PMHNP Programs in Connecticut
Connecticut has five verified, accredited PMHNP programs based in the state, all master's-level (MSN): Yale University in Orange, Fairfield University and Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Quinnipiac University in Hamden, and the University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford. It is also a strong place to practice. Nurse practitioners have full practice authority, granted in 2014, and the statewide NP wage is about $138,470 (BLS OEWS, May 2025), above the $132,300 national median. Here is every verified Connecticut program, the state licensure path, and what the job market and pay look like.
The short version
Five verified, accredited PMHNP programs are based in Connecticut, all master's-level (MSN): Yale University (Orange), Fairfield University and Sacred Heart University (Fairfield), Quinnipiac University (Hamden), and the University of Saint Joseph (West Hartford) — the full list is below, generated from our verified dataset.
Connecticut grants nurse practitioners full practice authority, which the state phased in starting in 2014, so a PMHNP can ultimately evaluate, diagnose, and prescribe independently after meeting the state's requirements.
The statewide NP wage is about $138,470 (BLS OEWS, May 2025), above the $132,300 national median.
The programs span a range, from Yale's on-campus specialty to no-GRE master's options at Fairfield, Quinnipiac, Sacred Heart, and the University of Saint Joseph. Each program card below notes the verified details.
Many accredited programs based in other states also enroll Connecticut residents; confirm authorization with each. See the online PMHNP ranking.
If you are searching for PMHNP programs in Connecticut, the verified in-state field has five accredited, master's-level (MSN) programs that cover a wide range. On one end is Yale University, one of the most recognized nursing schools in the country, with an on-campus psychiatric-mental health specialty. Alongside it sit no-GRE master's options at Fairfield University, Quinnipiac University, Sacred Heart University, and the University of Saint Joseph, spread across Fairfield, Hamden, and West Hartford. All five are accredited and all award an MSN.
Connecticut is also a strong state to train and practice in. It is a small state, but it pays nurse practitioners above the national median, it grants full practice authority, and it sits between the New York and Boston labor markets. The program list below is generated from our verified dataset — every figure traces to the accreditor record and each school's own pages, plus the Connecticut context that actually shapes your decision: licensure, pay, and the job market. Where a Connecticut-specific number is not separately published, we label it rather than estimate.
The 5 verified PMHNP programs based in Connecticut
Quinnipiac University School of Nursing
Hamden, CT
University of Saint Joseph
West Hartford, CT
Sacred Heart University
Fairfield, CT
Fairfield University Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies
Fairfield, CT
Yale University School of Nursing
Orange, CT
Accredited online PMHNP programs Connecticut 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 Connecticut 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 Connecticut
The path to becoming a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner in Connecticut is the same graduate-nursing route used nationwide, with one local variable: your APRN license and prescriptive authority come from the Connecticut 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 Connecticut 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. Connecticut has 5 verified in-state programs (listed above), and 45 accredited online programs also enroll Connecticut 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 Connecticut APRN licensure and DEA registration
The Connecticut 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 Connecticut 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.
Connecticut NP licensure and full practice authority
Connecticut is a full-practice-authority state. The AANP defines full practice 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. Connecticut granted full practice in 2014, after an initial transition period of collaborative practice, so an experienced PMHNP can ultimately practice independently, including in independent and cash-pay models.
Licensure runs through the Connecticut Board of Examiners for Nursing on top of national certification. The credential you earn is the same nationwide; what Connecticut adds is the practice environment.
What the state requires
- Active Connecticut RN license
- Graduate PMHNP degree from an accredited program
- National PMHNP-BC certification (ANCC)
- APRN licensure from the Connecticut Board of Examiners for Nursing
- DEA registration to prescribe controlled substances
State board: Connecticut Board of Examiners for Nursing
PMHNP pay in Connecticut
The Connecticut statewide NP wage is about $138,470 per BLS OEWS state data, May 2025, above the $132,300 national NP median (BLS OOH). Connecticut is a small but high-wage state, so the figure reflects a strong market rather than a large one.
BLS does not separately publish entry-level or experienced PMHNP wages for Connecticut, so we do not show those tiers rather than estimate them. Psychiatric-mental health is one of the higher-paying NP specialties, and full practice authority lets experienced PMHNPs pursue independent and cash-pay models that raise the ceiling. Our PMHNP salary guide breaks pay down by experience, setting, and practice model.
The Connecticut PMHNP job market
Demand for psychiatric prescribers is strong in Connecticut, as it is nationally. The BLS projects nurse practitioner employment to grow about 40% from 2024 to 2034 nationally; a Connecticut-specific projection is not separately verified here. Connecticut is a small state, but it pays above the national median and sits between two large labor markets, with New York City to the southwest and Boston to the northeast, so PMHNPs near the borders can draw on demand from neighboring metros. Full practice authority and the growth of telehealth widen your options further.
- Community mental health centers and FQHCs in the state often qualify for the federal NHSC Loan Repayment Program.
Choosing a PMHNP program in Connecticut
With five in-state programs plus the national online field, Connecticut gives you real choice. A few factors matter more than brand.
- Accreditation first: every program in the list above is accredited, so each clears the bar for ANCC PMHNP-BC eligibility; confirm any online program you compare is CCNE- or ACEN-accredited.
- Degree level: all five Connecticut programs are master's-level (MSN), so the choice is less about credential type and more about format, location, and cost.
- Format and location: Yale is on campus in Orange, while the others spread across Fairfield (Fairfield University and Sacred Heart University), Hamden (Quinnipiac University), and West Hartford (University of Saint Joseph), with several offering online or hybrid coursework — each card notes the verified format.
- Cost and admissions: Fairfield, Quinnipiac, Sacred Heart, and the University of Saint Joseph do not require the GRE, and each card above shows its verified per-credit or program cost where the school publishes it.
- Know the gaps: where a program has not published a clinical clock-hour total, a tuition rate, or a program length, the card says so. Ask the school directly before you enroll rather than relying on an estimate.
Keep researching
Best Online PMHNP Programs
The national field of accredited online options.
Best PMHNP Programs
Our overall ranking of verified PMHNP programs.
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.
Questions, answered
How many PMHNP programs are in Connecticut?+
Does Connecticut allow nurse practitioners to practice independently?+
How much do PMHNPs make in Connecticut?+
Which Connecticut universities offer a PMHNP program?+
What do I need to become a licensed PMHNP in Connecticut?+
Program details and figures trace to primary sources; gaps are labeled, not estimated.
- [1] Yale University School of Nursing, MSN Psychiatric Mental Health specialty (program page)
- [2] Sacred Heart University, Online MSN Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (program page)
- [3] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS: Nurse Practitioners (29-1171), national and state wages
- [4] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Nurse Practitioners
- [5] AANP, State Practice Environment (Connecticut: full practice authority)