PMHNP Programs in North Carolina
North Carolina has 4 verified in-state PMHNP programs: Duke University (Durham), which offers both an MSN and a post-master's certificate; East Carolina University (ECU) in Greenville; and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) — all CCNE-accredited, and none requires the GRE. ECU is the affordable public option at $427 per credit, versus private Duke at $2,250 per credit. North Carolina is a restricted-practice state, so nurse practitioners work under physician supervision through a collaborative practice agreement. The national NP median is $132,300 (BLS, May 2025), but a North Carolina statewide NP wage is not separately verified here, so we do not show a state figure rather than estimate one. Here are the verified programs, the state licensure path, and what the job market looks like.
The short version
North Carolina has 4 verified, CCNE-accredited PMHNP programs: Duke University (Durham), which offers both an MSN and a post-master's certificate; East Carolina University (ECU) in Greenville; and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) — the full list is below, generated from our verified dataset. None of these programs requires the GRE.
The most affordable verified route is public: ECU charges $427 per credit, well below private Duke at $2,250 per credit. Duke is the only North Carolina program offering both an MSN and a post-master's certificate for nurses who already hold an MSN.
North Carolina grants nurse practitioners restricted practice authority: you practice under physician supervision through a collaborative practice agreement. A 2024 effort to grant full practice authority (the SAVE Act) did not pass.
A North Carolina statewide NP wage is not separately verified here, so we cite the $132,300 national median (BLS, May 2025) and do not show a state figure rather than estimate one.
For the broader national field of accredited options, see our online PMHNP ranking and our flagship PMHNP ranking.
If you are searching for PMHNP programs in North Carolina, you have a small but solid in-state field: 4 verified, CCNE-accredited programs, with both public and private options. Duke University in Durham is the private flagship at $2,250 per credit, and it is the only North Carolina school offering both an MSN and a post-master's certificate for nurses who already hold an MSN. East Carolina University (ECU) in Greenville is the affordable public option at $427 per credit, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) rounds out the field with its own MSN route. None of the four requires the GRE.
Two North Carolina specifics shape the decision. First, the state grants nurse practitioners restricted practice authority, so you work under physician supervision through a collaborative practice agreement; a 2024 push for full practice authority, the SAVE Act, did not pass. Second, a North Carolina statewide NP wage is not separately verified in our dataset, so this guide cites the national median and labels the state figure as a gap rather than estimating it. The program list below is generated from our verified dataset — every figure traces to the accreditor directory or the school's own pages, and where a number is not published, we label it rather than estimate.
The 4 verified PMHNP programs based in North Carolina
East Carolina University College of Nursing
Greenville, NC
Duke University School of Nursing
Durham, NC
Duke University School of Nursing
Durham, NC
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC
Accredited online PMHNP programs North Carolina 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 North Carolina 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 North Carolina
The path to becoming a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner in North Carolina is the same graduate-nursing route used nationwide, with one local variable: your APRN license and prescriptive authority come from the North Carolina 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 North Carolina 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. North Carolina has 4 verified in-state programs (listed above), and 45 accredited online programs also enroll North Carolina 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 North Carolina APRN licensure and DEA registration
The North Carolina 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 North Carolina 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.
North Carolina NP licensure and restricted practice
North Carolina is a restricted-practice state, which the AANP defines as state law restricting the ability of a nurse practitioner to engage in at least one element of practice, and requiring career-long supervision, delegation, or team management by another health provider for the NP to provide care. In North Carolina, that means you practice under physician supervision through a collaborative practice agreement, and your authorization to practice comes jointly from the North Carolina Board of Nursing and the North Carolina Medical Board.
A 2024 effort to grant full practice authority, known as the SAVE Act, did not pass, so the supervision requirement remains in place. That is worth weighing if independent or cash-pay practice is a long-term goal, since those models are harder to run under a collaborative practice agreement. Licensure runs through the North Carolina Board of Nursing on top of national certification.
What the state requires
- Active North Carolina RN license
- Graduate PMHNP degree from an accredited program
- National PMHNP-BC certification (ANCC)
- NP approval to practice jointly from the North Carolina Board of Nursing and the North Carolina Medical Board
- A collaborative practice agreement with a supervising physician (required under restricted practice)
- DEA registration to prescribe controlled substances
State board: North Carolina Board of Nursing
PMHNP pay in North Carolina
The national NP median is about $132,300 per the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2025. A North Carolina statewide NP wage is not separately verified here, so we show no state figure rather than estimate one. We would rather flag that gap than publish a number we cannot source.
BLS also does not separately publish entry-level or experienced PMHNP wages for North Carolina, so those tiers are not shown either. One structural factor to keep in mind: North Carolina restricted-practice rules make the independent and cash-pay models that lift pay most in full-practice states harder to run, since you must maintain a collaborative practice agreement with a supervising physician. Our PMHNP salary guide details pay by setting and practice model.
The North Carolina PMHNP job market
North Carolina concentrates psychiatric-prescriber demand in the Research Triangle around Raleigh and Durham and in Charlotte, while rural eastern North Carolina faces a documented shortage of mental health providers. The BLS projects nurse practitioner employment to grow about 40% from 2024 to 2034 nationally; a North Carolina-specific projection is not separately verified here. Restricted practice means physician supervision wherever you work in-state, so plan for a collaborative practice agreement at every job. Telehealth widens the options, including reaching the rural eastern counties that need prescribers most.
- Community mental health centers and FQHCs in North Carolina often qualify for the federal NHSC Loan Repayment Program at approved sites.
Choosing a PMHNP program in North Carolina
With 4 verified in-state programs plus the national online field, North Carolina gives you real choice. A few factors matter more than brand:
- Accreditation first: every program in the list above is CCNE-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 option is dramatically cheaper. ECU is $427 per credit, versus $2,250 per credit at private Duke.
- Entry point: decide whether you want an entry-level MSN or a post-master's certificate. Duke offers both; ECU and UNC offer the MSN route.
- Plan for the North Carolina collaborative practice agreement when you graduate, since you will practice under physician supervision.
- Compare these programs against the full field in our online PMHNP ranking and flagship PMHNP ranking.
Keep researching
Best Online PMHNP Programs
The full national field of accredited online options.
Best PMHNP Programs
The flagship ranking across every format.
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 North Carolina?+
Does North Carolina allow nurse practitioners to practice independently?+
How much do PMHNPs make in North Carolina?+
Do North Carolina PMHNP programs arrange your clinical placements?+
What do I need to become a licensed PMHNP in North Carolina?+
Program details and figures trace to primary sources; gaps are labeled, not estimated.
- [1] Duke University School of Nursing, MSN Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (program page)
- [2] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Nurse Practitioners
- [3] AANP, State Practice Environment (North Carolina: restricted practice)
- [4] North Carolina Board of Nursing