PMHNP Programs in Washington
Washington has five accredited PMHNP programs based in the state, at the University of Washington, Washington State University, Gonzaga, Seattle University, and Pacific Lutheran. Most are BSN-to-DNP doctoral routes, with Gonzaga the lone MSN. It is also one of the better states to practice in. Nurse practitioners have full practice authority, and the statewide NP wage is about $156,100 (BLS OEWS, May 2025), one of the highest state figures in the country and well above the $132,300 national median. Here is every verified Washington program, the state licensure path, and what the job market and pay look like.
The short version
Five accredited PMHNP programs are based in Washington: the University of Washington (Seattle), Washington State University (Spokane), Gonzaga University (Spokane), Seattle University (Seattle), and Pacific Lutheran University (Tacoma) — the full list is below, generated from our verified dataset.
Most of the in-state programs are BSN-to-DNP (doctoral) routes; Gonzaga is the lone MSN. Seattle University notes no GRE requirement.
Washington 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 $156,100 (BLS OEWS, May 2025), one of the highest state figures in the country.
Many accredited programs based in other states also enroll Washington residents online; confirm authorization with each. See the online PMHNP ranking.
If you are searching for PMHNP programs in Washington, the verified in-state field is five accredited programs, spread across both sides of the state. Four are BSN-to-DNP (doctoral) routes — the University of Washington and Seattle University in Seattle, Washington State University in Spokane, and Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma — while Gonzaga University in Spokane is the lone MSN. Washington is also a strong place to train and practice. It grants nurse practitioners full practice authority and pays one of the highest statewide NP wages in the country.
This guide covers only programs we have verified against the accreditor directory and each school's own pages, plus the Washington context that actually shapes your decision: licensure, pay, and the job market. The program list below is generated from our verified dataset, and where a Washington-specific number is not separately published, we label it rather than estimate.
The 5 verified PMHNP programs based in Washington
Pacific Lutheran University School of Nursing
Tacoma, WA
Seattle University College of Nursing
Seattle, WA
Gonzaga University
Spokane, WA
University of Washington School of Nursing
Seattle, WA
Washington State University
Spokane, WA
Accredited online PMHNP programs Washington 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 Washington 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 pageNot open to Washington residents: Western Governors University. WGU's program page states it does not enroll residents of California, the District of Columbia, Louisiana, New York, North Dakota, or Washington.
Confirm current state authorization with each program. For the full comparison of these programs, see our online PMHNP ranking.
How to become a PMHNP in Washington
The path to becoming a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner in Washington is the same graduate-nursing route used nationwide, with one local variable: your APRN license and prescriptive authority come from the Washington 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 Washington 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. Washington has 5 verified in-state programs (listed above), and 44 accredited online programs also enroll Washington 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 Washington APRN licensure and DEA registration
The Washington 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 Washington 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.
Washington NP licensure and full practice authority
Washington is a full-practice-authority state, and has been 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 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 Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission on top of national certification. The credential you earn is the same nationwide; what Washington adds is the practice environment.
What the state requires
- Active Washington RN license
- Graduate PMHNP degree from an accredited program
- National PMHNP-BC certification (ANCC)
- ARNP licensure from the Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission
- DEA registration to prescribe controlled substances
State board: Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission
PMHNP pay in Washington
The Washington statewide NP wage is about $156,100 per BLS OEWS state data, May 2025, one of the highest state figures in the country and well above the $132,300 national NP median. Washington is a high-wage, high-cost state, so weigh that premium against local cost of living, especially in the Seattle metro.
BLS does not separately publish entry-level or experienced PMHNP wages for Washington, 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 Washington PMHNP job market
Demand for psychiatric prescribers is strong in Washington, as it is nationally. The BLS projects nurse practitioner employment to grow about 40% from 2024 to 2034 nationally; a Washington-specific projection is not separately verified here. The Seattle metro's large care systems, including UW Medicine, support both clinical placements and post-graduation hiring, and eastern Washington around Spokane adds options outside the I-5 corridor. 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 Washington
With five in-state programs plus the national online field, the choice comes down to a few factors that matter more than brand.
- Accreditation first: every program in the list above clears it, so each is eligible for ANCC PMHNP-BC certification.
- Degree level: four of the five Washington programs are BSN-to-DNP (doctoral) routes — UW, WSU, Seattle University, and Pacific Lutheran — while Gonzaga is an MSN. Decide whether you need a doctoral credential.
- Clinical placement support: ask who arranges your preceptors versus who expects you to secure your own. Confirm each school's model before you enroll.
- Cost: per-credit rates vary across the in-state programs. Each program card above shows its verified rate; confirm the current figure directly with each school.
- If you want the broader national field of accredited online options, see our online PMHNP ranking.
Keep researching
Best Online PMHNP Programs
The national field of accredited online options.
PMHNP Program Rankings
Our verified ranking of psychiatric NP programs.
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 Washington?+
Does Washington allow nurse practitioners to practice independently?+
How much do PMHNPs make in Washington?+
Can I study a PMHNP online in Washington?+
What do I need to become a licensed PMHNP in Washington?+
Program details and figures trace to primary sources; gaps are labeled, not estimated.
- [1] University of Washington School of Nursing, BSN-to-DNP Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (program page)
- [2] Gonzaga University, 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 (Washington: full practice authority)