Top Clinical Nurse Specialist Programs
Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS) provide an advanced level of care in the hospital or other clinical/healthcare settings. They strive to improve healthcare through evidence-based practice at the individual patient and systems levels. Read on to learn about the top clinical nurse specialist programs.
Fast Facts About Clinical Nurse Specialists |
|
| Salary | $99,148 per year, $45.81 per hour via Payscale |
| Program length | 1-4 years |
| Requirements |
|
Top Clinical Nurse Specialist Programs
Choosing a CNS program is a very large decision. Nurse.org has compiled a list of some of the best online and in-person programs for 2023. This list takes numerous factors into consideration including location, graduation rate, cost, credit hours, as well as other factors.
1. The University of Texas at Austin
The Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist program focuses on perspectives of both health restoration and health promotion, while developing skills in case management. This concentration area focuses on physiological and psychosocial theories, concepts, and research underlying self-care and growth needs of individuals.
- Tuition: $13,640 per semester
- Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Program Length: 1 to 2 years
- Contact Information: 512-471-7927 or nugrad@nursing.utexas.edu
2. Saint John Fisher College
Adult/Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist is offered at Saint John Fisher College as well as post-master’s certificate in the same discipline. This program is offered exclusively on campus.
- Tuition: $1,003 per credit
- Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Program Length: 2 years
- Contact Information: cdonegan@sjfc.edu or (585) 899-3788
3. University of Detroit Mercy
The University of Detroit Mercy offers an Adult-Gerontology CNS. The program is 100% online and offers advanced principles in adult learning for teaching roles. The 2016-20 Detroit Mercy graduating classes achieved a 100% pass rate across the national certification exams for the Adult-Gerontology CNS.
- Tuition: $1,493 per credit
- Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Program Length: Minimum 3 years
- Contact Information: 313-993-1828 or gradnursing@udmercy.edu
4. Alverno College
Adult-Gerontology CNS is the only program offered by Alverno College. While a small program, it prepares students to provide advanced care across the age continuum from illness to wellness and from acute care to primary care.
- Tuition: $1,098 per credit
- Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Program Length: 3 years
- Contact Information: 414-382-6000 or admissions@alverno.edu
5. Indiana University -Purdue University - Indianapolis
The Adult-Gerontology CNS program follows a traditional semester format. Core courses are taught online, asynchronously with the exception of five on-campus lab days for advanced physical assessment. On-campus days are required further into the program. This is important to keep in mind when applying for this program.
- Tuition: $607 per credit
- Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Program Length: 2 to 3 years
- Contact Information: (317) 278-5699 or kelblake@iu.edu
6. University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania offers three different Clinical Nurse Specialist tracks including Pediatrics, Neonatal, and Adult-Gerontology. Students can earn an MSN CSN in a year for full-time study while experiencing clinical placements at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Penn Health System, both ranked top in the nation.
- Tuition: $45,248 per year
- Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Program Length: 1 to 3 years
- Contact Information: (215) 898-8281
9. Johns Hopkins University
This program allows students to earn their DNP as a Clinical Nurse Specialist, which is considered a terminal degree for the field. There is no part-time option and all students are required to maintain full-time status for the four-year duration of the program. The online DNP CNS track includes three mandatory and two optional course immersions in person. Additionally, Hopkins offers one of the only critical care CNS programs in the country. There are currently three track options: Adult-Gerontological Health, Adult-Gerontological Critical Care, and Pediatric Critical Care.
- Tuition: $56,340 per year
- Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Program Length: 4 years
- Contact Information: 410-955-4766
8. University of Washington
The University of Washington offers two DNP CNS programs: Pediatrics and Women’s Health. This is one of only a couple of Women’s Health CNS programs in the country, Offered exclusively as full-time programs, students graduate in 9 semesters and are board eligible.
- Tuition: $925 per credit
- Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Program Length: 3 years
- Contact Information: 206.543.8736
9. University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Students can earn a DNP CNS terminal degree in three tracks at the University of Wisconsin including pediatrics, women’s health, and adult-gerontology.
- Tuition: $27,045 per semester
- Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Program Length: 3 years
- Contact Information: (414) 229-5047 or uwmnurse@uwm.edu
10. Rush University
Rush University offers three DNP programs for interested students: pediatrics, adult-gerontology, and neonatal. The cohorts are kept intentionally small to optimize clinical placement and classroom experience.
- Tuition: $1,224 per credit
- Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Program Length: 2 to 3.5 yearsContact Information: elizabeth_m_miranda@rush.edu or (312) 942-7100
| How to Become a Clinical Nurse Specialist >> | CNS vs NP >> | Highest Paying Nursing Jobs >> |
