PMHNP Programs in Ohio
Ohio has seven verified, accredited PMHNP programs based in the state, mostly MSN routes plus a post-master's certificate, at schools including The Ohio State University, Case Western Reserve, Kent State, the University of Cincinnati, Mount Carmel College of Nursing, the University of Akron, and Wright State. Ohio is a reduced-practice state, so nurse practitioners work under a standard care arrangement with a collaborating physician. The national NP median wage is $132,300 (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2025); a separate Ohio statewide NP wage is not verified here, so no state figure is shown rather than estimated. Here is every verified Ohio program, the state licensure path, and what the job market looks like.
The short version
Ohio has seven verified, accredited PMHNP programs based in the state — mostly MSN routes plus a post-master's certificate — at The Ohio State University (Columbus), Case Western Reserve (Cleveland), Kent State (Kent), the University of Cincinnati (Cincinnati), Mount Carmel College of Nursing (Columbus), the University of Akron (Akron), and Wright State (Dayton). The full list is below, generated from our verified dataset.
Ohio grants nurse practitioners reduced practice authority, meaning you practice under a standard care arrangement with a collaborating physician. That is more restrictive than full-practice states.
A separate Ohio statewide NP wage is not verified here, so we show no state figure rather than estimate one. The national NP median is $132,300 (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2025).
Most Ohio programs are entry-level MSN routes; Cincinnati's is a post-master's certificate for nurses who already hold an MSN. Several Ohio schools — including Case Western, Kent State, Mount Carmel, and Akron — require no GRE.
Each program card below notes its verified tuition, credits, and clinical-hour details where the school publishes them, and labels the gaps where it does not.
Ohio has seven verified, accredited PMHNP programs based in the state, mostly entry-level master's routes plus a post-master's certificate. They span public and private schools across the state's major metros: The Ohio State University and Mount Carmel College of Nursing in Columbus, Case Western Reserve in Cleveland, Kent State in Kent, the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, the University of Akron in Akron, and Wright State in Dayton. Several — including Case Western, Kent State, Mount Carmel, and Akron — require no GRE. Because psychiatric-mental health NP education is largely online nationwide, Ohio residents can also enroll in out-of-state online programs.
What matters most in Ohio is practice authority. Ohio is a reduced-practice state, so a PMHNP works under a standard care arrangement with a collaborating physician rather than fully independently. We also flag a real gap: a separate Ohio statewide NP wage is not verified here, so we show the national figure and decline to estimate a state number. This guide covers the verified programs, the licensure path, and the job market, with every figure sourced and gaps labeled. The program list below is generated from our verified dataset.
The 7 verified PMHNP programs based in Ohio
Mount Carmel College of Nursing
Columbus, OH
The Ohio State University College of Nursing
Columbus, OH
Case Western Reserve University Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing
Cleveland, OH
Kent State University College of Nursing
Kent, OH
University of Cincinnati College of Nursing
Cincinnati, OH
Wright State University
Dayton, OH
Accredited online PMHNP programs Ohio 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 Ohio 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 Ohio
The path to becoming a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner in Ohio is the same graduate-nursing route used nationwide, with one local variable: your APRN license and prescriptive authority come from the Ohio 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 Ohio 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. Ohio has 7 verified in-state programs (listed above), and 45 accredited online programs also enroll Ohio 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 Ohio APRN licensure and DEA registration
The Ohio 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 Ohio 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.
Ohio NP licensure and reduced practice
Ohio is a reduced-practice state. The AANP defines that as state law reducing the ability of nurse practitioners to engage in at least one element of practice, and requiring a career-long regulated collaborative relationship with another health provider, typically a physician, in order to practice. In Ohio, that takes the form of a standard care arrangement with a collaborating physician, so a PMHNP prescribes and treats under that arrangement rather than fully independently.
That is worth weighing if independent or cash-pay practice is a long-term goal, since those models are harder to run here than in a full-practice state. Licensure runs through the Ohio Board of Nursing on top of national certification.
What the state requires
- Active Ohio RN license
- Graduate PMHNP degree from an accredited program
- National PMHNP-BC certification (ANCC)
- APRN licensure (CNP) with a certificate to prescribe from the Ohio Board of Nursing
- A standard care arrangement with a collaborating physician (required under reduced practice)
- DEA registration to prescribe controlled substances
State board: Ohio Board of Nursing
PMHNP pay in Ohio
The national NP median wage is $132,300 per the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2025. A separate Ohio statewide NP wage is not separately verified here, so we show no state figure rather than estimate one. Entry-level, experienced, and top-earner tiers are likewise not separately published for Ohio.
One structural factor: Ohio's reduced-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 standard care arrangement with a collaborating physician. For pay by setting, experience, and practice model, see our PMHNP salary guide.
The Ohio PMHNP job market
Demand for psychiatric prescribers is strong in Ohio, as nationally. The major Columbus, Cincinnati, and Cleveland metros concentrate hiring and clinical placements, while rural Appalachian counties in the state's southeast carry persistent mental health workforce shortages. The BLS projects nurse practitioner employment to grow about 40% from 2024 to 2034 nationally; an Ohio-specific projection is not separately verified here. Ohio's reduced-practice standard care arrangement applies wherever you practice in-state. Telehealth widens options further, especially for reaching underserved rural areas.
- Community mental health centers and FQHCs in Ohio that are designated shortage sites often qualify for the federal NHSC Loan Repayment Program.
Choosing a PMHNP program in Ohio
With seven verified in-state programs plus the national online field, Ohio 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.
- Entry point: most Ohio options (Ohio State, Case Western, Kent State, Mount Carmel, Akron, Wright State) are entry-level MSN programs; Cincinnati is a post-master's certificate for nurses who already hold an MSN.
- Cost and admissions: tuition varies widely across the verified Ohio programs, and several — including Case Western, Kent State, Mount Carmel, and Akron — require no GRE. Each program card above shows its verified rate and requirements where the school publishes them.
- 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.
- Many programs are online, so Ohio residents can also weigh out-of-state online options in our online PMHNP ranking.
Keep researching
Best Online PMHNP Programs
The national field of accredited online options Ohio residents can do.
Best PMHNP Programs
Our ranking of accredited PMHNP programs nationwide.
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 Ohio?+
Does Ohio allow nurse practitioners to practice independently?+
How much do PMHNPs make in Ohio?+
What degree types do Ohio PMHNP programs offer?+
What do I need to become a licensed PMHNP in Ohio?+
Program details and figures trace to primary sources; gaps are labeled, not estimated.
- [1] The Ohio State University College of Nursing, Master of Nursing Psychiatric NP (program page)
- [2] University of Cincinnati College of Nursing, Post-Master's Psychiatric Mental Health NP Certificate (program page)
- [3] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Nurse Practitioners
- [4] AANP, State Practice Environment (Ohio: reduced practice)