you for your new APRN role, while clinical coursework imparts the skills you'll need to offer mental health services in rural and medically underserved communities that abound throughout Louisiana.
You must complete your clinical rotations within the Bayou State, so you'll need Louisiana RN licensure to apply to this program. Other program acceptance requirements? You'll need to have at least one year of professional RN experience under your belt before you apply and have a 2.70 or higher GPA in the undergraduate studies you completed to earn your BSN.
BSN-to-DNP Program Details: Southeastern Louisiana University's BSN-to-DNP/PMHNP program is designed for RNs who know after a single year of professional experience that they want to earn the nursing profession's highest practice degree. Core courses consist of classes that focus on the APRN role as well as classes that teach research skills and the significance of evidence-based practice, such as "Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning for Advanced Practice," "Generating Evidence for Nursing Practice," and "Clinical Scholarship and Analytic Methods for Evidence Based Practice."
The program consists of 76 credits and 1,140 clinical hours. Courses are primarily offered online, but you will have to visit the university's campus in Hammond twice: once for orientation at the beginning of the program and once toward the end to present and defend your DNP project. You'll be able to schedule your clinical rotations at a healthcare facility within your own community so long as it's within the state of Louisiana. This PMHNP track accepts new cohorts each fall. If you're a full-time student, you'll graduate in nine semesters (36 months.)
MSN-to-DNP Program Details: Already have an MSN? SLU admits advanced practice RNs into its Doctor of Nursing Practice track who want to earn a practice-focused terminal degree. The 59-credit curriculum mirrors the university's BSN-to-DNP/PMHNP curriculum minus the coursework that focuses on the significance of the APRN role. You must complete 1,020 clinical hours to graduate. Courses are delivered in a distance-learning format and comply with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing's Essentials of Doctoral Education requirements.
Post-Master’s Certificate Program Details: Southeastern Louisiana University also offers a four-semester PMHNP certificate, which can be an enormous plus for nurse practitioners seeking to integrate mental health support into the primary medical care they're already offering. The 18-credit curriculum includes five courses whose didactic components are available online. You must also complete 600 practicum hours.
Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students
• Southeastern Louisiana University offers its nursing master's curriculum in conjunction with its Intercollegiate Consortium partners: McNeese State University, Nicholls State University, and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Students from all four universities actively engage during online studies.• Students in SLU's BSN-to-DNP/PMHNP program will earn a nursing master's degree once all core MSN classes are complete.
4. University of Louisiana at Lafayette - Lafayette
Programs Offered: MSN
MSN Program Details: The University of Louisiana at Lafayette offers a six-semester MSN/PMHNP track that requires 600 precepted hours of direct patient care and 48 to 51 credits, depending upon whether you choose to write a master's thesis or complete a scholarly project. Courses like "Applied Statistics for the Health Sciences" and "Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning for Advanced Practice" will familiarize you with the competencies and the knowledge base that underlie advanced nursing practice, while classes such as "Diagnostic Considerations and Psychopharmacology for Psychiatric Disorders" and "Psychotherapy for the Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse" will teach you the fundamentals needed to deliver mental health services to diverse populations.
The program accepts new students in the fall and spring. All practicum hours must be completed in the Bayou State, so program applicants must be licensed as RNs in Louisiana. Applicants must also have a BSN from an accredited nursing program with an undergraduate grade point average of 2.7 or higher.
Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students
• This PMHNP track is offered entirely online using an asynchronous format, making it one of the best PMHNP programs in Louisiana for working RNs who must integrate their educational goals into existing personal and professional commitments.• Tuition for UL Lafayette's MSN/PMHNP track is comparatively low, making this program cost-effective compared to equivalent programs at other Louisiana universities.
5. Nicholls State University - Thibodaux
Programs Offered: MSN
MSN Program Details: Nicholls State University's 48- to 51-credit MSN/PMHNP track can be completed in six semesters if you enroll full-time. It includes master's level core classes designed to introduce you to the role of advanced practice nurses, as well as population-specific coursework that will impart the competencies you'll need to succeed as a primary mental healthcare provider. You'll take online classes like "Psychotherapeutics For Advanced Practice" and "Population Based Primary Care." You can choose to write a master's thesis or complete a scholarly project as your final assignment.
You must complete 600 clinical hours at a psychiatric hospital or community agency in Louisiana to graduate from this program, so you must be licensed as an RN in the Bayou State to apply. Applicants should also have at least one year of professional nursing experience. All coursework except for clinical rotations is online. Nicholls State University accepts new students into its MSN/PMHNP track in the fall and spring.
Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students
• Money Magazine dubbed Nicholls State University's MSN/PMHNP track as one of the nation's top-value programs. It is the only nursing program in Louisiana to have been singled out this way.• Nicholls State University's MSN/PMHNP graduates have an average first-time pass rate of 97 percent on their psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner exams.
6. McNeese State University - Lake Charles
Programs Offered: MSN and MSN-to-DNP
MSN Program Details: Like its partner universities in Louisiana's Intercollegiate Consortium, McNeese State University offers MSN/PMHNP students the option of completing either a master's thesis (51 credits) or a scholarly project (48 credits) as a final assignment. Courses for this psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner track include "Theoretical Foundations of Advanced Nursing," "Business, Leadership, and Health Policy for Nurse Practitioners," and "Pathophysiology for Advanced Nursing Practice." Coursework is offered online utilizing the asynchronous Moodle delivery platform.
Students must participate in 600 practicum hours under the supervision of qualified preceptors at healthcare facilities in the Bayou State or the Lone Star State. You can start the program in either the fall or spring semester. The program can be completed in six semesters (36 months) if you enroll full-time; however, the program also allows part-time enrollment. Applicants must have maintained a GPA of 2.8 or higher throughout their BSN studies and have valid RN licensure in either Louisiana or Texas.
MSN-to-DNP Program Details: McNeese State University's 54-credit MSN-to-DNP/psychiatric-mental health NP track is a hybrid program that's mainly offered online. You may have to visit the university's campus in Lake Charles, though, to present and defend your DNP project. The three-year program was designed to be pursued part-time to accommodate the needs of working RNs. The program accepts new students in the fall and spring.
While the population-specific components of the curriculum mirror the MSN/PMHNP study plan, core courses like "Quality and Safety Across Healthcare Systems" and "Legal and Ethical Practice" will focus specifically on DNP objectives like leadership, quality improvement, and evidence-based practice. Your studies will culminate with a DNP project that will encourage you to apply what you've learned to real-world mental health issues. You'll spend 510 clinical hours under the supervision of a mental healthcare provider and a minimum of 300 hours on the DNP-specific practicum.
Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students
• First-time pass rates on the psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner certification exams for McNeese State University's PMHNP grads is 100 percent.• McNeese State University also offers a post-graduate psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner certificate that consists of five population-specific courses for a total of 20 credits. Once accepted into this program, you'll be evaluated through a gap analysis, so you may end up taking additional coursework. This PMHNP program in Louisiana is 100 percent online and involves a minimum of 510 clinical hours.
HOW MUCH DO PMHNP GRADUATES MAKE IN LOUISIANA?
WHAT STARTING SALARY CAN NEW GRADUATES OF PMHNP PROGRAMS IN LOUISIANA EXPECT?
| Hourly | $46.22 |
| Weekly | $1,849 |
| Monthly | $8,010 |
| Annual | $96,130 |
HOW MUCH CAN GRADUATES OF PMHNP PROGRAMS IN LOUISIANA EARN WITH EXPERIENCE?
| Level of Experience | Hourly | Weekly | Monthly | Annual |
| Entry-Level | $46.22 | $1,849 | $8,010 | $96,130 |
| 1-4 Years of Experience | $52.29 | $2,092 | $9,060 | $108,770 |
| 5-9 Years of Experience | $61.73 | $2,469 | $10,700 | $128,390 |
| 10-19 Years of Experience | $68.74 | $2,750 | $11,920 | $142,980 |
| 20 Years or More Experience | $82.15 | $3,286 | $14,240 | $170,870 |
WHAT IS THE AVERAGE PMHNP SALARY IN LOUISIANA?
| Hourly | $62.82 |
| Weekly | $2,513 |
| Monthly | $10,890 |
| Annual | $130,660 |
HOW MUCH DO PMHNPS EARN IN THE VARIOUS METROS OF LOUISIANA?
| Metro | Hourly | Weekly | Monthly | Annual |
| Alexandria | $57.12 | $2,285 | $9,900 | $118,810 |
| Baton Rouge | $63.70 | $2,548 | $11,040 | $132,490 |
| Hammond | $64.31 | $2,573 | $11,150 | $133,770 |
| Houma-Thibodaux | $69.86 | $2,794 | $12,110 | $145,310 |
| Lafayette | $65.41 | $2,616 | $11,340 | $136,050 |
| Lake Charles | $62.18 | $2,487 | $10,780 | $129,330 |
| Monroe | $60.47 | $2,419 | $10,480 | $125,770 |
| New Orleans-Metairie | $63.12 | $2,525 | $10,940 | $131,290 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $63.86 | $2,554 | $11,070 | $132,830 |
PMHNP SALARY IN LOUISIANA VS. OTHER SALARIES
PMHNP SALARY IN LOUISIANA VS. PMHNP SALARY IN THE NATION
| Average Louisiana PMHNP Annual Salary | Average National PMHNP Annual Salary | Difference | |
| Number | % | ||
| $130,660 | $141,470 | -$10,810 | -7.64% |
PMHNP SALARY IN LOUISIANA VS. PMHNP SALARIES IN OTHER STATES
| State | Average Annual Salary | Difference | |
| Number | % | ||
| California | $177,860 | -$47,200 | -26.54% |
| Nevada | $163,690 | -$33,030 | -20.18% |
| Washington | $160,090 | -$29,430 | -18.38% |
| New Jersey | $159,680 | -$29,020 | -18.17% |
| Oregon | $159,590 | -$28,930 | -18.13% |
| Massachusetts | $158,560 | -$27,900 | -17.60% |
| New York | $157,260 | -$26,600 | -16.91% |
| Connecticut | $150,820 | -$20,160 | -13.37% |
| New Mexico | $150,590 | -$19,930 | -13.23% |
| Minnesota | $148,650 | -$17,990 | -12.10% |
| District of Columbia | $148,470 | -$17,810 | -12.00% |
| Rhode Island | $146,940 | -$16,280 | -11.08% |
| Hawaii | $146,010 | -$15,350 | -10.51% |
| Arizona | $145,950 | -$15,290 | -10.48% |
| Delaware | $144,350 | -$13,690 | -9.48% |
| Iowa | $144,040 | -$13,380 | -9.29% |
| New Hampshire | $143,950 | -$13,290 | -9.23% |
| Texas | $143,140 | -$12,480 | -8.72% |
| Wisconsin | $141,290 | -$10,630 | -7.52% |
| Maryland | $140,920 | -$10,260 | -7.28% |
| Utah | $140,730 | -$10,070 | -7.16% |
| North Dakota | $140,670 | -$10,010 | -7.12% |
| Pennsylvania | $140,320 | -$9,660 | -6.88% |
| Illinois | $139,720 | -$9,060 | -6.48% |
| Alaska | $138,920 | -$8,260 | -5.95% |
| Vermont | $138,840 | -$8,180 | -5.89% |
| Montana | $137,230 | -$6,570 | -4.79% |
| Idaho | $137,130 | -$6,470 | -4.72% |
| Oklahoma | $136,890 | -$6,230 | -4.55% |
| Wyoming | $136,040 | -$5,380 | -3.95% |
| Indiana | $135,780 | -$5,120 | -3.77% |
| Maine | $135,360 | -$4,700 | -3.47% |
| Ohio | $135,280 | -$4,620 | -3.42% |
| Colorado | $134,310 | -$3,650 | -2.72% |
| Nebraska | $133,970 | -$3,310 | -2.47% |
| North Carolina | $133,870 | -$3,210 | -2.40% |
| Georgia | $133,390 | -$2,730 | -2.05% |
| South Dakota | $133,200 | -$2,540 | -1.91% |
| Virginia | $133,080 | -$2,420 | -1.82% |
| Michigan | $132,870 | -$2,210 | -1.66% |
| Florida | $131,800 | -$1,140 | -0.86% |
| Kansas | $131,320 | -$660 | -0.50% |
| Louisiana | $130,660 | $0 | 0.00% |
| Mississippi | $129,360 | +$1,300 | +1.00% |
| South Carolina | $128,750 | +$1,910 | +1.48% |
| Missouri | $128,470 | +$2,190 | +1.70% |
| West Virginia | $124,910 | +$5,750 | +4.60% |
| Arkansas | $124,870 | +$5,790 | +4.64% |
| Kentucky | $121,520 | +$9,140 | +7.52% |
| Alabama | $121,130 | +$9,530 | +7.87% |
| Tennessee | $114,200 | +$16,460 | +14.41% |
PMHNP SALARY IN LOUISIANA VS. OTHER NURSE SALARIES IN LOUISIANA
| Type of Nurse | Average Annual Salary | Difference | |
| Number | % | ||
| Nurse Anesthetist | $218,770 | -$88,110 | -40.28% |
| Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner | $130,660 | $0 | 0.00% |
| Registered Nurse | $80,760 | +$49,900 | +61.79% |
| Nursing Instructor and Teacher, Postsecondary | $78,780 | +$51,880 | +65.85% |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurse | $51,700 | +$78,960 | +152.73% |
| Nursing Assistant | $30,420 | +$100,240 | +329.52% |
PMHNP SALARY IN LOUISIANA VS. SALARIES OF OTHER CLOSELY RELATED OCCUPATIONS IN LOUISIANA
| Job Title | Average Annual Salary | Difference | |
| Number | % | ||
| Podiatrist | $170,450 | -$39,790 | -23.34% |
| Dentist | $164,340 | -$33,680 | -20.49% |
| Optometrist | $131,460 | -$800 | -0.61% |
| Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner | $130,660 | $0 | 0.00% |
| Pharmacist | $124,770 | +$5,890 | +4.72% |
| Physician Assistant | $123,280 | +$7,380 | +5.99% |
| Veterinarian | $115,450 | +$15,210 | +13.17% |
| Physical Therapist | $97,830 | +$32,830 | +33.56% |
| Occupational Therapist | $93,110 | +$37,550 | +40.33% |
| Radiation Therapist | $88,510 | +$42,150 | +47.62% |
| Chiropractor | $79,800 | +$50,860 | +63.73% |
| Dental Hygienist | $78,980 | +$51,680 | +65.43% |
| Audiologist | $75,210 | +$55,450 | +73.73% |
| Speech-Language Pathologist | $74,390 | +$56,270 | +75.64% |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ANSWERED
1. Who Accredits PMHNP 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 Accredited PMHNP Schools Are There In Louisiana?
| 6 |
3. On Average, How Much Does A Psychiatric NP Make Per Hour In Louisiana?
| $62.82 |
4. On Average, How Much Does A Psychiatric NP Make Per Week In Louisiana?
| $2,513 |
5. On Average, How Much Does A Psychiatric NP Make Per Month In Louisiana?
| $10,890 |
6. On Average, How Much Does A Psychiatric NP Make Per Year In Louisiana?
| $130,660 |
7. What Is The Job Outlook For PMHNPs In Louisiana?
| 10-Year Job Outlook (2022-2032) |
| +43.62% |
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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