By 2030, Colorado is projected to be short nearly 2,500 doctors, and low-income citizens are predicted to be disproportionately affected by these shortages. Nurse practitioners will play a key role in helping to close that gap.
In Colorado, nurse practitioners can prescribe medications independently after completing a preceptorship and mentorship with a physician, giving them more freedom to practice than in many other states. Because of this, nurse practitioners not only have a real chance to impact the lives of Coloradans, but they can do it on their terms.
There are plenty of reasons to practice as a nurse practitioner in Colorado. This state offers many networking and professional organizations, like the Colorado Nurses Association, Colorado Center for Nursing Excellence, and the Colorado Society of Advanced Practice Nurses.
Colorado also offers many opportunities at community and rural clinics and large hospital systems. AdventHealth has hospital campuses in Denver, Castlerock, Louisville, Littleton, and Parker. UCHealth has 12 facilities across the state, and the Arkansas Valley Regional Medical Center and Aspen Valley Hospital are just two Colorado hospitals serving the rural population.
Whether you prefer city life or adventure in the great outdoors, Colorado offers plenty to keep you busy on your days off. Take a hike in Rocky Mountain National Park, sled at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, climb Pikes Peak, ski at Aspen or Vail, catch a show at Red Rocks, or take in the sights while enjoying a gourmet meal in a restaurant in downtown Denver.
Nurse practitioners have much to offer Colorado, and the state’s bustling cities and abundant natural wonders make it a great place to live and work. Here are some of the top universities and colleges in the state where you can pursue various nurse practitioner degrees. If you are interested in a specific type of NP program, check out FNP programs, AGNP, and PNP programs that are offered in the state.
Program Overview:
Colorado Mesa University was founded in 1925 and now has three campuses. The main campus is in Grand Junction, while the Montrose Campus is a more scenic, community-based location at the base of the San Juan Mountains. The university also has a campus focusing on technical education called CMU Tech. Students enrolled in nurse practitioner programs requiring on-campus visits will have to travel to the main campus to fulfill these requirements. Colorado Mesa University has been rated one of the most affordable online nurse practitioner programs and one of the best online adult-gerontology nurse practitioner (AGNP) programs. It offers three NP options:
Program Overview:
Colorado State University-Pueblo is in the southern part of the state near the Rocky Mountain foothills, just a short drive to Colorado Springs and Denver. The nursing school was established in 1964, but the CSU Pueblo School of Nursing was established in 2017. It aims to serve as a regional nursing education center for Southern Colorado and collaborates with local and regional healthcare agencies in its programs. According to the most recent data, board passing rates for all FNP and AGNP programs range between 76% and 100%. The school offers four NP pathways:
Program Overview:
Colorado Technical University is a private for-profit university based in Colorado Springs. Established as Colorado Technical College in 1965, it initially focused on training former military personnel in vocational and technical subjects. The school gained university status in 1995 and ranked the best for veterans for non-traditional and online universities. CTU offers two NP options:
Program Overview:
Founded in 1877, Regis University is the only Jesuit Catholic University in the Rocky Mountains. The university’s Rueckert-Hartman College for Health Professions is home to its Loretto Heights School of Nursing, billed as one of the top nursing schools in Colorado. It’s been recognized as the best nursing graduate degree school and the best nursing master’s degree school in Colorado. Regis offers four pathways for those wishing to pursue an NP degree:
Program Overview:
Currently part of the University of Colorado system, Anschutz Medical Campus has roots going back to 1883. The College of Nursing opened in 1898 and would change the direction of the profession when it founded the first nurse practitioner school in the county in 1965. The College of Nursing is ranked as the fourteenth best online master’s program in the country and has partnerships with major hospitals in the Denver metro area. The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus offers eight different options for those wishing to pursue an NP degree, including:
Program Overview:
The University of Colorado Colorado Springs is part of the University of Colorado System. From 1965 to 1972, this satellite campus operated as the Colorado Spring Center and as a Boulder campus division. In 1974, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs was recognized as a distinct campus, growing from a small commuter campus into a respected university. The Johnson Beth-El College of Nursing and Health Sciences has roots going back to 1904 when it was a small independent nursing school at the back of Pikes Peak. Today, it is ranked as one of the best online master’s programs in the state. Students wishing to pursue an NP degree here have two options:
Program Overview:
Founded as a teacher’s college in 1889, the University of Northern Colorado has grown significantly over the years. Today, it’s a public doctoral research and educational institution offering more than 200 programs. This University was an early adopter of the online education model, starting its first online program more than twenty years ago. The nursing programs are primarily online, but, like more programs in this speciality, they have some on-campus requirements. The University of Northern Colorado offers two pathways for those interested in pursuing an NP degree:
