PMHNP Programs in Nevada
Nevada has one verified, in-state PMHNP option: the University of Nevada, Reno, an MSN that runs an affordable $383.25 per credit with no GRE requirement — among the lowest verified rates anywhere. Most Nevada residents can also study online, since psychiatric-mental health NP coursework is largely remote and clinical hours can be completed close to home. Two things make Nevada stand out beyond the program map. It has had full practice authority for nurse practitioners since 2013, and the statewide NP wage is about $140,670 (BLS OEWS, May 2025), among the higher state figures in the country. Pair that with one of the nation's most acute behavioral-health shortages and you have a high-need, high-pay, independent-practice state. Here are the verified program, the online options, the Nevada licensure path, and what the job market looks like.
The short version
Nevada has one verified, in-state PMHNP program: the University of Nevada, Reno MSN, an affordable $383.25 per credit with no GRE — among the lowest verified rates anywhere. Many residents also study through an accredited online program and complete clinical hours locally.
Nevada grants nurse practitioners full practice authority (since 2013), so a PMHNP can evaluate, diagnose, and prescribe independently once the state's requirements are met, with no mandated physician collaboration agreement.
The statewide NP wage is about $140,670 (BLS OEWS, May 2025), among the higher state figures in the country and well above the $132,300 national median.
Nevada has one of the most acute behavioral-health workforce shortages in the country, concentrated in Las Vegas and Reno but severe statewide, which makes prescribers who are willing to serve high-need areas highly sought after.
Online programs set their own state authorization, so confirm each one enrolls Nevada residents before you apply. See our online PMHNP ranking.
If you are searching for PMHNP programs in Nevada, there is one verified in-state option: the University of Nevada, Reno, which offers an MSN at $383.25 per credit with no GRE requirement — among the lowest verified rates anywhere. Beyond that single campus, the field opens up online, because PMHNP education is overwhelmingly remote. A Nevada resident can also 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.
What makes Nevada distinctive goes beyond the program map. The state has one of the most acute behavioral-health workforce shortages in the country, severe in Las Vegas and Reno but felt statewide. It also grants nurse practitioners full practice authority and pays a statewide NP wage near $140,670, one of the higher figures nationally. The result is a market that needs psychiatric prescribers, lets them practice independently, and pays them well. The verified program above is generated from our dataset; this guide covers the online options, the Nevada licensure path, and the job market, and labels anything we cannot source rather than estimating it.
The verified PMHNP program based in Nevada
University of Nevada, Reno
Reno, NV
Accredited online PMHNP programs Nevada 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 Nevada 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 Nevada
The path to becoming a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner in Nevada is the same graduate-nursing route used nationwide, with one local variable: your APRN license and prescriptive authority come from the Nevada 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 Nevada 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. Nevada has 1 verified in-state program (listed above), and 45 accredited online programs also enroll Nevada 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 Nevada APRN licensure and DEA registration
The Nevada 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 Nevada 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.
Nevada NP licensure and full practice authority
Nevada is a full-practice-authority state, and has been since 2013. 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. That independence is a real advantage over reduced- and restricted-practice states, and it is part of what makes Nevada attractive for psychiatric prescribers: an experienced PMHNP can run independent and cash-pay practice models that are harder to operate elsewhere.
Licensure runs through the Nevada State Board of Nursing on top of national certification. The clinical credential you earn is the same nationwide; what Nevada adds is independent scope of practice.
What the state requires
- Active Nevada RN license
- Graduate PMHNP degree from an accredited program
- National PMHNP-BC certification (ANCC)
- APRN licensure with prescriptive authority from the Nevada State Board of Nursing
- DEA registration to prescribe controlled substances
State board: Nevada State Board of Nursing
PMHNP pay in Nevada
The Nevada statewide NP wage is about $140,670 per BLS OEWS state data, May 2025, among the higher state figures in the country and well above the $132,300 national NP median. Nevada has no state income tax, so the nominal wage tends to stretch further than the headline number suggests.
BLS does not separately publish entry-level or experienced PMHNP wages for Nevada, so we do not show those tiers rather than estimate them. Two structural factors push pay up here: an acute shortage of psychiatric prescribers, and full practice authority, which lets experienced PMHNPs pursue independent and cash-pay models that raise the ceiling. Our PMHNP salary guide breaks pay down by setting and practice model.
The Nevada PMHNP job market
Nevada has one of the most acute behavioral-health workforce shortages in the country. It is concentrated in Las Vegas and Reno, where most of the state's population lives, but it is severe statewide, including the rural counties. That shortage is the defining feature of the Nevada market for a psychiatric prescriber: demand outstrips supply almost everywhere. The BLS projects nurse practitioner employment to grow about 40% from 2024 to 2034 nationally; a Nevada-specific projection is not separately verified here. Full practice authority and a high statewide wage make Nevada especially attractive for prescribers willing to serve high-need areas, and the growth of telehealth widens the options further by letting you reach patients across the state from one location.
- Qualifying behavioral-health sites in Nevada, including community mental health centers and FQHCs, often participate in the federal NHSC Loan Repayment Program.
Choosing a PMHNP program from Nevada
With one verified in-state option (the University of Nevada, Reno) plus the national online field, the choice for a Nevada resident comes down to the program format and the clinical-placement logistics.
- Confirm the program enrolls Nevada residents. 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 Nevada preceptor, which can be harder in a shortage state.
- Weigh accreditation (CCNE or ACEN), total cost, and verified clinical hours, the same factors our rankings score.
- Plan to practice independently after you graduate, since Nevada grants full practice authority once you meet the state's requirements.
- Compare the online options below 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 Nevada?+
Does Nevada allow nurse practitioners to practice independently?+
How much do PMHNPs make in Nevada?+
Is there demand for PMHNPs in Nevada?+
What do I need to become a licensed PMHNP in Nevada?+
Program details and figures trace to primary sources; gaps are labeled, not estimated.