- 3 schools with Mostly Online format
Three Colorado schools offer five AGPCNP tracks across three pathways: BSN-to-DNP, master’s, and post-graduate certificate. Every program is mostly online, pairing remote coursework with a small number of required campus sessions. Estimated resident tuition runs from about $21,000 to $61,000 depending on pathway. Most students finish in 1.5 to 4.5 years, with the certificate the shortest route and the BSN-to-DNP the longest.
Highlights include:
- Colorado Christian University pairs its AGPCNP doctorate with a 32-credit Transformational Leadership core
- Colorado Mesa University charges non-residents the same online rate as Colorado residents
- University of Colorado Anschutz extends resident tuition to Western Regional Graduate Program students from WICHE states
- University of Colorado Anschutz reports a 100% AGPCNP certification pass rate
Compare Colorado AGPCNP Programs
| School | Online Format | Campus Commitment | Cost Per Credit | Degrees | Best For |
| Colorado Christian University | Mostly Online | One weekend intensive | $696 | BSN-DNP | DNP plus leadership training |
| Colorado Mesa University | Mostly Online | Spring-semester sessions | $727 | MSN | Rural and long-term care |
| University of Colorado Anschutz | Mostly Online | 1–3 campus courses by track | $820–$847 | BS-DNP, MS, certificate | Denver metro nurses |
CPC is derived and inclusive of mandatory per-credit fees at Colorado resident rates, rounded to the nearest dollar. CMU’s online rate is identical for non-residents; full rate breakdowns are on each school profile.
What’s the Best AGPCNP Program for You?
Best Doctoral Value
Colorado Christian University’s BSN-to-DNP costs an estimated $50K for residents, more than $10K below the University of Colorado Anschutz doctorate.
Best Placement Support
CU Anschutz arranges clinical sites and preceptors for students living in the Denver metro area, while students elsewhere are primarily responsible for their own.
Best for Rural and Long-Term Care Practice
Colorado Mesa University requires a 100-hour congregate care rotation and a 150-hour capstone in a rural or underserved community.
Best for MSN-Prepared Nurses
CU Anschutz’s 25-credit post-graduate certificate accepts nurses holding an MSN in any specialty, with no APRN certification required.
Best for Working Nurses
CMU caps every term at eight credits or fewer, keeping full-time employment realistic across its three-year plan.
Colorado DNP AGPCNP Programs
Colorado Christian University and the University of Colorado Anschutz both offer a BSN-to-DNP with an AGPCNP focus, and both prepare graduates for ANCC or AANPCB certification. CCU’s doctorate is a 67-credit, 36-month full-time plan with no master’s exit. CU Anschutz spreads 74 credits over 4 to 4.5 years. CCU’s separate MSN-to-DNP is leadership-only, so MSN holders seeking AGPCNP certification enter the BSN-to-DNP after a gap analysis.
| School | Estimated Tuition (resident) | Duration | Clinical Hours |
| Colorado Christian University (BSN-DNP) | $50K | 3 years | 1,160 hrs |
| University of Colorado Anschutz (BS-DNP) | $61K | 4–4.5 years | 1,080 hrs |
CCU’s total includes 520 leadership practicum hours and CU Anschutz’s includes 540 DNP project hours, leaving 640 and 540 AGPCNP specialty hours respectively.
- Fewest campus trips: CCU — one Saturday-and-Sunday intensive across the full program.
- Placement help beyond Denver: CCU — a Clinical Program Manager helps identify preceptors near home, without a guarantee.
- Two degrees, one application: CU Anschutz — students earn the MS and DNP back to back.
- Back-loaded clinicals: CCU — year three carries 840 of the 1,160 practicum hours.
Colorado MSN AGPCNP Programs
Colorado Mesa University and the University of Colorado Anschutz offer the state’s two master’s-level AGPCNP tracks, both open only to BSN-prepared RNs. CMU’s 46-credit MSN admits one cohort each summer, and students arrange their own preceptors. CU Anschutz’s 48-credit MS runs seven semesters, with year one entirely didactic and all four practicums in the second half. Both programs hold CCNE accreditation.
| School | Estimated Tuition (resident) | Duration | Clinical Hours |
| Colorado Mesa University | $33K | 3 years | 750 hrs |
| University of Colorado Anschutz (MS) | $39K | 2.5 years | 540 hrs |
- Lower master’s cost: CMU — $33K resident, about $6K below CU Anschutz.
- Faster finish: CU Anschutz — 2.5 years versus about three at CMU.
- More direct patient care hours: CMU — 750, with simulation and OSCE time logged separately.
Colorado Post-Graduate Certificate AGPCNP Programs
The University of Colorado Anschutz is the only Colorado school offering a post-graduate AGPCNP certificate. The 25-credit program covers the specialty sequence and four practicums, assuming pathophysiology, pharmacology, and assessment were completed in the prior master’s. CU lists 1.5 years to finish. Campus attendance is limited to one two-day skills intensive, the lightest requirement among CU’s three tracks.
| School | Estimated Tuition (resident) | Duration | Clinical Hours |
| University of Colorado Anschutz (certificate) | $21K | 1.5 years | 540 hrs |
- Cost can rise: CU Anschutz — the $21K estimate excludes core courses added after transcript review.
- Five-year recency rule: CU Anschutz — prior advanced practice coursework counts only if completed within five years.
National Online AGPCNP Options
Colorado’s programs leave a few gaps. None is fully online, none admits associate-degree nurses, and only CU Anschutz arranges clinical placements, and only inside the Denver metro.
National online schools fill some of these gaps. Walden University requires no campus visits and admits ADN nurses. Chamberlain University also has an RN-entry bridge but requires two campus events. Purdue Global’s fully online certificate serves nurses who already hold a graduate degree.
- Walden University: $785 per quarter credit ($960 for DNP courses); MSN, RN-to-MSN, BSN-DNP, MSN-DNP, post-master's certificate
- Chamberlain University: $760 per credit plus per-course APRN fees; MSN, RN-BSN-to-MSN, graduate certificate
- Purdue Global: $420 per quarter credit; post-master's certificate only
Purdue Global’s state exclusions don’t include Colorado; confirm Colorado authorization with Walden and Chamberlain before applying.
FAQ
How many AGPCNP programs are in Colorado?
Three CCNE-accredited schools offer five AGPCNP tracks: Colorado Christian University (BSN-to-DNP), Colorado Mesa University (MSN), and the University of Colorado Anschutz (MS, BS-to-DNP, and post-graduate certificate).
Are there fully online AGPCNP programs in Colorado?
No. All three schools classify as Mostly Online, delivering coursework remotely but requiring some in-person attendance.
Which Colorado AGPCNP program has the lowest tuition?
CU Anschutz’s certificate has the lowest total at about $21K, though transcript review can add core courses. For BSN-prepared nurses, CMU’s MSN at about $33K is the lowest-cost route to AGPCNP certification in Colorado. CCU has the lowest per-credit rate at $696, but its doctorate-only structure produces a higher total.
Which Colorado schools offer an AGPCNP DNP?
Colorado Christian University and CU Anschutz both offer a BSN-to-DNP. Colorado Mesa University’s DNP is family nurse practitioner only.
Do Colorado AGPCNP programs require campus visits?
Yes. CCU requires one weekend intensive in Lakewood. CMU holds OSCEs and student intensives in person during spring semesters but does not publish a visit count. CU Anschutz ties Aurora campus attendance to one course for the certificate, two for the MS, and three for the BS-to-DNP.
Can I complete clinical hours near home?
At CCU, all in-person hours take place where you live. CMU students secure local preceptors themselves, though metro residents may need to travel for the rural capstone. CU Anschutz placements for Denver metro students can land anywhere in Colorado, while students outside the metro largely arrange their own sites.
Do out-of-state students pay more?
It depends on the school. CMU charges non-residents its $727 online rate. CU Anschutz charges $1,330 per credit unless the student qualifies for the Western Regional Graduate Program, and it cannot admit distance students planning licensure in states it designates “does not meet.” CCU publishes no residency-based pricing and lists no nursing state exclusions under NC-SARA.