7 Schools • 3 Mostly Online • 2 Hybrid • 2 Campus
Seven Connecticut schools offer psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner programs, with tuition between $671 and $2,000+ cost per credit (MSN, DNP, and post-graduate certificate). Delivery runs the full spectrum: mostly online formats with brief campus immersions, hybrid evening models, and fully on-campus programs.
Master’s tuition ranges from roughly $31K to $111K, with completion times spanning 15 months for the shortest certificate to four years for part-time master’s study.
Highlights include:
- Yale pairs the state’s highest price with the strongest placement infrastructure
- Goodwin offers the lowest per-credit rate but admits Connecticut residents only
- Fairfield is the state’s lone BSN-entry DNP option and fully campus-based
- University of Saint Joseph provides the most certificate entry points.
Click any school name for a full profile with admission requirements, curriculum, clinical hours, tuition, and accreditation.
Compare Connecticut PMHNP Programs
| School | Online Format | Campus Commitment | Cost Per Credit | Degrees | Best For |
| Fairfield University | Campus | campus delivery | $1,030 to $1,175 | MSN, DNP | Campus-based BSN-to-DNP with simulation training |
| Goodwin University | Mostly Online | 2 immersion weekends | $949 | MSN | RNs prioritizing the lowest per-credit rate |
| Quinnipiac University | Mostly Online | 3 one-week immersions | $995 | MSN, Certificate | Online seven-week courses with a DNP transition path |
| Sacred Heart University | Mostly Online | In-person residency | $955 | MSN, Certificate | Budget-focused online learners |
| University of Saint Joseph | Hybrid | Evening classes | $1,111 + $557 clinical fees | MSN, Certificate, DNP | Working RNs and current APRNs needing tailored certificate entry points |
| Western Connecticut State | Hybrid | Evening classes | $671 | MSN, Certificate | Tri-state residents seeking the lowest total cost |
| Yale University | Hybrid or Campus | 3 multi day immersions (hybrid) or full campus | $2,071 | MSN (two formats), Certificate | Students wanting institutional placement support and multi-state reach |
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.
Choosing Best PMHNP Program for You in CT
Which Program Fits Your Goals?
Best Overall Value
Sacred Heart’s $40,110 MSN is the lowest confirmed flat price among the online-delivered options, with only one annual residency required.
Lowest Total Cost
Western Connecticut State’s $31K–$40K MSN undercuts every competitor, though delivery format details are thin.
Strongest DNP
Fairfield runs the state’s only BSN-entry DNP PMHNP, with 1,000 practicum hours and rotations spanning forensic, federal, and crisis settings.
Best Placement Support
Yale’s Clinical Support Unit arranges Connecticut placements or telemedicine training for every enrolled student.
Most Flexible Certificate Entry
University of Saint Joseph offers three distinct certificates priced by prior credentials — $13,332 for psychiatric CNSs up to $35,552 for non-NP master’s holders.
Lowest Per-Credit Rate
Goodwin’s $949 leads the state, offset by Connecticut-only admission and roughly $2,000 in per-course clinical fees.
Connecticut DNP PMHNP Programs
Two schools award the DNP, serving opposite ends of the pipeline. Fairfield’s 78-credit program takes BSN-prepared nurses straight to the doctorate on campus. University of Saint Joseph’s 18-credit post-master’s completion adds doctoral credentials to an existing MSN in three semesters — one of the cheaper DNP finishes anywhere. Quinnipiac MSN graduates can also transition into its DNP within two years without losing credits.
| School | Track | Estimated Tuition | Duration | Clinical Hours |
| Fairfield University | BSN-to-DNP | $92K | 3–4 years | 1,000 |
| University of Saint Joseph | MSN-DNP | $20K | 1.5 years | Not clearly stated |
- Only BSN-entry doctorate: Fairfield — 78 credits including the full MSN clinical sequence plus DNP immersion.
- Lowest doctoral cost: University of Saint Joseph — ~$20K, though the price assumes enrollment within 3 years of MSN completion.
- Broadest DNP rotations: Fairfield — sites include psychiatric ERs, juvenile and criminal justice settings, and federal facilities.
Connecticut MSN PMHNP Programs
All seven schools offer the MSN, and pricing spreads nearly fourfold. Western Connecticut State and Sacred Heart anchor the low end near $31K–$40K; Yale tops $107K in either format.
Credit loads run 42 to 59, clinical requirements 540 to 780 hours. Part-time evening designs dominate — only Sacred Heart and Yale’s residential track advertise a full-time two-to-2.5-year finish.
| School | Estimated Tuition | Estimated Duration | Clinical Hours |
| Fairfield University | $61K | 3 years part-time | 750 hrs |
| Goodwin University | $52K | 3.5 years | 600 hrs |
| Quinnipiac University | $57K | 2+ years | 780 |
| Sacred Heart University | $41K | 2.5 years full-time | 540 |
| University of Saint Joseph | $53K | 3.5 years part-time | 750 |
| Western Connecticut State | $32K–$40K | 3–4 years part-time | 540 |
| Yale University | $108K–$111K | 3 years PT | 750 / 774 |
- Lowest resident tuition: Western Connecticut State — ~$31K for CT, NY, and NJ residents under flat-rate pricing.
- Fastest full-time finish: Yale residential — 2 years, with 774 clinical hours across five setting types.
- Fewest credits: Sacred Heart — 42 credits and cohorts capped at 15–28 students.
- Most clinical volume: Quinnipiac — four practica listing 780 combined hours, though no official total is published.
Connecticut Post-Graduate Certificate PMHNP Programs
Five schools offer post-graduate certificates, and University of Saint Joseph alone fields three versions matched to prior credentials. Fixed-curriculum options run $15K–$36K; Yale prices individually after a gap analysis.
Clinical requirements range from 250 hours for certified psychiatric CNSs at USJ to 750 hours for non-NP master’s holders. Sacred Heart’s 15-month timeline is the state’s fastest route to PMHNP eligibility.
| School | Track | Estimated Tuition | Duration | Clinical Hours |
| Quinnipiac University | Post-Master’s Certificate | $34K | 1.5–2 years | Not clearly stated |
| Sacred Heart University | Post-Master’s Certificate | $21K | 15 months | 540 |
| University of Saint Joseph | Certificate: RNs with non-NP MS | $36K | 2.5–3 years | 750 |
| University of Saint Joseph | Certificate: Psychiatric CNS | $14K | 1–2 years | 250 |
| University of Saint Joseph | Certificate: NPs, other specialties | $23K | 1.5–2 years | 500 |
| Western Connecticut State | Post-Master’s Certificate | $15K–$25K by prerequisites | 1–2 years | 540 |
| Yale University | Post-Master’s Certificate | $2,071/credit, gap analysis | Varies | Individualized |
- Fastest completion: Sacred Heart — 15 months across four courses, with up to 6 transfer credits accepted.
- Lowest cost: University of Saint Joseph — ~$13.3K, but only for currently certified psychiatric CNSs adding the opposite age population.
- Cheapest broad-eligibility option: Western Connecticut State — ~$15K–$25K, with final price hinging on which 3P prerequisites need retaking.
- Dual exam preparation: Sacred Heart — graduates sit for either ANCC or AANP certification.
More Online PMHNP Options
Connecticut’s lineup leaves gaps: no school confirms a zero-campus format, Goodwin admits state residents only, Quinnipiac enrolls from just nine northeastern states, and Yale bars applicants from 15 jurisdictions. Nurses shut out by geography — or unwilling to travel for immersions — can consider national providers which run fully online PMHNP coursework with broader enrollment footprints.
| School | Cost Per Credit | Degrees | Online Format | Key Feature |
| Walden University | $775 | Certificate, BSN-MSN, BSN-DNP, MSN-DNP | Online | Placement support |
| Purdue Global | $400–$720 | Certificate, BSN-MSN, MSN, BSN-DNP | Online | VR clinical training |
| Nightingale College | $550 | BSN-MSN | Mostly Online | 810 clinical hours |
| Post University | $588–$603.75 | BSN-MSN | Online | Monthly starts |
| South College | $310 | Certificate, BSN-MSN, MSN | Online | 21-month MSN |
| WGU | Flat rate | Certificate, BSN-MSN | Online | Flat-rate terms |
FAQ
How many PMHNP programs are in Connecticut?
Seven schools: Fairfield, Goodwin, Quinnipiac, Sacred Heart, University of Saint Joseph, Western Connecticut State, and Yale. Together they span MSN, DNP, and post-graduate certificate pathways.
Are any Connecticut PMHNP programs fully online with no campus visits?
None confirm a zero-visit format. Goodwin comes closest with only two immersion weekends; Quinnipiac, Sacred Heart, and Yale’s hybrid MSN follow with online coursework plus brief immersions or an annual residency.
Which Connecticut PMHNP program has the lowest tuition?
Depends on the measure: Western Connecticut State has the lowest MSN total (~$31K for tri-state residents), Goodwin has the lowest per-credit rate ($949), and Sacred Heart has the lowest fixed price among online-delivered MSNs ($40,110).
Which Connecticut schools offer a DNP PMHNP?
Fairfield offers the only BSN-entry DNP. University of Saint Joseph offers an 18-credit post-master’s DNP completion, and Quinnipiac MSN graduates can transition into its DNP within two years without losing credits.
Which programs require campus visits?
Fairfield and Yale’s residential MSN are fully campus-based. USJ requires weekly evening classes. Quinnipiac requires three one-week immersions, Yale’s hybrid track three 3–4 day immersions, Sacred Heart one residency per year, and Goodwin two immersion weekends.
Can I complete clinical hours near home?
Mostly yes for Connecticut residents — Fairfield, USJ, and Yale arrange in-state placements. Quinnipiac places only Connecticut students; out-of-state enrollees find their own sites with school guidance. Goodwin warns students may travel significant distances.
Can out-of-state nurses enroll in Connecticut PMHNP programs?
Selectively. Goodwin admits Connecticut residents only. Quinnipiac accepts applicants from nine northeastern states, and New York students can’t complete clinicals in New York. Yale’s hybrid MSN excludes 15 jurisdictions, including California and Tennessee. Sacred Heart and Fairfield state no comparable restrictions in available materials.