PMHNP Programs in Arizona
Arizona has one verified in-state PMHNP program: the BSN-to-DNP at Arizona State University (Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation) in Phoenix, which does not require the GRE. Beyond that, psychiatric-mental health NP study is mostly online, so Arizona residents can also enroll in accredited online programs and complete the supervised clinical hours locally. Arizona is also one of the better states to practice in. Nurse practitioners have full practice authority, and the statewide NP wage is about $134,420 (BLS OEWS, May 2025), modestly above the $132,300 national median. Here are the verified program, the online options, the Arizona licensure path, and what the job market and pay look like.
The short version
Arizona has one verified in-state PMHNP program: the BSN-to-DNP at Arizona State University (Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation) in Phoenix, which does not require the GRE. Many residents also study through an accredited online program and complete their clinical hours at a site near home.
Arizona grants nurse practitioners full practice authority, so a PMHNP can ultimately evaluate, diagnose, and prescribe independently, without a mandated physician collaboration agreement.
The statewide NP wage is about $134,420 (BLS OEWS, May 2025), modestly above the $132,300 national median.
Online programs set their own state authorization, so confirm each one enrolls Arizona residents before you apply.
For the full national comparison of online programs, see our online PMHNP ranking.
If you are searching for PMHNP programs in Arizona, here is the picture: we have verified one in-state program, the BSN-to-DNP at Arizona State University's Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation in Phoenix, which does not require the GRE. Because PMHNP education is overwhelmingly online, most Arizona residents also have the option to enroll in an accredited online program from a school based anywhere, complete the coursework remotely, and do the supervised clinical hours at a site near home in Phoenix, Tucson, or a rural county.
Arizona is, in fact, a strong place to build this career. It grants nurse practitioners full practice authority, its population is among the fastest growing in the country, and its behavioral-health demand is heightened by large Spanish-language, rural, and tribal communities that have too few psychiatric prescribers. So the real Arizona-specific questions are which program will enroll you, what the state requires for licensure, and what the work pays here. This guide answers those and labels anything we cannot source rather than estimating it.
The verified PMHNP program based in Arizona
Arizona State University Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation
Phoenix, AZ
Accredited online PMHNP programs Arizona residents can do
Most PMHNP study is online. These verified, accredited programs enroll students from most states and let you complete the supervised clinical hours near you. Online programs set their own state authorization, so confirm each one admits Arizona residents before you apply.
California State University, Fresno
CCNE-accredited · post-master's certificate · 540 clinical hrs
Program pageDrexel University College of Nursing and Health Professions
CCNE-accredited · post-master's certificate · 640 clinical hrs
Program pageFairleigh Dickinson University Henry P. Becton School of Nursing and Allied Health
ACEN-accredited · MSN · 750 clinical hrs
Program pageGeorgia Southern University School of Nursing
CCNE-accredited · BSN-to-DNP · 630 clinical hrs
Program pageGeorgia State University Byrdine F. Lewis College of Nursing and Health Professions
CCNE-accredited · MSN · 500 clinical hrs
Program pageHerzing University
CCNE-accredited · MSN / post-master's certificate · 540 clinical hrs
Program pageJohns Hopkins University School of Nursing
CCNE-accredited · post-master's certificate · 500 clinical hrs
Program pageLa Salle University School of Nursing and Health Sciences
CCNE-accredited · MSN · 692 clinical hrs
Program pageLewis University College of Nursing and Health Sciences
CCNE-accredited · MSN · 540 clinical hrs
Program pageNorthern Kentucky University School of Nursing
CCNE-accredited · MSN · 750 clinical hrs
Program pageRadford University School of Nursing
CCNE-accredited · post-master's certificate · 540 clinical hrs
Program pageRocky Mountain University of Health Professions
CCNE-accredited · post-master's certificate · 540 clinical hrs
Program pageSimmons University
CCNE-accredited · MSN / post-master's certificate · 756 clinical hrs
Program pageUniversity of Cincinnati College of Nursing
CCNE-accredited · post-master's certificate
Program pageUniversity of South Alabama College of Nursing
CCNE-accredited · MSN / post-master's certificate · 600 clinical hrs
Program pageConfirm current state authorization with each program. For the full comparison of these programs, see our online PMHNP ranking.
How to become a PMHNP in Arizona
The path to becoming a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner in Arizona is the same graduate-nursing route used nationwide, with one local variable: your APRN license and prescriptive authority come from the Arizona Board of Nursing. Here are the five steps.
- 01
Earn a BSN and an RN license
Most PMHNP programs admit Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) graduates who hold an active RN license. If you start with an associate degree or a non-nursing bachelor's, bridge programs exist. You'll practice on a Arizona RN license while you complete graduate school.
- 02
Enroll in an accredited PMHNP program
Choose an MSN or a BSN-to-DNP with a PMHNP focus. The degree must hold CCNE or ACEN accreditation, or it won't qualify you for the certification exam. Arizona has 1 verified in-state program (listed above), and 45 accredited online programs also enroll Arizona residents.
- 03
Complete a minimum of 500 supervised clinical hours
The ANCC requires at least 500 faculty-supervised clinical hours, and many programs require 600 to 750. Securing local clinical placements is the biggest practical hurdle, so confirm whether a program arranges your preceptors before you enroll.
- 04
Pass the ANCC PMHNP-BC certification exam
The ANCC PMHNP-BC first-time pass rate was 83% in 2024 and 82% in 2025. Either the ANCC exam or the newer AANPCB PMHNP exam qualifies you for state licensure; ANCC's PMHNP-BC is the one most employers list by name.
- 05
Get Arizona APRN licensure and DEA registration
The Arizona Board of Nursing issues your APRN license and prescriptive authority once you're certified, and a federal DEA registration lets you prescribe controlled substances. Practice authority varies by state, so confirm current Arizona requirements with the board before you enroll.
For the full national pathway, including itemized cost, timeline, and program selection advice, see our complete guide on how to become a PMHNP.
Arizona NP licensure and full practice authority
Arizona is a full-practice-authority state, which the AANP defines as allowing nurse practitioners to evaluate, diagnose, order tests, and prescribe under the authority of the state board of nursing, without a mandated physician collaboration agreement, once the state's requirements are met. That independence is a real advantage over reduced- and restricted-practice states, and it widens what an experienced PMHNP can do, including independent and cash-pay practice in underserved areas.
Licensure runs through the Arizona State Board of Nursing on top of national certification, and the board grants the prescribing and dispensing authority a PMHNP needs to practice. The clinical credential you earn is the same nationwide; what Arizona adds is the practice environment.
What the state requires
- Active Arizona RN license
- Graduate PMHNP degree from an accredited program
- National PMHNP-BC certification (ANCC)
- NP certification with prescribing and dispensing authority from the Arizona State Board of Nursing
- DEA registration to prescribe controlled substances
State board: Arizona State Board of Nursing
PMHNP pay in Arizona
The Arizona statewide NP wage is about $134,420 per BLS OEWS state data (May 2025), modestly above the $132,300 national NP median. That puts Arizona a step ahead of the national figure without the high cost of living of the top-paying coastal states.
BLS does not separately publish entry-level or experienced PMHNP wages for Arizona, so we do not show those tiers rather than estimate them. One structural advantage worth noting: full practice authority lets experienced PMHNPs run the independent and cash-pay models that lift pay most, which is harder in restricted-practice states. Our PMHNP salary guide breaks pay down by experience, setting, and practice model.
The Arizona PMHNP job market
Arizona pairs strong demand with one of the friendliest practice environments in the country. The fast-growing Phoenix and Tucson metros, a large and still-growing population, and significant Spanish-language and rural and tribal behavioral-health needs all point to sustained demand for psychiatric prescribers. The BLS projects nurse practitioner employment to grow about 40% from 2024 to 2034 nationally; an Arizona-specific projection is not separately verified here. Full practice authority supports independent and underserved-area practice, and telehealth widens your options across the state's wide rural distances.
- Community mental health centers and FQHCs at qualifying sites in Arizona often qualify for the federal NHSC Loan Repayment Program.
Choosing a PMHNP program from Arizona
With one verified in-state program plus the national online field, an Arizona resident's choice comes down to the program fit and the clinical-placement logistics.
- Confirm the program enrolls Arizona residents. Online-program state authorization varies; check before you apply.
- Ask who arranges your clinical placement. School-arranged placement is a major advantage; student-arranged means you secure your own Arizona preceptor.
- Weigh accreditation (CCNE or ACEN), total cost, and verified clinical hours, the same factors our rankings score.
- Make the most of full practice authority: if independent or cash-pay practice is a long-term goal, Arizona's rules support it once you are licensed.
- Compare the online options against the full field in our online PMHNP ranking.
Keep researching
Best Online PMHNP Programs
The full national field of accredited online options.
PMHNP Programs by State
Browse every state's verified programs.
How to Become a PMHNP
The pathway, certification, and clinical-hour requirement.
PMHNP Salary Guide
What psychiatric NPs earn by state, experience, and setting.
Best PMHNP Programs
The flagship ranking across every format.
Questions, answered
Are there PMHNP programs in Arizona?+
Can I do a PMHNP online in Arizona?+
Does Arizona allow nurse practitioners to practice independently?+
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What do I need to become a licensed PMHNP in Arizona?+
Program details and figures trace to primary sources; gaps are labeled, not estimated.