5 Schools • 1 Online • 4 Mostly Online
Five Arizona schools offer PMHNP training across DNP, MSN, post-graduate certificate, and one MSN bridge pathway for RNs holding a non-nursing bachelor’s degree. Four are classified Mostly Online with countable campus events; one publishes no campus requirement at all. Estimated tuition runs from $15K for a resident certificate to $74K for a doctorate, with completion times spanning roughly one to four years.
Highlights include:
- The University of Arizona arranges clinical placements for every student
- Arizona State does the same but only for Maricopa County residents
- Northern Arizona is the only certificate in the state open to master’s-prepared nurses who are not already nurse practitioners
Compare each school’s online format, campus commitment, cost, and degree options below.
Compare Arizona PMHNP Programs
| School | Online Format | Campus Commitment | Cost Per Credit | Degrees | Best For |
| Arizona State University | Mostly Online | Orientation + 2–3 Downtown immersions per semester | $952 | DNP, Post-Graduate Certificate | Maricopa County nurses who want sites assigned |
| Grand Canyon University Phoenix | Mostly Online | 4 campus days across 2 immersions | $760 | MSN, Post-Master’s Certificate | Highest published clinical volume at the master’s level |
| Northern Arizona University | Online | None stated | $698 | MSN, Graduate Certificate | Master’s-prepared nurses without an NP credential |
| University of Arizona Tucson | Mostly Online | Three immersions of 3–5 days | $1,058.30 with fees | DNP, Post-Master’s Certificate | Statewide arranged clinical placement |
| University of Phoenix | Mostly Online | One 5-day Phoenix residency | $540 | MSN, MSN Bridge | Locked pricing and one-course-at-a-time pacing |
PMHNPOnline.com Online Format Classification
- Online: No routine campus visits required.
- Mostly Online: Coursework is online with one or more required campus intensives.
- Hybrid: Regular online and on-campus instruction.
- Campus: Most coursework takes place in person.
These classifications are based on each program’s actual campus attendance requirements rather than the school’s marketing terminology.
What’s the Best PMHNP Program for You?
Best Overall Value
University of Phoenix delivers a 52-credit MSN for roughly $30K including all resource fees, at a per-credit rate locked from enrollment through graduation.
Strongest Clinical Placement Support
University of Arizona arranges placements for all students with priority given to each student’s own geographic area, the only statewide commitment among Arizona programs.
Best Certificate Value
Arizona State University prices its 29-credit certificate at $15K–$23K for residents while requiring the same 585 psychiatric practicum hours its DNP students complete.
Deepest Master’s-Level Clinical Training
Grand Canyon University requires 750 supervised hours in both its MSN and certificate, embedded as 250 hours inside each of three specialty courses.
Most Accessible Entry Point
Northern Arizona University admits master’s-prepared nurses who hold no APRN credential and scales the practicum to what applicants already bring.
Arizona DNP PMHNP Programs
Two Arizona schools award a psychiatric doctorate, and they take opposite structural approaches. Arizona State runs a full BSN-to-DNP build at 85 credits with a doctoral residency folded into the clinical total; Arizona compresses 70 units into 2.5 full-time years and places every practicum hour in psychiatry. Both admit at the bachelor’s or master’s level, and both run a single fall intake.
| School | Track | Estimated Tuition | Duration | Clinical Hours |
| Arizona State University | DNP, bachelor’s or master’s entry (85 credits) | $45K–$60K | 3–4 years FT | 1,125 hrs |
| University of Arizona | DNP-PMHNP, BSN or MSN entry | $74K | 2.5 years FT 3.5 PT | 810 hrs |
- Lowest doctoral cost: Arizona State — $45K–$60K for residents
- Most psychiatric hours: University of Arizona — 810 supervised hours, all in psychiatry
- Largest total clinical figure: Arizona State — 1,125 hours, of which 540 come from a doctoral residency
- Broadest placement guarantee: University of Arizona — arranges sites statewide
Arizona MSN PMHNP Programs
Three schools offer master’s-level entry, and the spread between them is unusually wide on both price and disclosure. Grand Canyon publishes the highest clinical total in the group but leaves site sourcing entirely to students. Phoenix publishes the lowest total with a mandated population mix. Northern Arizona publishes neither an hour figure nor a placement model.
| School | Track | Estimated Tuition | Duration | Clinical Hours |
| University of Phoenix | MSN (52 credits) | $30K | ~30 months | 600 minimum |
| University of Phoenix | MSN – PMHNP Bridge (61 credits) | $34K | ~34–35 months | 600 minimum |
| Grand Canyon University | MSN (53 credits) | $40K | ~3–3.5 years | 750 |
| Northern Arizona University | MSN (51 units) | $58K–$66K w/ fees | 2–2.5 years | Not clearly stated |
- Lowest master’s cost: University of Phoenix — $30K with the per-course resource fee already included
- Only non-BSN entry route: University of Phoenix — three undergraduate bridge courses at roughly $3,700 substitute for a full RN-to-BSN
- Highest published clinical volume: Grand Canyon — 750 hours, though students identify every site and preceptor themselves.
- Cost driven by calendar, not credits: Northern Arizona — a $3,600 per-semester program fee accrues across all three terms regardless of course load.
Arizona Post-Graduate Certificate PMHNP Programs
Four schools run a certificate, and the admission gate matters more than the price. Arizona State and Arizona both require an existing APRN credential. Grand Canyon requires only an MSN, and Northern Arizona routes non-NP master’s holders into a longer plan. Credit loads range from 23 to 37 units, and clinical requirements vary by a factor that published data cannot fully resolve.
| School | Track | Estimated Tuition | Duration | Clinical Hours |
| Arizona State University | Graduate Certificate, APRN credential required (29 credits) | $15K–$23K | 1–1.5 years | 585 |
| Northern Arizona University | Graduate Certificate Plan A, MSN nurse practitioners (23 units) | $25K with fees | ~1 year | Not clearly stated |
| Grand Canyon University | Post-Master’s Certificate, MSN required (37 credits) | $28K | ~2–2.5 years | 750 hrs |
| University of Arizona | Post-Master’s Graduate Certificate, APRN license required (35 units) | $28K-$37K | 1 year 4 months | 720 |
| Northern Arizona University | Graduate Certificate Plan B, non-NP master’s (36 units) | $39K with fees | ~1.5 years | Not clearly stated |
- Lowest certificate cost: Arizona State — $15K–$23K for residents, delivering the identical nine-course specialty block DNP students take.
- Open without an APRN credential: Northern Arizona and Grand Canyon — the only two routes for master’s-prepared nurses who are not already nurse practitioners.
- Heaviest certificate clinical load: Grand Canyon — 750 hours, unreduced from the MSN
- Largest published discount: University of Arizona — up to 9 transferable units for APRNs who completed the 3 Ps, a $9,525 reduction the college publishes as an official adjusted total.
Other Online PMHNP Options
Arizona nurses can also enroll in national online programs such as Walden University and Purdue Global, which offer RN-to-MSN entry points and clinical placement support that most Arizona schools leave to the student. These options suit nurses outside Maricopa County who want help securing preceptors, or those who don’t meet the APRN-credential requirements at ASU and Arizona’s certificate programs. ASU’s SARA membership works in the other direction, letting it enroll distance students across participating states.
Purdue Global PMHNP Programs
National | $400 to $720 cpc | Certificate / BSN-MSN / MSN / DNP | Online
Purdue Global’s CCNE-accredited PMHNP pathways—Certificate, MSN focus, and MSN-to-DNP—run fully online and include VR telehealth and group therapy work. The certificate is about $20,160 over ~1.5 years; the MSN is about $32,760 over ~2 years; the MSN-to-DNP adds doctoral study after the MSN. The program is authorized for Arizona residents.
Walden University PMHNP Programs
National | $775 cpc | Certificate / BSN-MSN / BSN-DNP / MSN-DNP / DNP | Online
Arizona nurses seeking advanced psychiatric-mental health training can choose Walden University’s flexible online PMHNP tracks, which are recognized for meeting Arizona licensure requirements. Students benefit from the Practicum Pledge field placement team to secure clinical sites across Arizona, plus interactive virtual skills labs to build practical assessment and therapy skills. Graduates are ready for national PMHNP certification and clinical leadership in Arizona’s growing mental health sector.
Wilkes University PMHNP Programs
National | $751 cpc | Certificate / RN-MSN / BSN-MSN / BSN-DNP | Online
Wilkes University's Passan School of Nursing offers three flexible, 100% online Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) tracks with consistently high board pass rates of 95.4%. The university is authorized to enroll students physically located in Arizona for its MSN and Post-Graduate Certificate programs, as it meets the state's educational requirements for APRN licensure. All tracks require 500 clinical hours, with complimentary clinical placement services included, and are designed to prepare advanced practice nurses to serve diverse and underserved populations.
FAQ
How many PMHNP programs does Arizona have?
Five schools: Arizona State, Grand Canyon, Northern Arizona, the University of Arizona, and the University of Phoenix. Between them they offer two DNP tracks, three MSN tracks plus a bridge pathway, and five certificate plans.
Are any Arizona PMHNP programs fully online?
Northern Arizona lists campus availability as Online and names no orientation, immersion, or intensive. The other four all require travel, ranging from one five-day residency at the University of Phoenix to recurring Phoenix immersions two or three times per semester at Arizona State.
Which Arizona PMHNP program costs the least?
For residents, Arizona State’s certificate at $15K–$23K is the lowest figure on the page. At the master’s level, the University of Phoenix’s $30K MSN is the lowest all-in total, and it is the only Arizona program with a published rate lock.
Which Arizona schools offer a PMHNP DNP?
Arizona State and the University of Arizona. Northern Arizona offers a post-master’s DNP that requires existing national NP certification, but it is not a PMHNP training pathway. Grand Canyon and the University of Phoenix stop at the master’s level.
Do Arizona PMHNP programs require campus visits?
Four of five do. The University of Phoenix requires one five-day residency, Grand Canyon four campus days across two immersions, the University of Arizona three immersions of 3–5 days during the clinical year, and Arizona State orientation plus 2–3 immersions every semester.
Can I complete clinical hours near home?
The University of Arizona arranges placements for all students and prioritizes local sites. Arizona State arranges them for Maricopa County residents only. Grand Canyon approves sites students find themselves, the University of Phoenix supports selection through a coordinator and pre-approved network, and Northern Arizona does not publish a placement model .
Can out-of-state nurses enroll in Arizona PMHNP programs?
It depends on the school. Grand Canyon and the University of Phoenix are each authorized in 15 states. Northern Arizona charges nonresidents the same $698 per credit as residents. Arizona State charges nonresidents $1,622 per credit, though Western Regional Graduate Program eligibility should be confirmed separately. The University of Arizona publishes no separate nonresident rate.