- 2 Schools, both Mostly Online
Alabama has two AGPCNP providers: the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and the University of South Alabama (USA). Each lists four tracks spanning BSN-entry MSN, BSN-to-DNP, post-master’s DNP, and post-graduate certificate pathways. Both deliver coursework mostly online with required campus intensives. Estimated resident tuition runs about $14K to $59K, the same as nonresidents pay. Programs take roughly 1.5 to 4.5 years.
Highlights include:
- USA limits campus time to one 3–5 day clinical skills intensive
- USA publishes clinical hour totals for every track
- UAB publishes no minimum RN experience for MSN or DNP admission
- USA admits MSN and DNP students in fall, spring, and summer
Compare Alabama AGPCNP Programs
| School | Online Format | Campus Commitment | Cost Per Credit | Degrees | Best For |
| University of Alabama at Birmingham | Mostly Online | Intensives; annual for DNP | $744 | BSN-DNP, MSN-DNP, MSN, certificate | Placement support |
| University of South Alabama | Mostly Online | One 3–5 day intensive | $594 | BSN-DNP, MSN-DNP, MSN, certificate | Lowest cost |
CPC reflects each school’s published flat online rate, identical for Alabama residents and nonresidents and rounded to the nearest dollar; per-course and other student fees are excluded, and full rate breakdowns are on each school profile.
What’s the Best AGPCNP Program for You?
Best Value
USA’s flat $594 credit rate undercuts UAB’s $744 on every matching track.
Best Placement Support
UAB faculty coordinate practica across more than 5,000 clinical affiliates, though some sites still expect students to recruit their own preceptors.
Best Post-Master’s DNP
AGPCNP-prepared nurses can finish USA’s same-specialty MSN-DNP in about two years for $21K, with no campus visit.
Best for Full-Time Study
USA’s BSN-DNP offers a 3.5-year full-time plan, while every UAB track is part-time.
Alabama DNP AGPCNP Programs
Both schools offer a BSN-to-DNP that folds the AGPCNP specialty into doctoral study, plus a post-master’s route. UAB’s 79-credit BSN-DNP runs part-time, with specialty clinicals concentrated in year three. USA’s version spans 69 to 87 credits on full- or part-time plans. UAB’s post-MSN DNP is doctoral completion for certified APRNs and does not confer AGPCNP eligibility. USA’s MSN-DNP has same-specialty and new-specialty options.
| School | Estimated Tuition (resident) | Duration | Clinical Hours |
| UAB (BSN-DNP) | $59K | 3–3.5 years | Not clearly stated |
| USA (BSN-DNP) | $41K–$52K | 3.5–4.5 years | 1,140+ hrs |
| UAB (Post-MSN DNP) | $32K | 2.5 years | Not clearly stated |
| USA (MSN-DNP, same specialty) | $21K | 2 years | 540 hrs |
| USA (MSN-DNP, new specialty) | $36K–$41K | 3.5 years | 1,140+ hrs |
USA’s DNP totals include residency hours completed alongside the DNP project; UAB states practicum requirements in credit hours only.
- Lowest BSN-DNP cost: USA — $41K–$52K resident, against $59K at UAB.
- Travel cost: UAB — DNP intensives add about $800 a year in travel and lodging.
- Doctoral add-on: UAB — the 34 credits beyond its MSN cover doctoral work and a DNP project, not more AGPCNP content.
Nurses weighing UAB and USA against doctoral programs elsewhere can review our BSN to DNP AGPCNP programs guide.
Already hold an MSN? Our MSN to DNP AGPCNP programs guide compares post-master’s doctoral routes nationwide.
Alabama MSN AGPCNP Programs
Both BSN-entry MSN tracks total 45 credits and prepare graduates for AGPCNP certification without a doctorate. UAB runs a part-time plan in fixed sequence, with each course offered once a year, so a failed or deferred course costs a full year. USA teaches four MSN core courses at the doctoral level, so those 12 credits carry into its DNP. USA sets a five-year completion limit.
| School | Estimated Tuition (resident) | Duration | Clinical Hours |
| UAB | $33K | 2–2.5 years | Not clearly stated |
| USA | $27K | 2.5–3 years | 600+ hrs |
- Lowest MSN tuition: USA — $27K resident for 45 credits.
- Shortest timeline: UAB — six semesters with fall entry.
- Testing and references: USA — no GRE, MAT, or reference letters; UAB requires the GRE or GMAT below a 3.2 GPA.
For more BSN-entry options beyond these two schools, see our guide to BSN to MSN AGPCNP programs.
USA also admits RNs holding a non-nursing bachelor’s degree to its MSN with 12 added credits; compare similar bridge routes in our RN to MSN AGPCNP programs guide.
Alabama Post-Graduate Certificate AGPCNP Programs
Both certificates deliver the AGPCNP specialty sequence to nurses who already hold a graduate nursing degree. UAB’s 27-credit minimum admits only nurses with current APRN certification and licensure, starts in summer only, and adds any core courses flagged by a gap analysis. USA adds three advanced core courses only when prior graduate work does not cover them. USA’s certificate must be finished within two calendar years.
| School | Estimated Tuition (resident) | Duration | Clinical Hours |
| UAB | $20K+ | 1.5 years | Not clearly stated |
| USA | $14K–$20K | 1.5–2 years | 600+ hrs |
- Lowest certificate cost: USA — $14K resident when advanced assessment, pathophysiology, and pharmacology are complete.
- Admission without APRN credential: USA — published requirements list a graduate nursing degree, not current APRN certification.
- Pharmacology recency: UAB — the course must fall within two years of specialty work unless the applicant prescribes in adult practice.
- Aid eligibility: UAB — certificate students may not qualify for financial aid or scholarships.
Master’s-prepared nurses can compare more specialty-add options in our post-graduate AGPCNP certificate programs guide.
National Online AGPCNP Options
Neither Alabama school offers an AGPCNP-eligible track without campus travel, and neither guarantees a clinical placement. Nurses who need either may compare national online programs such as Walden University and Purdue Global.
- 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
Confirm Alabama authorization, campus requirements, and placement terms with each school before applying.
FAQ
How many AGPCNP programs are in Alabama?
Two schools offer AGPCNP preparation: UAB in Birmingham and USA in Mobile. Both are CCNE-accredited and list four tracks each, though UAB’s post-MSN DNP does not lead to AGPCNP certification.
Are any Alabama AGPCNP programs fully online?
No track that prepares nurses for AGPCNP certification is fully online. USA’s same-specialty MSN-DNP requires no campus visit, but it serves nurses who already hold the specialty.
Which Alabama AGPCNP program costs the least?
USA’s post-graduate certificate is the lowest-cost option in Alabama, at about $14K in tuition when core prerequisites are complete. Fees and travel are extra at both schools.
Which Alabama schools offer an AGPCNP DNP?
Both offer a BSN-to-DNP. For nurses who already hold an MSN, USA’s new-specialty MSN-DNP adds AGPCNP preparation, while UAB’s post-MSN DNP is doctoral completion only.
Do Alabama AGPCNP programs require campus visits?
Yes. USA requires one 3–5 day Clinical Skills Intensive before clinical specialty courses. UAB DNP students attend an orientation plus a yearly intensive; MSN students also attend intensives, but UAB does not publish how many.
Can I complete clinicals near home?
Yes. Both schools place practica locally with approved preceptors. UAB faculty help coordinate sites, though placement is not guaranteed. USA encourages students to secure their own sites, assists when needed, and ties full admission to an approved site.
Can nurses outside Alabama enroll?
Often, but not everywhere. UAB’s NP tracks are closed to residents of more than 20 states and territories. USA’s programs are unavailable in New York and South Dakota, and USA does not offer clinical placement in Washington, DC. Check each school’s authorization page before applying.