Saint Joseph’s College of Maine is the state’s only in-state AGPCNP program, and it covers both the MSN and post-graduate certificate levels with a structure that’s genuinely built around working nurses. Both tracks are fully online, require just one on-campus skills day, and use rolling admissions with three annual start dates. There’s no application fee and no GRE.
Clinical rotations are completed locally with community providers — not at designated program sites. The MSN runs approximately $39,000 and the CAGS certificate comes in at roughly $18,000, making Saint Joseph’s one of the most affordable CCNE-accredited AGPCNP options available nationally at either level.
The one gap in Maine’s in-state offering is the DNP. Saint Joseph’s does not offer a BSN-to-DNP or post-master’s DNP, and there’s no RN-to-MSN bridge for nurses without a BSN.
Nurses pursuing a doctoral pathway or starting from an associate degree will need to look at national online programs. Those options are covered in the sections below.
Maine AGPCNP Programs at a Glance
| School | Program | Format | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Joseph’s College of Maine | MSN AGPCNP | Online + 1 on-campus skills day | ~$39K |
| Saint Joseph’s College of Maine | Post-Graduate Certificate AGPCNP (CAGS) | Online + 1 on-campus skills day | ~$18K |
Saint Joseph’s College of Maine
Saint Joseph’s occupies a distinctive position in the national AGPCNP market — not just for Maine nurses, but for nurses anywhere looking for a low-barrier, affordable online program. The CAGS at $492 per credit is priced well below most certificate competitors. The MSN at $746 per credit is similarly competitive. Combined with no application fee, no GRE, rolling three-times-per-year admissions, and community-based clinical rotations, the friction to entry is lower than virtually any comparable CCNE-accredited program in this specialty.
The one required on-campus day covers specialty-specific skills in a supervised simulation environment and counts toward clinical hours. Outside of that single visit, everything is online. Clinical hours are completed in the student’s own geographic area — the program explicitly frames this as working with providers you already know, which matters practically for nurses in rural or lower-density regions of Maine where unfamiliar preceptor networks can be a real obstacle.
A few features of Saint Joseph’s worth noting:
- ~$18K CAGS certificate — one of the most affordable CCNE-accredited AGPCNP certificates available nationally
- ~$39K MSN, completable in approximately 2 years 3 months full-time or 3.5–4 years part-time
- No application fee and no GRE across both tracks
- Three start dates per year: fall, spring, and summer
- Clinical rotations completed locally with community providers
- One mandatory on-campus skills day per program (24 hours, counts toward clinical time)
- CCNE accredited; Maine State Board of Nursing approved
One important note on the CAGS: while the GPA requirement for the MSN admission is 3.0, the CAGS has a higher bar — a 3.5 GPA in the MSN is required for admission. The certificate is designed for already-credentialed nurses adding a second NP specialty, and the admissions process is described as competitive. Nurses whose MSN GPA falls between 3.0 and 3.5 should check with the program directly before applying.
Who Should Consider Saint Joseph’s College?
Saint Joseph’s is likely the right choice if you:
- Hold a BSN and want an affordable online MSN with rolling admissions and no application fee
- Already hold an MSN and want to add the AGPCNP specialty at one of the lowest certificate price points available
- Practice in a rural or lower-density area and want to complete clinicals with providers you already work with
- Need scheduling flexibility and can’t commit to a single annual admission window
- Want a part-time option that stretches to 3.5–4 years without premium pricing
You may want to consider a national program if you:
- Want a BSN-to-DNP or post-master’s DNP — Saint Joseph’s does not offer a doctoral track
- Hold an associate degree without a BSN and need an RN-to-MSN bridge
- Have a MSN GPA below 3.5 and are interested in the certificate track
- Need zero campus visits under any circumstances
Are There DNP AGPCNP Programs in Maine?
No. Saint Joseph’s College does not offer a DNP. Maine nurses pursuing a terminal practice degree need a national online program. The options below enroll Maine residents and allow local clinical completion.
| School | Track | Estimated Cost | Notable Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walden University | BSN-DNP AGPCNP | $87K | Fully online; 1,000 practice hours; Practicum Pledge® support; multiple entry points |
| Walden University | MSN-DNP AGPCNP | $77K | Post-master’s DNP; gap analysis for prior clinical hours; fully online |
Are There RN-to-MSN AGPCNP Options for Maine Nurses Without a BSN?
Saint Joseph’s requires a BSN for MSN admission. Nurses with an associate degree need a national program. Both options below are available to Maine residents.
| School | Estimated Cost | Notable Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Wilkes University | $39K | 100% online; complimentary placement support; dedicated Student Success Advisor |
| Walden University | $54K–$60K | Accepts hospital diploma, ADN, or non-nursing bachelor’s; Practicum Pledge® support |
| South University | $50K | 2.5 minimum GPA for admission; no GRE; no letters of reference required |
Online AGPCNP Programs for Maine Nurses
Maine nurses who want a broader range of options — different pricing, placement support models, or degree types not available through Saint Joseph’s — have solid national programs to compare.
Wilkes University offers the lowest-cost national MSN at approximately $30,040 with complimentary placement support included and a 91.6% 2023 certification pass rate.
Chamberlain University offers an MSN at approximately $34,200 with Practicum Commitment® support and two Chicago-area immersions including a capstone board exam review.
Rasmussen University delivers a competency-based MSN at approximately $51,130 with no weekly deadlines and dedicated clinical coordinator support for local placement.
For certificate seekers comparing national options against Saint Joseph’s ~$18K CAGS, Wilkes University (~$20,277) and Purdue Global (~$25,200, 1.5 years, 2.5 GPA minimum) are the most price-competitive alternatives.
Always confirm state authorization and Maine APRN licensure eligibility with any national program before applying.
How to Choose an AGPCNP Program in Maine
For most BSN-prepared nurses in Maine, Saint Joseph’s is the obvious starting point. The combination of no application fee, no GRE, three annual start dates, local clinical completion, and some of the lowest per-credit rates in the country for a CCNE-accredited program makes it hard to justify going elsewhere for the MSN unless you have a specific need Saint Joseph’s can’t meet. The part-time option stretching to nearly 4 years gives working nurses real flexibility without premium pricing.
The CAGS certificate deserves particular attention. At approximately $18,000 for a 30-credit post-graduate certificate with 600 supervised clinical hours completed locally, it is among the most affordable AGPCNP certificate programs in this entire comparison — national programs included. The higher 3.5 GPA requirement for admission is the main gating factor; nurses who meet it and already hold an MSN have a compelling case to start here rather than with a national program.
If you need a DNP, you’re looking at national programs regardless. Saint Joseph’s does not offer one. Walden University is the most accessible national online option for Maine nurses at both the BSN-DNP and MSN-DNP levels, with local clinical completion and Practicum Pledge® support.
Nurses without a BSN should also look at national programs. Saint Joseph’s requires a BSN for MSN admission. Wilkes University’s RN-to-MSN at approximately $38,301 is the lowest-cost national bridge option with included placement support. Walden and South University are solid alternatives depending on GPA and entry needs.
Maine AGPCNP Program FAQ
How many in-state AGPCNP programs are in Maine?
One — Saint Joseph’s College of Maine, which offers an MSN and a post-graduate CAGS certificate. There are no in-state DNP AGPCNP programs or RN-to-MSN bridge tracks. Nurses pursuing those pathways need a national online program.
Is Saint Joseph’s fully online?
Primarily yes. All coursework is delivered online, and clinical rotations are completed locally in the student’s own community. The only required campus visit is a single on-campus skills day, which covers specialty simulation and counts toward clinical hours. Outside of that one day, no campus travel is required.
What is the cheapest AGPCNP certificate available to Maine nurses?
Saint Joseph’s CAGS at approximately $18,000 is the most affordable CCNE-accredited AGPCNP certificate option in this comparison — including national programs. A 3.5 MSN GPA is required for admission. Wilkes University’s certificate (~$20,277) is the next most affordable national alternative with included placement support.
Does Saint Joseph’s College help students find clinical placements?
The program is structured around local community-based rotations with providers the student already knows, rather than a formal placement coordination model. Total clinical hours for the MSN are not explicitly published on the official program page — contact Saint Joseph’s directly to confirm the requirement before applying. The CAGS requires a minimum of 600 supervised clinical hours.
Can nurses apply to Saint Joseph’s with a GPA below 3.0?
For the MSN, a minimum 3.0 GPA is required. For the CAGS certificate, a 3.5 GPA in the MSN is required — notably higher. There is no published GPA exception process for either track. Nurses with a GPA between 2.5 and 3.0 seeking a national MSN alternative should consider South University (2.5 minimum) or Chamberlain University (provisional acceptance available for 2.50–2.99).
Are there AGPCNP programs available to Maine nurses without a BSN?
Not in-state. Saint Joseph’s requires a BSN for MSN admission. Wilkes University, Walden University, and South University all offer RN-to-MSN AGPCNP tracks that accept associate-degree nurses and are available to Maine residents. Confirm state authorization with each program before applying.