A doctorate of nursing or DNP is the highest level of education someone can achieve in this field. While many nurse practitioner programs offer DNP options, there are many other routes that nurses can take to pursue a terminal degree. In New York, most DNP programs focus on clinical practice rather than education or leadership. Here’s a closer look at the DNP options available in the Empire State for nurses with either a BSN or MSN. Explore all New York nurse practitioner programs, or browse other specialties like FNP, AGNP, and PNP programs.
DNP Programs Accepting New York Applicants
DNP Programs in New York
New York offers a variety of DNP programs, some offered primarily online while others are traditional programs taught on campus in in-person classes. Some programs offer multiple entry points while others are more narrow, catering only to nurses with specific NP degrees.
How to choose a DNP program in New York
New York’s 13+ DNP programs split between BSN-to-DNP (integrated MSN + doctoral coursework, 3-4 years) and post-MSN DNP pathways (for certified NPs adding the terminal credential, 1.5-2.5 years). The AACN recommends the DNP as the terminal clinical degree for advanced practice, and NYC’s academic medical centers are increasingly shifting toward DNP-preferred hiring.
Columbia’s School of Nursing is consistently top-10 in U.S. News; NYU Rory Meyers, University of Rochester, SUNY Buffalo, and Stony Brook are the other ranking flagships. For applicants weighing cost, SUNY Buffalo and Stony Brook deliver top-50 research university resources at in-state public tuition, which is a meaningful differentiator vs. Columbia or NYU’s private pricing.
New York DNP Programs: Key Facts for 2026
- 13+ CCNE-accredited and ACEN-accredited Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs in New York at the MSN or DNP level.
- NY NP mean annual wage: approximately $146,000 per BLS OEWS data. NYC metro pays well above the statewide average.
- Scope of practice: Under the NY NP Modernization Act, NPs with 3,600+ hours of qualifying practice experience can practice without a written collaborative agreement. New York State Education Department Office of the Professions oversees licensure.
- National job growth: NPs projected to see 40%+ growth 2024–2034 per BLS OOH.
- BSN-to-DNP vs. post-MSN DNP — BSN-to-DNP integrates MSN-level NP preparation with doctoral coursework (typically 75–100 credits over 3–4 years); post-MSN DNP is for currently-certified NPs adding the terminal degree (18–36 credits over 1.5–2.5 years).
- Flagship DNP picks — Columbia’s School of Nursing is consistently top-10 nationally; NYU Rory Meyers, University of Rochester, SUNY Buffalo, and Stony Brook round out the highest-ranked DNP options.
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 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.
New York BSN to DNP Programs
Online education and distance learning may be increasingly popular, but some of universities and colleges in New York require students to come to campus to attend classes. Here are three universities that offer programs with in-person learning.
Binghamton University
- Binghamton, New York
- Hybrid
Modality: Hybrid
Credit Hours: Varies
Clinical Hours: Varies
Tuition: $1,047 per credit + fees for residents; $1,353 per credit + fees for non-residents
Program Overview:
Binghamton is the SUNY upstate option for nurses who want a doctorate with multiple specialty entry points. Beyond the standard NP tracks, Binghamton runs a doctorate-level pathway for nurses who want to practice as adult-gerontology primary care clinical nurse specialists, and a post-master’s track for MSN-prepared nurses who want to finish a terminal degree without repeating specialty coursework.
While the roles of CNS and NP have some overlap, NPs work more in direct patient care, while CNSs focus more on education, administration, and research. The BSN to DNP CNS track has 77 to 78 credits and is designed for nurses with either a BSN or an MSN who are not practicing NPs. It takes three years to complete. Most courses are offered online, but students may be required to come to campus one to two days a week.
Binghamton also offers an Advanced Standing DNP track for nurses who are practicing NPs or are already CNSs. This option is 35 to 38 credits, depending on the applicant’s specialization. This program takes two years to complete, and most of the coursework is offered online, but students will need to be on campus approximately one day a week for the first three semesters.
The BSN to DNP track has 1,300 clinical hours, and the Advanced Standing DNP program has 540.
Molloy University
- Rockville Centre, New York
- Hybrid
Modality: Hybrid
Credit Hours: Varies
Clinical Hours: Varies
Tuition: $1,630 per credit + fees
Program Overview:
Molloy runs an adult clinical nurse specialist (A-CNS) doctorate in addition to its NP tracks, which is uncommon among NY DNP programs. The A-CNS has two entry points: the BSN to Adult Clinical Nurse Specialist DNP for bachelor’s-prepared RNs and the MSN to Adult Clinical Nurse Specialist DNP for nurses already holding a master’s. The A-CNS role emphasizes systems-level practice, staff education, and clinical quality improvement rather than direct prescriptive authority.
Post-BSN students will first complete the Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist program before beginning their doctoral-level courses, while nurses who already have a master’s as APRNs receive advanced standing. This program is offered in a hybrid format, with both in-person evening and hybrid classes. Those entering the part-time program with a BSN can complete the program in five years; those with an MSN in three.
Touro University
- Brooklyn, New York
- On campus
Modality: Hybrid
Credit Hours: Varies
Clinical Hours: Varies
Tuition: $1,380 per credit + fees
Program Overview:
Touro’s cohort-based DNP is a campus-based program on its Brooklyn campus with an FNP focus across both entry points. The BSN to DNP and MSN to DNP tracks admit in cohorts and move together through the curriculum. The BSN entry runs 80 credits with 1,040 clinical hours over three years full-time. The MSN entry is 42 credits with 680 clinical hours over 2.5 years, and MSN-prepared applicants can transfer up to 38 credits of advanced standing into the program.
New York MSN to DNP Programs
Post-master’s students who are interested in pursuing a DNP by attending classes in-person have several options. Below are five MSN to DNP programs in New York that are either hybrid or taught completely on campus.
Dominican University New York
- Orangeburg, New York
- Hybrid
Modality: Hybrid
Credit Hours: 40
Clinical Hours: Unspecified
Tuition: $1,190 per credit + fees
Program Overview:
Dominican’s FNP to DNP is structured for working NPs who are already certified FNPs and want a terminal degree without leaving practice. The program can be completed in two years or six trimesters and uses a hybrid format that brings students to campus two evenings per week (Monday and Wednesday). The 1,000-clinical-hour requirement counts combined master’s-level FNP clinical hours plus DNP project and residency hours.
Le Moyne College
- Syracuse, New York
- Hybrid
Modality: Hybrid
Credit Hours: 29
Clinical Hours: Unspecified
Tuition: $1,050 per credit + fees
Program Overview:
Le Moyne’s FNP to DNP is built for certified FNPs in central NY who want a compact, customizable doctorate. The base curriculum is 29 credits delivered in hybrid format, with most coursework asynchronous online plus scheduled on-campus sessions. Program length and course sequencing can be individualized based on prior graduate coursework and clinical experience, which makes it a fit for NPs who want to transfer in substantial advanced standing.
New York University
- New York, New York
- Hybrid
Modality: Hybrid
Credit Hours: 36
Clinical Hours: 400
Tuition: $2,400 per credit + fees
Program Overview:
NYU Rory Meyers builds its MSN to DNP with multiple entry points depending on the applicant’s current credential. MSN-prepared nurses who are not NPs or nurse midwives enter through the Advanced Certificate to DNP pathway, which adds NP credential preparation alongside doctoral coursework. MSN-prepared nurses already practicing as NPs or certified midwives are granted advanced standing toward the terminal degree.
Advanced standing students will complete 36 credits and 400 clinical hours. Advanced Certificate to DNP students must obtain a post-master’s certificate as an NP or nurse midwife while completing the DNP courses. The number of credits and clinical hours will depend on the chosen NP specialty.
Courses for this program are taught in person on campus, with DNP-level leadership courses combining online coursework with monthly on-campus meetings.
Wagner College
- Staten Island, New York
- On campus
Modality: On campus
Credit Hours: 39
Clinical Hours: 400
Tuition: $15,840 per year + fees
Program Overview:
Wagner College’s FNP to DNP is a post-master’s program for FNPs whose original master’s came from a nationally accredited program. The doctorate runs seven semesters including two summer sessions and adds 400 clinical hours of doctoral-level work. Students entering with fewer than 600 clinical hours from their master’s receive a gap analysis and may take additional clinical courses to hit the 1,000-hour program total. Classes meet one evening per week on the Staten Island campus, which makes it workable for NPs already practicing on Staten Island or in Brooklyn.
More DNP Programs for New York Students
Online DNP Programs in New York
The Empire State is also home to many online DNP options for both BSN- and MSN-prepared nurses.
New York Online BSN to DNP Programs
Post-BSN students looking for an experience that is primarily online can consider the programs at Russell Sage College and the University of Roche. Both of these schools offer primarily distance learning, though students do have to come to campus for labs or intensives. (Note that these schools also offer MSN tracks with the same general format.)
Russell Sage College
- Troy, New York
- Online with on-campus labs
Modality: Online with on-campus labs
Credit Hours: Varies
Clinical Hours: Varies
Tuition: $950 per credit + fees
Program Overview:
Russell Sage runs two online doctoral entry points: a BSN to DNP and an MSN to DNP track. The online delivery fits nurses in smaller upstate markets where in-person doctoral options are limited. Both tracks culminate in a DNP project built around a practice problem in the student’s clinical setting.
The BSN track allows nurses to earn a DNP without getting a master’s degree. This program is 72 credits and includes between 1,150 and 1,200 clinical hours. Full-time students can complete it in three years, and part-time students in five.
The MSN option for nurse practitioners is 24 credits with 500 clinical hours. Part-time, this program takes two years to complete without summer studies, but full-time students can complete it in as little as one calendar year, including summer classes.
Classwork is online and asynchronous, but students must come to campus between four and six times for health assessment labs.
University of Rochester
- Rochester, New York
- Online with in-person intensives
Modality: Online with in-person intensives
Credit Hours: Varies
Clinical Hours: Not specified
Tuition: $1,740 per credit + fees
Program Overview:
Rochester’s BSN to DNP lets bachelor’s-prepared nurses pick a specialty (FNP, PNP) or pursue a clinical nurse leader track while working toward the terminal degree. The program is part-time and runs five to six years including summer sessions, which suits working RNs in upstate NY who need to stay employed through the doctorate.
Students entering the MSN to DNP program generally take a year to complete coursework, taking two courses every semester, and then beginning the clinical portion of the program. This program takes 2.5 to three years to complete.
This program also requires a DNP project in which the student designs and implements an initiative to influence policy or improve clinical practice. Students must also create a scholarly paper based on their project and publicly defend it during their final semester.
New York Online MSN to DNP Programs
Post-master’s students have a few online DNP options to choose from in New York. of the three programs with primarily online coursework listed below, only one requires on-campus intensives.
Pace University
- New York, New York
- Online with on-campus intensives
Modality: Online with on-campus intensives
Credit Hours: 33
Clinical Hours: 450
Tuition: $1,460 per credit + fees
Program Overview:
Pace’s online part-time MSN to DNP is structured for MSN-prepared NPs already state-certified as FNPs, AGACNPs, or PMHNPs. Each semester includes five synchronous online classes plus two on-campus intensives across the program: one for orientation and one at the end for DNP project presentations. The program counts 450 of the required 1,000 post-BSN clinical hours, which means incoming students typically need to bring 550 or more hours from their master’s to close the gap.
Pace also has a bridge option for advanced practice nurses specializing in adult-primary care, pediatric, geriatric, and women’s health who want to obtain an FNP, AGACNP, or PMHNP certification and their DNP. For these nurses, the school will perform a gap analysis to determine what additional clinical work is required.
SUNY Brockport
- Brockport, New York
- Online
Modality: Online
Credit Hours: 30
Clinical Hours: Unspecified
Tuition: $942 per credit + fees for residents; $1,130 per credit + fees for non-residents;
Program Overview:
SUNY Brockport’s MSN to DNP runs 30 credits fully online except for clinical requirements. Students complete five didactic courses plus a clinically-based DNP project, and the program is structured to take one class at a time so it can fit around a full-time work schedule. Brockport is a lower-cost public alternative among NY’s online MSN-to-DNP options.
This program is designed specifically for practicing FNPs. Nurses who are NPs in other specialities can apply for the school’s certificate of advanced study and enter directly into the DNP program upon completion.
University at Buffalo
- Buffalo, New Yorks
- Online
Modality: Online
Credit Hours: 36
Clinical Hours: 400 non-clinical hours
Tuition: $1,047 per credit hour per credit + fees
Program Overview:
Buffalo’s online MSN to DNP admits nationally certified APRNs across a wide set of specialties: AGPNPs, AG clinical nurse specialists, PNPs, FNPs, CRNAs, WHNPs, and PMHNPs. The program takes five to seven semesters, and all coursework is asynchronous online, which fits practicing APRNs anywhere in NY without requiring relocation to Buffalo.
This program incorporates 400 non-clinical hours that include case consultations, patient education, meeting, conferences, etc. Students will also complete a DNP project tailored to student interests that can be completed in conjunction with the nurse’s current employer.
Shortest/Accelerated DNP Programs in New York
The lengths of these programs can vary depending on previous background and education. Because some of these programs are tailored only to FNPs or AGNPs, some nurses may need to complete additional courses, which will extend the length of their program. Generally, though, 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
While some BSN to DNP programs in New York can take as many as five years to complete, full time students in the program at Binghamton University Touro University, and Russell Sage College take only three years.
Shortest MSN to DNP Programs
The shortest MSN to DNP program in New York is at Russell Sage College. Full-time students can complete it in as little as one year. Binghamton University and Dominican University New York are also on the short side and can be completed in only two years.
Best DNP Programs in New York
What ranks as best depends on entry credential and specialty focus. For practicing FNPs adding a terminal degree without leaving work, Wagner College’s seven-semester post-master’s DNP (evening classes on Staten Island) and Le Moyne College’s 29-credit hybrid FNP-to-DNP (central NY, asynchronous with weekly on-campus attendance) both deliver compact customizable options. For the fully-online MSN-to-DNP, SUNY Brockport (30 credits, one class at a time), the University at Buffalo (36 credits, admits APRNs across most specialties), and Pace University (part-time synchronous online with two on-campus intensives) split between public and private at different price points. Molloy University is the uncommon choice for an adult clinical nurse specialist doctorate, which sits outside the standard NP track. Touro University runs the only cohort-based, fully-campus FNP doctorate in Brooklyn.
Cheapest DNP Programs in New York
The most affordable DNP program in New York by per-credit tuition is at SUNY Brockport, at $942 per credit for NY residents. Russell Sage College comes in just above at $950 per credit. Both fall below the $1,000-per-credit threshold. Per-credit cost is only part of the picture since each school layers its own fees, technology charges, and clinical placement costs. Residents pay less than non-residents at the SUNY and CUNY programs, which is the main reason NY-based nurses pick the public options over NYC privates for a doctorate.
Frequently Asked Questions About DNP Programs in New York
What is the difference between a DNP and a PhD in nursing?
A DNP is a practice-focused doctorate designed for nurses who want to advance their clinical expertise, lead healthcare organizations, or shape health policy. A PhD in nursing is a research-focused doctorate that prepares graduates for academic careers and original research. Most nurse practitioners pursuing doctoral education choose the DNP because it emphasizes clinical application over theoretical research.
How long does it take to complete a DNP program in New York?
The timeline depends on your entry point. BSN-to-DNP programs typically take three to four years of full-time study, while post-master’s DNP programs can often be completed in one to two years. Many New York DNP programs offer part-time and hybrid formats that allow working nurses to continue practicing while earning their degree.
Are there online DNP programs available in New York?
Yes, several New York schools offer online or hybrid DNP programs. These programs typically deliver coursework online with periodic on-campus intensives or clinical residency requirements. Schools like Pace University and SUNY Upstate Medical University offer flexible DNP formats designed for working nurses across the state.
Does a DNP increase earning potential in New York?
DNP-prepared nurses in New York generally earn higher salaries than those with a master’s degree, particularly in leadership, executive, and specialized clinical roles. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nurse practitioners in New York earn a mean annual salary well above the national average, and a DNP can further enhance earning potential through eligibility for administrative and faculty positions.