In California, nurses who wish to pursue a doctor of nursing practice (DNP) have many options. While numerous programs allow students to pursue a DNP as a nurse practitioner, other tracks are available for those who wish to advance their careers in other areas. There are options for those interested in leadership, public health, and many other specializations. Here, we look at DNP opportunities in the state of California.
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DNP Programs in California
California offers various DNP programs. While all of them have some type of online component, many require students to be on campus for part of the program. Below are the programs that are considered hybrid and include in-person learning.
According to the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, all DNP programs require 1,000 post-BSN clinical hours. This total includes hours accrued during master’s-level programs. 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.
California BSN to DNP Programs
BSN to DNP programs allow nurses to pursue a doctorate without completing an MSN first, which can save students time and money. These hybrid programs at the following three California universities offer both online and in-person components.
Loma Linda University
- Loma Linda, California
- Hybrid
Modality: Hybrid
Credit Hours: Varies
Clinical Hours: Varies
Tuition: Varies
Program Overview:
Loma Linda has two BSN to DNP tracks and one post-MSN option.
The BSN to DNP Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS): Adult/Gerontology track is a hybrid program. Though many of the courses take place online, some require students to be on campus between four and eight hours during Seminar Week, which takes place in the middle of every quarter. This track has 73-semester units, which includes 1,210 clinical/practice hours. Students can complete it in three to four years full-time or five years full-time. The cost is $29,787 to $31,681 per year.
The BSN to DNP Nurse Leadership track is 78-semester units with 1,210 clinical/practice hours. This hybrid program also requires students to attend on-campus sessions during Seminar Week. It takes three years and nine months to complete full-time or five years part-time. This program costs between $26,073 and $36,490 per year.
Loma Linda also has an MSN to DNP option that is 46-semester units long. This hybrid program can be taken either full or part-time and requires two to ten days on campus each semester. Full-time students can complete the program in about three years. The cost is between $33,649 and $37,437 per year.
University of California-San Francisco
- San Francisco, California
- Hybrid
Modality: Hybrid
Credit Hours: Approximately 39
Clinical Hours: 500
Tuition: $50,766 per year + fees for residents
Program Overview:
There are two BSN to DNP options at UCSF: BSN to DNP Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist and BSN to DNP Health Policy and Public Health Nursing. Both programs are approximately 39 credits and offer hybrid courses with both in-person and virtual learning and in-person clinics. Each track also requires 240 residency hours.
The BSN to DNP programs at UCSF are completed in 12 quarters, each consisting of a 10-week session. In total, they take three calendar years to complete, though there is generally a one—or two-week break between quarters.
UCSF also offers an MSN to DNP Leadership track with options for APRNs and nurses with MSNs in other areas. Up to 500 clinical hours can be transferred into the program for master’s-level clinical work to meet the 1,000-hour requirement. Students who need to complete more than 500 hours in the DNP program may need to take additional courses.
University of San Francisco
- San Francisco, California
- Hybrid
Modality: Hybrid
Credit Hours: Varies
Clinical Hours: Varies
Tuition: $1,585 per credit + fees
Program Overview:
The University of San Francisco offers a unique BSN or MSN to DNP Health Systems Leadership with multiple concentrations. This is a year-round hybrid program; specifics depend on the chosen concentration.
The Education and Simulation specialty track allows nurses to take doctoral courses through the School of Education. At the end of the program, nurses in this track qualify for the Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator (CHSE), Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator (CHSE) certification, and Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) certifications. This option is 56 to 75 units and takes seven semesters to complete.
Nurses who choose the Management track will complete doctorate courses in USF’s School of Management and earn credits toward an MBA. Graduates of this 52 to 74-unit program may be eligible for the Nurse Executive (NE-BC) or Nurse Executive, Advanced (NEA-BC) certification. This track also takes seven semesters to complete.
The third concentration is in Population Health Leadership. This track is between 46 and 70 units; graduates may be eligible to sit for the Certified in Public Health (CPH) exam.
California MSN to DNP Programs
Nurses who already have an MSN have several options if they are interested in hybrid programs in California. The five programs listed below offer general MSN to DNP degrees for those who wish to advance their practice.
California State University-Bakersfield
- Bakersfield, California
- Hybrid
Modality: Hybrid
Credit Hours: 49
Clinical Hours: Unspecified
Tuition: $8,094 per semester + fees
Program Overview:
The MSN to DNP program at CSUB is designed for MSN-prepared advanced practice nurses, including nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, nurse midwives, or nurse anesthetists, with at least 500 post-bachelor’s clinical hours. Classes include 36 credits of didactic courses and 12 credits of practicum courses.
This hybrid program begins in the fall and includes both synchronous and asynchronous online classes. Full-time students can complete it in four semesters or 15 months, but a seven-semester part-time option is also available.
California State University-Fullerton
- Fullerton, California
- Hybrid
Modality: Hybrid
Credit Hours: 36 to 48
Clinical Hours: 405 minimum
Tuition: $8,094 per semester + fees
Program Overview:
Cal State Fullerton’s MSN to DNP program is between 36 and 48 credits, depending on how many clinical hours students need to complete to meet the 1,000-hour requirement. Students will complete approximately 405 clinical hours completing their doctoral projects and complete additional clinical courses as needed.
This five-semester program uses a hybrid format, with classes held both online and on campus. Students are required to be available to attend classes all day on Fridays for the duration of the program, either for online or synchronous online classes.
California State University-Los Angeles
- Los Angeles, California
- Hybrid
Modality: Hybrid
Credit Hours: 36 to 48
Clinical Hours: 500
Tuition: $7,635 per semester + fees for residents; non-residents add $396 per credit
Program Overview:
The MSN to DNP option at Cal State LA is a hybrid option with a mix of synchronous Zoom classes and in-person learning. It is designed to be completed in five semesters, and the program begins every fall.
This program accepts 500 transfer hours toward the 1,000 clinical hours requirement for applicants who are nationally certified nurse midwives, nurse anesthetists, nurse practitioners, or clinical nurse specialists. Students accumulate about 400 hours completing their doctoral projects during a three-semester Integrative Clinical Scholarship experience. Those who require more time to meet the 1,000-hour requirement will take additional clinical hours each semester as needed.
San Diego State University
- San Diego, California
- Hybrid
Modality: Hybrid
Credit Hours: 36
Clinical Hours: 500
Tuition: Unspecified; estimate $10,794 per academic + fees for residents
Program Overview:
San Diego State’s MSN to DNP program is for nurses who have already completed a master’s degree in any nursing specialty. It requires 1,000 clinical hours, but students can transfer 500 clinical hours from their MSN work into the program. This program can be completed in two or three years. Classes are offered in a hybrid format with pre-scheduled dates for in-person attendance.
University of San Diego
- San Diego, California
- Hybrid
Modality: Hybrid
Credit Hours: 34 to 55
Clinical Hours: Unspecified
Tuition: $1,800 per credit + fees
Program Overview:
The University of San Diego’s MSN to DNP Advanced Practice is a hybrid option that ranges from 34 to 55 credits. It only accepts applicants from the state of California. Students can attend full- or part-time. Full-time students complete the program in two years; part-time students complete it in three.
This hybrid program requires students to attend on-campus intensives for two weekends every semester. Students must also complete a DNP project in which they identify a professional practice issue or clinical problem and develop an innovative, evidence-based solution.
Online DNP Programs in California
Online programs can be convenient and flexible, offering unique opportunities for working professionals to complete a doctorate program around their busy schedules.
California Online BSN to DNP Programs
The BSN to DNP programs at Point Loma Nazarene University and the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences offers a unique online option for BSN-prepared nurses. All coursework is online, and campus visits are not required. In addition to the two BSN to DNP programs below, we detail these two universities’ three MSN to DNP programs.
Point Loma Nazarene University
- San Diego, California
- Online
Modality: Online
Credit Hours: Varies
Clinical Hours: 1,000
Tuition: $820 per credit + fees
Program Overview:
The BSN to DNP CNS and MSN to DNP CNS tracks at Point Loma Nazarene University allow students to choose one of three specialties: adult-gerontology, pediatric, and adult-gerontology with women’s health specialty. BSN students will complete 76 units and 1,000 clinical hours. Full-time students can complete the program in as little as 10 semesters. There is also an MSN stop-out option that allows students to leave the program with an MSN before starting the third graduate semester.
Students entering this program with an MSN will complete between 55 and 65 units, depending on previous education and experience, and can complete the program in 10 semesters. They must also complete 1,000 hours, including 500 hours of direct patient care and 500 DNP project hours.
There is also an MSN to DNP in Healthcare Leadership track that MSN-prepared students can complete in as little as two years. This program is 34 units with 1,000 clinical hours.
All programs are fully online with asynchronous coursework and optional synchronous sessions.
University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences
- San Marcos, California
- Online
Modality: Online
Credit Hours: Varies
Clinical Hours: Varies
Tuition: Varies
Program Overview:
The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences’s BSN to DNP Executive track is an online program with optional immersions. It is 64 credits with 1,000 practicum hours and can be completed in 10 trimesters or three years and four months, though accelerated options are available. On-campus or virtual immersions are optional but designed to help students widen their perspective and network with professors and peers. The cost for this program is $6,609 per term plus fees.
St. Augustine also offers an MSN to DNP program that can be completed in 2.3 years. This program typically involves 42 to 52 credits, depending on MSN experience. It costs $6,196 per term plus fees.
California Online MSN to DNP Programs
California also offers many opportunities for those looking for an online MSN to DNP program. Four of these programs offer online classes, while six require students to come to campus for residencies, intensives, or other forms of in-person learning.
California Baptist University
- Riverside, California
- Online with on-campus residencies
Modality: Online with on-campus residencies
Credit Hours: 36
Clinical Hours: Varies
Tuition: $696 per credit + fees
Program Overview:
California Baptist Univerity’s online MSN to DNP program is a practice-focused, interdisciplinary, indirect care doctorate program that prepares nurses for leadership roles. Asynchronous online classes allow for flexibility, though students must come to campus for in-person residencies throughout the program.
This track is 36 credits, and a DNP project is required. It includes three practicum courses with between 45 and 135 credits and three research courses with between 135 and 180 hours, giving students ample opportunities to fulfill their required DNP hours.
Students who enter this program also have the option to choose a concentration, each of which requires additional credits. Specializations include adult gerontology acute care nurse practitioner for 33 additional credits, family nurse practitioner for 28, nurse educator for 12, and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner for 29.
California State University-Fresno
- Fresno, California
- Online with on-campus intensives
Modality: Online with on-campus intensives
Credit Hours: 37
Clinical Hours: Not specified
Tuition: $7,635 per semester + fees
Program Overview:
Fresno State’s online MSN to DNP program features both synchronous and asynchronous classes, with on-campus intensives throughout. The school provides technology training as part of orientation to ensure that students are comfortable with the necessary technology.
Practicum hours vary depending on how many hours the student needs to reach the required 1,000 hours. Applicants must hold a master’s degree in nursing or a health-related field like health administration or public health. Note that all applicants must have either a BSN or MSN; additional nursing courses will be required for students who do not have a BSN.
Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science
- Los Angeles, California
- Online with on-campus requirements
Modality: Online with on-campus requirements
Credit Hours: 40
Clinical Hours: 540
Tuition: Not specified; estimated at $29,400 per year + fees
Program Overview:
The MSN to DNP program at the Mervyn M. Dymally School of Nursing at Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science is a 40-credit online program. This option can be a flexible choice for someone who works a traditional Monday through Friday job, as each course is taught on the weekends. There are three weekend sessions per course, broken down into three hours of synchronous and 12 hours of asynchronous learning.
Students must come to campus for an immersion weekend during the first weekend of the program and the last weekend to present their DNP projects. This program includes 540 clinical hours and uses a cohort model with start dates in the fall and spring semesters. It can be completed in 16 months.
National University
- San Diego, California
- Online
Modality: Online
Credit Hours: 46
Clinical Hours: Unspecified
Tuition: $2,526 per credit + fees
Program Overview:
The MSN to DNP Executive Leadership track at the National University is 100% online. Courses start every Monday, so students can start the program at a time that suits their schedule. This program has 46 credits and takes 30 months to complete. Foundational courses follow an eight-week schedule, while dissertation courses run for 12 weeks. There are no physical residency requirements.
San Jose State
- San Jose, California
- Online with in-person requirements
Modality: Online with in-person requirements
Credit Hours: 35
Clinical Hours: 1,000
Tuition: Unspecified; estimate $9,934 per academic year
Program Overview:
The online MSN to DNP program at San Jose State takes five semesters to complete and is designed to be compatible with a full-time work schedule. Most classes are online, but three on-campus meetings are required throughout the program: orientation at the beginning of the first semester, one in the middle of the program, and one at the end of the program for DNP project presentation. The entire program takes 23 months to complete, and students take three courses a semester. The number of clinical hours offered in the program is not specified, but students can transfer clinical hours from those accrued during master’s work.
United States University
- San Diego, California
- Online
Modality: Online
Credit Hours: 38
Clinical Hours: 500
Tuition: $710 per credit + fees
Program Overview:
The MSN to DNP program at the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at United States University is a hybrid program. Many courses are offered online, but students must participate in a scheduled residency, live chats, synchronous web instruction, and phone conferences. This program is designed to be completed in 24 months.
Two synchronous virtual residencies occur throughout the program, during which students will attend live lectures and workshops. Students are provided with these dates well in advance and are required to attend.
This program allows MSN-prepared nurses to transfer 500 clinical hours into the program, with the remaining 500 hours being satisfied through immersion hours related to their DNP project.
University of California-Irvine
- Irvine, California
- Online with on-campus intensives
Modality: Online with on-campus intensives
Credit Hours: 54 to 67
Clinical Hours: 510
Tuition: $4,254 per semester + fees for residents; $5,034 supplemental tuition for non-residents
Program Overview:
The MSN to DNP program at the Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing at the University of California-Irvine can be completed in two years. It offers online synchronous and asynchronous courses as well as three on-campus intensives. These two-day on-campus intensives are spread throughout the program, with one at the beginning, one in the middle, and one at the end. There are also a few on-campus courses throughout the program that generally take place for one hour on Wednesdays and focus on the DNP project.
This program is designed for nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, certified nurse midwives, nurse anesthetists, or other MSN-prepared nurses. Students complete 510 clinical hours during the program. Depending on the number of clinical hours earned during master’s level work, more clinical courses may be required.
University of Phoenix-California
- Ontario, California
- Online
Modality: Online
Credit Hours: 31
Clinical Hours: 500
Tuition: $810 per credit + fees
Program Overview:
The University of Phoenix has a location in Ontario, California, and offers an online MSN to DNP with no on-campus requirements. This program is designed for working nurses and consists of courses that are generally eight weeks long. Students complete 31 credits in approximately 85 weeks or about 20 months.
University of DNP students must complete the Applied DNP Project and 1,000 clinical hours, though 500 can be transferred into the program from MSN-level work.
West Coast University-Center for Graduate Studies
- Los Angeles, California
- Online
Modality: Online
Credit Hours: 30
Clinical Hours: Unspecified
Tuition: $1,074 per credit + fees
Program Overview:
The MSN to DNP Executive Leadership at West Coast University has 30 credits divided into eight-week terms. Students who take the accelerated option can complete this program in as few as 20 months.
Students in this program create a DNP project that requires 1,000 post-BSN clinical or practicum hours. Required hours will be completed throughout the program. Depending on the number of hours required, students may need to take additional courses.
Western University of Health Sciences
- Pomona, California
- Online with on-campus requirements
Modality: Online with on-campus requirements
Credit Hours: 30 to 39
Clinical Hours: 1,000
Tuition: $1,022 per credit + fees
Program Overview:
Western University of Health Sciences’s MSN to DNP Leadership track is a hybrid program that features online courses with seminar intensives at the Pomona campus. There are two face-to-face sessions, one at the beginning and one at the end of the program, and a virtual session in the middle.
Students must complete a DNP project that takes 1,000 hours, which they can complete in their own communities. Previous clinical experiences can apply toward this requirement.
Shortest/Accelerated DNP Programs in California
The lengths of these programs vary depending on a variety of factors. If you’re interested in completing a DNP in as short a time as possible, consider one of the programs below.
Shortest BSN to DNP Programs
The BSN program at the University of San Francisco takes seven semesters or slightly over two years, while the Loma Linda University and University of California-San Francisco programs take two to three years.
The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences generally takes three years and four months, but an accelerated option is available.
Shortest MSN to DNP Programs
The California State University-Bakersfield MSN to DNP program is the shortest at 15 months. The program at Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science takes 16 months, and those at California State University-Fullerton, California State University-Los Angeles, and California State University-Fresno are five semesters or roughly 18 months.
Best DNP Programs in California
What is the best program in California depends on multiple factors, including the degree you’re entering your program with and the outcome you’re interested in.
The University of San Francisco offers one of California’s most unique DNP programs. This program is for BSN or MSN-prepared nurses and allows students to specialize in the Population Health Leadership, Education and Simulation specialty track (taking classes at the School of Education) or the Management track (taking classes at USF’s School of Management).
The BSN to DNP CNS and MSN to DNP CNS programs at Point Loma Nazarene University are also interesting options for those who want to pursue a DNP degree as a clinical nurse specialist. Students can choose between adult gerontology, pediatric, and adult gerontology with a women’s health specialty.
Cheapest DNP Programs in California
It can be difficult to compare the costs of these programs as some schools give per-credit costs and others the cost per semester, year, or program. Per credit, California Baptist University is the most affordable, at $696 per credit + fees. The next most affordable is the United States University at $710 per credit + fees, the University of Phoenix-California at $810 per credit + fees, and Point Loma Nazarene University at $820 per credit + fees.