Research from the Cecil G. Sheps Center For Health Services Research at the University of North Carolina, in partnership with the North Carolina Board of Nursing, has found that the state will face a shortage of 12,500 registered nurses and slightly more than 5,000 LPNs by 2033.
To address this challenge, the North Carolina Institute of Medicine put together a task force to develop recommendations to increase the number of professionals in the field. One of the strategies recommended in the report “Time for Action: Securing A Strong Nursing Workforce for North Carolina” is identifying opportunities for nurses to participate in educational advancement, leadership, mentoring, and preceptorship.
Specifically, this task force recommends prioritizing educational initiatives and flexible work schedules to accommodate nursing staff seeking higher education opportunities, including DNP pathways.
A DNP is a terminal degree and the highest level of education one can achieve in this field. Completing a DNP can provide many opportunities for nurses, including filling leadership roles to help develop the workforce or working as a nursing educator, a specialty that faces its own unique shortages.
Table of Contents
DNP Programs in North Carolina
North Carolina offers a range of DNP options, though the details vary from one program to another. Below, we review the DNP programs available in universities across the state to help you find one that meets your needs.
Per the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, DNP programs all require 1,000 post-BSN clinical hours. This total includes all post-BSN hours, including those completed during MSN work. The clinical hours listed in the summaries below include the number of credits each DNP program has built into the curriculum to help satisfy the 1,000-hour requirement.
North Carolina BSN to DNP Programs
All of the DNP programs in North Carolina have an online component, but some schools have more on-campus or in-person requirements than others. Below, we detail the BSN to MSN hybrid program available at Duke.
Duke University
- Durham, North Carolina
- Hybrid
Modality: Hybrid
Credit Hours: Varies
Clinical Hours: Varies
Tuition: $2,166 per credit + fees
Program Overview:
Duke’s 71-credit BSN to DNP program offers multiple tracks, including Health Informatics or Nursing and Health Care Leadership. Students complete an MSN in their chosen specialty before pursuing the DNP-level courses. This program is distance-based with on-campus intensives, and most students complete it in four years.
The MSN to DNP track is also distance-based, with on-campus intensives throughout the program to forge relationships with peers and faculty. This program is 35 credits over five semesters and can be completed in two years.
North Carolina MSN to DNP Programs
There is also a hybrid option available for MSN-prepared nurses who prefer to have some on-campus experience. It’s offered by the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
- Charlotte, North Carolina
- Hybrid
Modality: Hybrid
Credit Hours: 42
Clinical Hours: 500
Tuition: $522.78 per credit + fees for residents; $1,358.06 per credit + fees for non-residents
Program Overview:
The MSN to DNP program at UNC Charlotte is designed for both APRNs and non-APRNs who wish to lead nursing practice and systems of care. Students can transfer 500 clinical hours from their MSN work; the remaining hours are completed throughout the program. This program uses a hybrid model, and students are expected to attend scheduled on-campus immersion activities.
Online DNP Programs in North Carolina
The following programs have minimal on-campus requirements; some may not have any at all.
North Carolina Online BSN to DNP Programs
There is one online BSN to DNP program in the Tar Heel State offered by UNC Chapel Hill.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Online + Campus
Modality: Online with on-campus requirements
Credit Hours: Varies
Clinical Hours: Varies
Tuition: $1,031.34 per credit + fees for residents; $2,067.84 per credit + fees for non-residents
Program Overview:
UNC Chapel Hill’s BSN to DNP Health Care Leadership and Administration track is 60 credits. Full- and part-time options are available, and the program can be completed in three years. Courses are primarily online, but students are required to come to campus for immersion experiences over one to five days a semester.
The university also offers an MSN to DNP for nurses who are already practicing APRNs. This online program is 36 credits with additional opportunities for nurses who need to complete extra hours to reach the 1,000-hour minimum.
North Carolina Online MSN to DNP Programs
MSN-prepared nurses interested in programs with primarily online learning have 10 options, detailed below.
East Carolina University
- Greenville, North Carolina
- Online + Campus
Modality: Online with on-campus immersions
Credit Hours: 36
Clinical Hours: Unspecified
Tuition: $5,213 per semester + $150 per credit + fees for residents; $18,361 per credit + $150 per credit + fees for non-residents
Program Overview:
There are two post-MSN options. The MSN to DNP APRN track is for advanced practice nurses who plan to work while pursuing their degree. This program offers elective pathways so nurses can choose a focus that meets their career goals in nursing education, nursing leadership, and emergency and disaster management. The other option at ECU is the MSN to DNP Health Systems Leadership program.
Both tracks are 36-credit part-time programs that take two years to complete. Classes are held online, but the program has multiple on-campus immersions and workshops.
Gardner-Webb University
- Boiling Springs, North Carolina
- Online + Campus
Modality: Online with on-campus requirements
Credit Hours: 36
Clinical Hours: Unspecified
Tuition: $7,470 per year + fees
Program Overview:
The MSN to DNP track at Gardner-Webb University is 36 credits and can be completed in six semesters or two years full-time or 12 semesters or four years part-time. The program is primarily online, with occasional on-campus visits.
Lenoir-Rhyne University
- Hickory, North Carolina
- Online + Campus
Modality: Online with on-campus immersions
Credit Hours: 33
Clinical Hours: Unspecified
Tuition: $900 per credit + fees
Program Overview:
Lenoir-Rhyne University’s MSN to DNP program is designed for nurses who already practice as NPs, clinical nurse specialists, nurse anesthetists, midwives, administrators, or other healthcare systems specialists. The number of practicum hours required varies, and each student will be assessed upon admission to the program to determine how many post-BSN hours they need to complete to meet the 1,000-hour requirement. Classes are held online, but on-campus immersions are required throughout the program. Most students complete the program in three years.
Methodist University
- Fayetteville, North Carolina
- Online + In-person
Modality: Online with possible in-person practicum requirements
Credit Hours: 36
Clinical Hours: 500
Tuition: $545 per credit + fees
Program Overview:
Methodist University’s MSN to DNP Executive Leadership track is 100% online, though there may be in-person requirements to complete DNP project hours. The program can be completed in two years, and part-time options are also available. MU’s program also offers an opportunity for dual credits toward a graduate certificate in nursing education, which meets the state requirements to qualify as a nurse educator.
South University
- High Point, North Carolina
- Online + In-person
Modality: Online with in-person clinical requirements
Credit Hours: 66
Clinical Hours: Unspecified
Tuition: $650 per quarter credit + fees
Program Overview:
South University has campuses across the country, including one in High Point, SC. Its online MSN to DNP program is 66 credits and includes field experiences and clinical immersions to ensure all students meet the 1,000-hour requirement. In-person clinical experiences may be required.
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
- Greensboro, North Carolina
- Online
Modality: Online
Credit Hours: 30
Clinical Hours: Unspecified; minimum of 300 required
Tuition: $298.61 per credit + $1000 per semester + fees for residents; $1,116.11 + $1000 per semester + fees for residents
Program Overview:
The MSN to DNP program at UNC Greensboro is 30 credits for students who enter the program with at least 700 post-BSN practicum hours. These students can complete the online program in only four semesters of 15 months full-time or six semesters part-time. Students who need additional time to meet the 1,000-hour requirement must enroll in additional courses.
University of North Carolina at Pembroke
- Pembroke, North Carolina
- Online
Modality: Online
Credit Hours: 35
Clinical Hours: Unspecified
Tuition: $237.78 per credit + fees for residents; $963.28 per credit + fees for non-residents
Program Overview:
The University of North Carolina at Pembroke has an online MSN to DNP Population Health track that’s 10 courses with a practice-focuses DNP scholarly project. It takes two years to complete full-time, though students who do not enter the program with 500 post-BSN clinical hours may need to take additional courses.
Wake Forest University
- Winston-Salem, North Carolina
- Online
Modality: Online
Credit Hours: 27
Clinical Hours: Unspecified
Tuition: $1,425 per credit + fees
Program Overview:
Wake Forest University’s MSN to DNP Leadership track is a two-year online program. It includes electives from either the School of Law or the School of Business to prepare students for their future leadership roles. This program is designed to accommodate the demands of students’ professional and private lives, offering flexible courses and allowing nurses to set their own study schedules.
Western Carolina University
- Cullowhee, North Carolina
- Online + In-person
Modality: Online with in-person clinical requirements
Credit Hours: 34
Clinical Hours: 500
Tuition: $372.82 per credit + fees for residents; $968.32 per credit for non-residents
Program Overview:
The MSN to DNP track at Western Carolina University is a flexible online program that can be completed in four semesters full-time or about 15 months. Part-time students can complete it in seven semesters or about 27 months. While all coursework is online, students must complete a clinical residency in a clinic, hospital system, private practice, inpatient unit, or other institution or community where they will plan, develop, and implement a scholarly project.
Winston-Salem State University
- Winston-Salem, North Carolina
- Online
Modality: Online
Credit Hours: 33
Clinical Hours: 510
Tuition: $215.11 per credit + fees for residents; $800.37 per credit + fees for non-resident
Program Overview:
The MSN to DNP track at Winston-Salem State University has 33 credits in all, nine of which are for the DNP project course that takes place over two semesters. Most of the classwork is asynchronous, though each course meets once a month over Zoom. Full-time students can complete the program over five semesters or about 18 months.
Shortest/Accelerated DNP Programs in North Carolina
Many factors contribute to how long these DNP programs take to complete. If you want to complete your DNP as quickly as possible, consider one of the programs below.
Shortest BSN to DNP Programs
UNC Chapel Hill’s BSN to DNP Health Care Leadership and Administration program is the shortest, taking about three years to complete.
Shortest MSN to DNP Programs
The MSN to DNP track at Western Carolina University and the MSN to DNP program at UNC Greensboro both take about 15 months to complete for full-time students who do not need to take additional courses to meet clinical hour requirements.
Best DNP Programs in North Carolina
Everyone has different needs, so it’s hard to determine which is the best overall program in North Carolina. While many of these schools offer general DNP degrees, some have tracks that are more specialized, like UNC Chapel Hill’s BSN to DNP Health Care Leadership and Administration option or the University of North Carolina at Pembroke has an online MSN to DNP Population Health track.
Methodist University’s MSN to DNP Executive Leadership track is unique because it offers dual credits to give students the option of also completing a graduate certificate in nursing education.
Cheapest DNP Programs in North Carolina
Every school has its own fee schedule, and costs can vary significantly from one program to the next. When looking at only the cost per credit, the most affordable program is at Winston-Salem State University at $215.11 per credit.
Other affordable options include the University of North Carolina at Pembroke at $237.78 per credit and Western Carolina University at $372.82 per credit.