Kentucky has one in-state AGPCNP program, at the University of Louisville School of Nursing. It offers four pathways (MSN, BSN-to-DNP, MSN-to-DNP, and a post-graduate certificate), all taught in a hybrid format with Thursday class days on campus in Louisville.
Because UofL is the only in-state option and requires regular campus attendance, every table below also compares two online programs that enroll Kentucky residents: Walden University and Purdue Global.
Compare AGPCNP Programs for Kentucky Nurses
| School | Online Format | Campus Commitment | Cost Per Credit | Degrees | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Louisville (in-state) | Hybrid | 4–6 Thursdays per semester | $761 | MSN, BSN-DNP, MSN-DNP, certificate | Provided preceptors |
| Walden (online option) | Online | None | $785 | RN-MSN, MSN, BSN-DNP, MSN-DNP, certificate | Most entry points |
| Purdue Global (online option) | Online | None published | $420 | MSN, MSN-DNP Path, certificate | Flat pricing, five starts a year |
Cost per credit is each school’s published tuition rate before fees. UofL’s figure is the 2026–2027 Kentucky resident rate; nonresidents pay $1,004, and APRN students add a $50 per-credit instructional fee plus clinical fees. UofL bills per semester credit. Walden ($785 for NP coursework, $960 for DNP coursework) and Purdue Global ($420, plus a $295 resource fee each term) bill per quarter credit, so compare total tuition in the pathway tables below.
Kentucky eligibility: Walden’s nursing licensure page lists Kentucky as eligible for its nurse practitioner specializations and does not include Kentucky among the nine jurisdictions it cannot enroll. Purdue Global’s July 2026 program availability information excludes seven jurisdictions from its AGPCNP programs; Kentucky is not one of them. UofL requires an RN license from Kentucky or a compact state before clinicals begin.
Kentucky AGPCNP Programs at a Glance
- Schools: 1 in-state (University of Louisville), plus 2 online options compared
- MSN: UofL in-state; Walden and Purdue Global online
- RN-to-MSN: online only (Walden); no in-state option
- BSN-to-DNP: UofL in-state; Walden and Purdue Global online
- MSN-to-DNP: UofL in-state; Walden online
- Post-graduate certificate: all three schools; none requires prior APRN certification
- Accreditation: all three hold CCNE accreditation
- School-provided clinical preceptors: UofL only
Choosing an AGPCNP Program in Kentucky
Provided Preceptors: University of Louisville
UofL states that a clinical preceptor is provided for every NP student, which removes the most common cause of NP school delays. The condition is proximity: students attend class on campus 4 to 6 Thursdays a semester and need a Kentucky or compact-state RN license for clinicals. Resident tuition is the lowest here at the master’s and doctoral level, but nonresidents pay 32% more per credit. The DNP admits in Fall only, with an April 1 deadline.
No Campus Travel and the Most Entry Points: Walden
Walden requires no campus visit at any level and offers five AGPCNP pathways, including the only RN-to-MSN compared here, with quarterly starts. Students start the preceptor search themselves. The Practicum Pledge® helps find a site after several documented attempts, but students must register for it separately. Its published totals include fees, so they run higher than tuition-only figures elsewhere on this page.
Flat Pricing and Five Starts a Year: Purdue Global
Purdue Global charges $420 per quarter credit in every state but Indiana and starts new students five times a year. Placement is the trade-off. Students lead the search across four rotations with different populations, and the Placement Match fallback requires outreach to 10 sites, three formal denials, a request 20 weeks ahead, and possible travel of 100 miles or more. Its DNP is a leadership doctorate, not an AGPCNP-specific degree.
Kentucky RN-to-MSN AGPCNP Programs
No Kentucky school offers an RN-to-MSN AGPCNP pathway, and Purdue Global does not offer one either. Walden’s RN to MSN admits RNs with an ADN, a nursing diploma, or a non-nursing bachelor’s degree, and awards only the MSN.
| School | Estimated Tuition | Duration | Clinical Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walden (online option) | $53K–$59K (incl. fees) | 2.5 years | 640 hrs |
- Most transfer credit: Walden — up to 40 credits, with foundational courses billed at $435 per quarter credit
- Other online route: Wilkes University — offers an RN-to-MSN AGPCNP with placement support (see below)
Compare more programs: See all RN-to-MSN AGPCNP programs
Kentucky BSN-to-MSN AGPCNP Programs
UofL’s 48-credit MSN is the only in-state AGPCNP master’s and the only MSN pathway with a summer start (February 1 deadline). None of the three schools publishes a minimum RN experience requirement. UofL recommends a 3.0 GPA, Purdue Global requires 2.5, and Walden publishes no MSN minimum.
| School | Estimated Tuition | Duration | Clinical Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Louisville (in-state) | $37K (resident) | 2 years | 756 hrs |
| Walden (online option) | $41K–$47K (incl. fees) | 1.75 years | 640 hrs |
| Purdue Global (online option) | $38K | 2 years | 640 hrs |
UofL and Purdue Global figures are tuition only, calculated from published rates. Walden’s figures are its published totals with and without the Believe & Achieve Scholarship, and they include fees.
- Fees add up: UofL — the $50 instructional fee alone adds about $2,400, before clinical, placement, and insurance fees
- Most clinical hours: UofL — 756 hours, including 84 in a professional role practicum
- Nonresident cost: UofL — about $48K for students without Kentucky residency; Walden and Purdue Global charge one rate in Kentucky
Compare more programs: See all BSN-to-MSN AGPCNP programs
Kentucky BSN-to-DNP AGPCNP Programs
UofL’s 75-credit BSN-to-DNP is the lowest-tuition doctorate here for Kentucky residents, with a three-year full-time minimum and Fall entry only. Its direct patient care hours match the MSN; the doctorate adds leadership, policy, statistics, and a 330-hour project. Walden and Purdue Global offer fully online alternatives with more start dates.
| School | Estimated Tuition | Duration | Clinical Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Louisville (in-state) | $57K (resident) | 3 years | 1,086 hrs |
| Walden (online option) | $72K–$79K (incl. fees) | 3.25 years | 1,000 hrs |
| Purdue Global (MSN-DNP Path) | $66K–$73K | 3.5–4 years | 1,000+ hrs |
- Same patient care as the MSN: UofL — 672 direct care hours in both; the DNP adds about $21K and a year for project and leadership work
- Two-step degree: Purdue Global — students finish the AGPCNP MSN, then a 50-credit DNP billed at $700 per quarter credit that is not designed for initial APRN certification
- Single deadline: UofL — April 1 for Fall; missing it means a one-year wait
Compare more programs: See all BSN-to-DNP AGPCNP programs
Kentucky MSN-to-DNP AGPCNP Programs
UofL’s MSN-to-DNP has a 30-credit doctoral core. MSN-prepared nurses who are not APRNs, and APRNs adding the AGPCNP as a new specialty, also take the 14-credit specialty and any missing advanced practice courses, which raises the total to about 44 to 54 credits plus practicum. Walden’s MSN-to-DNP adds both the AGPCNP and the doctorate online.
| School | Estimated Tuition | Duration | Clinical Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Louisville (in-state) | $23K–$41K+ (resident) | 2+ years part-time | 1,000 hrs post-BSN |
| Walden (online option) | $67K–$74K (incl. fees) | 3 years | 640+ hrs |
- Unpublished total: UofL — the $23K figure covers the doctoral core only; adding the AGPCNP specialty brings it to about $33K–$41K before practicum credits
- Clinical completion course: UofL — students with fewer than 670 documented MSN clinical hours add one
- Hidden cost: Walden — applicants with fewer than 600 verified precepted hours from their master’s add up to 8 credits beyond the published total
Compare more programs: See all MSN-to-DNP AGPCNP programs
Kentucky Post-Graduate Certificate AGPCNP Programs
All three schools offer an AGPCNP certificate, and none requires prior APRN certification, so MSN-prepared educators and leaders qualify. UofL sets each student’s plan through a gap analysis. Purdue Global’s certificate is the full 60-credit NP sequence with no published shortcut for current APRNs.
| School | Estimated Tuition | Duration | Clinical Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Louisville (in-state) | $21K–$29K (resident) | Not clearly stated | 504–756 hrs |
| Walden (online option) | $29K (incl. fees) | 1.5 years | 640 hrs |
| Purdue Global (online option) | $25K | 1.5 years | 640 hrs |
- Shortest plan for current NPs: UofL — APRNs adding a specialty need a minimum of 504 clinical hours, set by gap analysis
- Unpublished start term: UofL — its current sources do not state the certificate deadline or start term; confirm before applying
- Early clinicals: Purdue Global — rotations can start around the fourth term, leaving little time to find sites
Compare more programs: See all post-graduate certificate AGPCNP programs
Other Online AGPCNP Programs for Kentucky Nurses
Wilkes University offers a fully online AGPCNP MSN, RN-to-MSN, and post-graduate certificate, with clinical placement support included in tuition. Placement sites may be up to 125 miles from the student’s location.
Rasmussen University offers an online, competency-based AGPCNP MSN and post-graduate certificate. Kentucky is not among the six states it excludes, but both pathways require one on-campus weekend before practicum, so confirm the location with admissions.
Other national online programs may also accept Kentucky nurses. NP programs restrict enrollment by state, so check each school’s availability list before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many AGPCNP programs are available in Kentucky?
One. The University of Louisville offers the AGPCNP through an MSN, BSN-to-DNP, MSN-to-DNP, and post-graduate certificate. Walden and Purdue Global are online programs that enroll Kentucky residents.
Are any programs fully online?
Walden requires no campus visits at any level, and Purdue Global publishes none for its AGPCNP tracks. UofL is hybrid, with 4 to 6 Thursday class days in Louisville each semester. Clinicals are in person at all three.
Which program has the lowest estimated tuition?
For Kentucky residents, UofL has the lowest MSN tuition, about $37K, and the lowest BSN-to-DNP, about $57K, before fees. Purdue Global’s MSN is close at about $38K. For the certificate, UofL starts near $21K when no prerequisites are needed.
Which program helps with clinical placements?
UofL states that it provides a preceptor for every NP student. Walden and Purdue Global expect students to find their own sites, with conditional fallbacks after documented attempts.
Can nurses from Indiana or Ohio attend UofL?
Yes, if they can reach Louisville for Thursday class days and hold a Kentucky or compact-state RN license before clinicals. Nonresidents pay $1,004 per credit, about $48K for the MSN and $75K for the BSN-to-DNP. Check UofL’s professional licensure disclosures for your state first.
Is UofL’s DNP worth it over the MSN?
Only for nurses who want leadership, policy, or faculty preparation. Both degrees include the same 672 direct patient care hours and specialty courses. The DNP adds 27 credits and at least a year of study.