PMHNP Programs in Massachusetts
Massachusetts has 9 verified, accredited PMHNP programs based in the state, from Boston College, Northeastern, the MGH Institute of Health Professions, Simmons, and Regis to UMass Amherst and UMass Chan Medical School. They span MSN, BSN-to-DNP, and post-master's certificate routes. It is also one of the better states to practice in: nurse practitioners have full practice authority, and the statewide NP wage is about $142,440 (BLS OEWS, May 2025), about 8% above the $132,300 national median. Here is every verified Massachusetts program, the state licensure path, and what the job market and pay look like.
The short version
Massachusetts has 9 verified, accredited PMHNP programs based in the state, spanning MSN, BSN-to-DNP, and post-master's certificate routes — the full list is below, generated from our verified dataset.
The field is unusually strong, including Boston College, Northeastern University, the MGH Institute of Health Professions, Simmons University, and Regis College in and around Boston, plus public options at UMass Amherst and UMass Chan Medical School (Worcester). Several waive the GRE.
Massachusetts grants nurse practitioners full practice authority, so a PMHNP can ultimately evaluate, diagnose, and prescribe independently after meeting the state's requirements.
The statewide NP wage is about $142,440 (BLS OEWS, May 2025), among the higher state figures in the country.
Many accredited programs based in other states also enroll Massachusetts residents; confirm authorization with each. See the online PMHNP ranking.
If you are searching for PMHNP programs in Massachusetts, you have a deep in-state field: 9 verified, accredited programs, anchored by some of the best-known nursing schools in the country. Boston College, Northeastern University, the MGH Institute of Health Professions, Simmons University, and Regis College sit in and around Boston, while UMass Amherst and UMass Chan Medical School (Worcester) add public-university routes. The programs span MSN, BSN-to-DNP, and post-master's certificate paths, and several waive the GRE. Boston College runs $1,952 per credit, Regis $1,061, UMass Chan $961, and UMass Amherst $825; Northeastern lists a program total near $44,505.
Massachusetts is also a strong place to train and practice: it grants nurse practitioners full practice authority, it pays above the national NP median, and its psychiatric care systems give you real options for clinical placement. This guide covers only programs we have verified against the accreditor directory and each school's own pages, plus the Massachusetts context that actually shapes your decision: licensure, pay, and the job market. Where a Massachusetts-specific number is not separately published, we label it rather than estimate.
The 9 verified PMHNP programs based in Massachusetts
Simmons University
Boston, MA
Northeastern University School of Nursing (Bouvé College of Health Sciences)
Boston, MA
Simmons University
Boston, MA
MGH Institute of Health Professions School of Nursing
Boston, MA
Regis College
Weston, MA
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Amherst, MA
Regis College
Weston, MA
Boston College William F. Connell School of Nursing
Chestnut Hill, MA
UMass Chan Medical School
Worcester, MA
Accredited online PMHNP programs Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts
The path to becoming a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner in Massachusetts is the same graduate-nursing route used nationwide, with one local variable: your APRN license and prescriptive authority come from the Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts 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. Massachusetts has 9 verified in-state programs (listed above), and 45 accredited online programs also enroll Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts APRN licensure and DEA registration
The Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts 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.
Massachusetts NP licensure and full practice authority
Massachusetts 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 meaningful advantage over reduced- and restricted-practice states, and it widens what an experienced PMHNP can do, including independent and cash-pay practice.
Licensure itself runs through the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing on top of national certification. The credential you earn is the same nationwide; what Massachusetts adds is the practice environment.
What the state requires
- Active Massachusetts RN license (or a multistate compact license)
- Graduate PMHNP degree from a CCNE- or ACEN-accredited program
- National PMHNP-BC certification (ANCC)
- APRN authorization from the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing
- Prescriptive authority and DEA registration to prescribe controlled substances
State board: Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing
PMHNP pay in Massachusetts
The Massachusetts statewide NP wage is about $142,440 per BLS OEWS state data (May 2025), about 8% above the $132,300 national NP median. Massachusetts is a high-wage, high-cost state, so weigh that premium against local cost of living.
BLS does not separately publish entry-level or experienced PMHNP wages for Massachusetts, 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 Massachusetts PMHNP job market
Demand for psychiatric prescribers is strong in Massachusetts, as it is nationally. The BLS projects nurse practitioner employment to grow about 40% from 2024 to 2034 nationally; a Massachusetts-specific projection is not separately verified here. The state's dense psychiatric care infrastructure, from Mass General Brigham (including McLean Hospital) to Boston Medical Center, the VA, and the state Department of Mental Health network, supports both clinical placements and post-graduation hiring. 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 Massachusetts
With 9 verified in-state programs plus the national online field, Massachusetts 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.
- Cost: the public options are cheaper. UMass Amherst is $825 per credit and UMass Chan Medical School is $961, versus Regis at $1,061 and Boston College at $1,952; Northeastern lists a program total near $44,505.
- Degree level: decide whether you want a master's (MSN) entry point, a doctoral route, or a post-master's certificate. Massachusetts offers all three, including BSN-to-DNP at UMass Amherst and UMass Chan.
- Clinical placement support: ask who arranges your preceptors versus who has you secure your own — a major practical difference. Each card notes which, where we have verified it.
- If you want a metro-level view of placements and employers, read our Boston PMHNP guide.
Keep researching
PMHNP Programs in Boston
The Boston-metro view: placements, employers, and cost of living.
Best Online PMHNP Programs
The 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.
Questions, answered
How many PMHNP programs are in Massachusetts?+
Does Massachusetts allow nurse practitioners to practice independently?+
How much do PMHNPs make in Massachusetts?+
Can I study a PMHNP online in Massachusetts?+
What do I need to become a licensed PMHNP in Massachusetts?+
Program details and figures trace to primary sources; gaps are labeled, not estimated.
- [1] Simmons University, MSN Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (program page)
- [2] Regis College, 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 (Massachusetts: full practice authority)
- [6] Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing