PMHNP Programs in Oregon
Oregon has one verified, in-state PMHNP program: the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) School of Nursing BSN-to-DNP in Portland, which runs $713 per credit and does not require the GRE. Another Oregon program is on the way: George Fox University's hybrid PMHNP DNP at its Portland Center enrolls its first class in fall 2027 and is still pursuing initial accreditation. Most psychiatric-mental health NP study is also available online, so Oregon residents can enroll in accredited online programs and complete the supervised clinical hours close to home. Oregon is also one of the better states to practice in. Nurse practitioners have long held full practice authority, and the statewide NP wage is about $155,680 (BLS OEWS, May 2025), among the higher state figures in the country. Here are the verified program, the online options, the Oregon licensure path, and what the job market and pay look like.
The short version
Oregon has one verified, in-state PMHNP program: the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) School of Nursing BSN-to-DNP in Portland, at $713 per credit with no GRE required — generated from our verified dataset below. Many Oregon residents also study through an accredited online program and complete clinical hours locally.
Another in-state program is coming: George Fox University's PMHNP DNP at its Portland Center starts its first cohort in fall 2027. It is not yet accredited (the school expects a CCNE decision in spring 2027, as of September 22, 2026), so it is not in our verified list.
Oregon grants nurse practitioners full practice authority, a long-standing policy, so a PMHNP can evaluate, diagnose, and prescribe independently under the board of nursing once state requirements are met.
The statewide NP wage is about $155,680 (BLS OEWS, May 2025), among the higher state figures in the country and well above the $132,300 national median.
Full practice authority plus telehealth makes Oregon a strong fit for independent and rural-serving psychiatric care, where the state has a documented shortage of providers.
Online programs set their own state authorization, so confirm each one enrolls Oregon residents before you apply. See our online PMHNP ranking.
If you are searching for psychiatric nurse practitioner (PMHNP) programs in Oregon, the state has one verified in-state option: the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) School of Nursing BSN-to-DNP in Portland, which runs $713 per credit and does not require the GRE. Beyond that single campus program, PMHNP education is overwhelmingly online, so an Oregon 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 Oregon worth a careful look is where the work happens after graduation. The state has long granted nurse practitioners full practice authority, which means an experienced PMHNP can run an independent practice without a mandated physician agreement. Pair that with a statewide NP wage among the highest in the country, a real psychiatric-provider shortage in rural counties, and the reach of telehealth, and Oregon becomes one of the more attractive states to practice psychiatric-mental health care from. The program list below is generated from our verified dataset; this guide also covers the online options, the Oregon licensure path, and the pay and job-market context, and labels anything we cannot source rather than estimating it.
One more Oregon program is on the way. George Fox University's hybrid PMHNP DNP, based at its Portland Center, is pursuing initial accreditation and starts its first cohort in fall 2027. It is not a verified program yet, so it sits in its own card below the verified list, with the school's figures and the date we last checked its status.
The verified psychiatric nurse practitioner (PMHNP) program based in Oregon
Oregon Health & Science University School of Nursing
Portland, OR
Coming, not yet accredited
Not counted as a verified program. We list it because its degree is under accreditation review, and we will move it into the list above if the accreditor grants it.
National PMHNP board certification requires graduating from an accredited program. George Fox University's DNP is not CCNE-accredited yet.
George Fox University
Doctor of Nursing Practice: Psychiatric Mental Health
Portland Center, Portland, OR
Status: "The Doctor of Nursing Practice program at George Fox University is pursuing initial accreditation by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. CCNE representatives will make a site visit in fall 2026, with an accreditation decision expected in spring 2027." (George Fox University, checked Sep 22, 2026)
CCNE directory: CCNE lists George Fox University's baccalaureate program only. The DNP is not listed. (CCNE accredited programs, checked Sep 22, 2026)
Clinical placement: the school states "we guarantee clinical placements" (George Fox University, checked Sep 22, 2026)
Figures above: from George Fox University's program page, checked Sep 22, 2026.
Accredited online psychiatric nurse practitioner (PMHNP) programs Oregon 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 Oregon 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 Oregon
The path to becoming a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner in Oregon is the same graduate-nursing route used nationwide, with one local variable: your APRN license and prescriptive authority come from the Oregon 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 Oregon 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. Oregon has 1 verified in-state program (listed above), and 46 accredited online programs also enroll Oregon 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 Oregon APRN licensure and DEA registration
The Oregon 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 Oregon 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.
Oregon NP licensure and full practice authority
Oregon is a full-practice-authority state, and has been one for a long time. 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 state requirements are met. For a PMHNP, that independence is the difference between practicing under someone else's oversight and being able to open and run your own psychiatric practice.
Licensure runs through the Oregon State Board of Nursing on top of national certification. The clinical credential you earn is the same nationwide; what Oregon adds is one of the most permissive practice environments in the country, which is why the state is often cited as a model for independent NP practice.
What the state requires
- Active Oregon RN license
- Graduate PMHNP degree from an accredited program
- National PMHNP-BC certification (ANCC)
- NP licensure with prescriptive authority from the Oregon State Board of Nursing
- DEA registration to prescribe controlled substances
State board: Oregon State Board of Nursing
PMHNP pay in Oregon
The Oregon statewide NP wage is about $155,680 per BLS OEWS state data, May 2025, among the higher state figures in the country and well above the $132,300 national NP median from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook.
BLS does not separately publish entry-level or experienced PMHNP wages for Oregon, so we do not show those tiers rather than estimate them. One structural advantage in Oregon: full practice authority lets experienced PMHNPs pursue the independent and cash-pay models that raise the ceiling most, since they are not tied to a physician collaboration agreement. Our PMHNP salary guide breaks pay down by experience, setting, and practice model.
The Oregon PMHNP job market
Oregon's psychiatric demand splits in two directions. The Portland metro concentrates hospitals, behavioral health systems, and academic clinics, while much of the rest of the state has a documented shortage of psychiatric providers across its rural counties. The BLS projects nurse practitioner employment to grow about 41% from 2025 to 2035 nationally; an Oregon-specific projection is not separately verified here. Full practice authority and telehealth combine to make Oregon especially attractive for independent and rural-serving practice, since a PMHNP can reach underserved communities directly without a physician agreement standing between provider and patient.
- Community mental health centers and FQHCs at qualifying sites in Oregon often participate in the federal NHSC Loan Repayment Program.
Choosing a PMHNP program from Oregon
With one verified in-state campus program (OHSU's BSN-to-DNP in Portland) plus the national online field, the choice for an Oregon resident comes down to the program format and the clinical-placement logistics, with the payoff of full practice authority waiting on the other side.
- George Fox University's hybrid PMHNP DNP in the Portland area opens in fall 2027 but is not accredited yet. Treat it as an option only once CCNE's directory lists the DNP.
- Decide between the in-state OHSU BSN-to-DNP and an online program. If you choose an online route, confirm it enrolls Oregon residents, since state authorization varies.
- Ask who arranges your clinical placement. School-arranged placement is a major advantage, especially if you are rural; student-arranged means you secure your own Oregon preceptor.
- Weigh accreditation (CCNE or ACEN), total cost, and verified clinical hours, the same factors our rankings score.
- Think ahead to full practice: Oregon lets experienced PMHNPs work independently, so consider whether a program prepares you for the autonomy you will eventually have.
- 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 Oregon?+
Is George Fox University's PMHNP program accredited?+
Can I do a PMHNP online in Oregon?+
Does Oregon allow nurse practitioners to practice independently?+
How much do PMHNPs make in Oregon?+
What do I need to become a licensed PMHNP in Oregon?+
Program details and figures trace to primary sources; gaps are labeled, not estimated.
- [1] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS: Nurse Practitioners (29-1171), national and state wages
- [2] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Nurse Practitioners
- [3] AANP, State Practice Environment (Oregon: full practice authority)
- [4] Oregon State Board of Nursing
- [5] George Fox University, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Program (DNP), checked 2026-09-22
- [6] CCNE, Accredited Programs: Oregon, checked 2026-09-22