Georgia offers 7 distinct Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) programs, ranging from highly affordable state institutions to elite private research universities.
Depending on your chosen pathway, these programs can be completed in 3 semesters to 4 years, with tuition costs spanning a wide range from $6,650 to $107,060.
High Level Comparison Table
| School | Est. Cost (Rounded) | High-Level Program Snapshot |
|---|---|---|
| Augusta University | DNP: $35K Certificate: $10K | – first DNP program in Georgia – hybrid delivery with local capstone focus – GA or SC residency required |
| Brenau University | Certificate: $20K | – certificate-only acute care option – limited on-campus weekends – guaranteed GA clinical placement |
| Chamberlain University | MSN: $45K Certificate: $35K | – fully online with immersion events – strong practicum placement support – national for-profit model |
| Emory University | MSN: $110K DNP: $140K | – elite academic medical center access – intensive in-person clinical training – premium tuition tier |
| Georgia Southern University | DNP: $30K Cert: $10K | – lowest-cost DNP pathway in Georgia – online with GA/SC clinical limits – MSN opt-out available |
| Georgia State University | MSN: $25K Cert: $15K | – residency-neutral tuition model – required on-campus intensives – strong urban clinical access |
| Mercer University | MSN: $60K DNP: $100K | – multiple start dates each year – blended delivery with Atlanta labs – strong faculty-led clinical oversight |
| Middle Georgia State University | MSN: $15K Cert: $10K | – among the most affordable in Georgia – fully online with brief intensives – acute care focus across settings |
| Purdue Global | Cert: $25K | – fully online post-master’s certificate – VR-based acute care skills training – limited state availability |
| South College | MSN: $55K Cert: $40K | – accelerated BSN-to-MSN format – heavy acute care clinical emphasis – flexible pacing for working RNs |
| Walden University | MSN: $45K–$65K DNP: $65K Cert: $35K | – widest range of entry pathways – strong virtual practicum support – fully online national reach |
Augusta University ACNP Programs
Augusta | $441 cpc | Certificate / DNP
Augusta University offers a post-BSN DNP AGACNP track and a post-master’s AGACNP certificate, and both use a hybrid format with online coursework plus in-person clinical requirements. The DNP is a 76-credit plan built around DNP core content plus AGACNP concentration courses and includes 1,216 total clinical hours across direct clinical practice, lab time, and DNP residency work in acute care settings. The certificate is a 20-credit pathway for already-certified NPs and includes 585 total clinical and lab hours across three practicum courses that progress from stable to complex acute care management. Both tracks require students to live in Georgia or South Carolina because faculty site visits and clinical placements must occur in those states...read more.
Brenau University ACNP Programs
Gainesville | $866 cpc | Certificate
Brenau University offers a Post-Master’s Certificate Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) track in a hybrid format with online coursework and one required in-person weekend per semester at the North Atlanta campus. The program costs an estimated $16,655 in tuition and fees and can be completed in 2 semesters. The certificate includes 5 courses (about 17–19 credits) that focus on acute care assessment, diagnostics, and management of complex adult and older adult patients, with two clinical courses tied to Acute Care I and Acute Care II. Clinical training occurs in hospitals and specialty clinics (such as cardiology and pulmonology), and Georgia residents receive guaranteed clinical placement within 100 miles of Gainesville. Applicants must hold an MSN or DNP, maintain a 3.0 GPA, and have active RN and APRN licensure/certification that allows adult patient care, with admissions reviewed on a rolling, first-come basis...read more.
Chamberlain University ACNP Programs
Fully Online | $760 cpc | Certificate / MSN
With Chamberlain University’s 100% online ACNP programs, Georgia nurses benefit from a blend of comprehensive online study and mandatory on-ground skills immersions. Faculty actively assist Georgia students in finding clinical placements through the university’s Practicum Commitment®, supporting readiness for board certification. These accredited programs empower Georgia RNs to expand their acute care expertise in metropolitan and rural health settings statewide.
Emory University ACNP Programs
Atlanta | $2,230 cpc | MSN / DNP
Emory University Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing offers MSN and post-BSN DNP Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner tracks that prepare nurses for advanced practice with acutely ill and medically complex adult and older adult patients. The MSN is a 48-credit, two-year program that combines advanced assessment, pharmacology, and acute care management with more than 700 hours of supervised clinical practice in Atlanta-area hospitals and specialty services. The post-BSN DNP pathway adds doctoral-level leadership and systems training and includes advanced clinical rotations plus a DNP project focused on practice or system improvement. Both tracks emphasize high-acuity care settings such as critical care, trauma, surgical services, and hospital medicine, with clinical placements across major healthcare systems...read more.
Georgia Southern University ACNP Programs
Statesboro | Certificate / DNP
Georgia Southern University offers an online post-master’s AGACNP certificate and an online post-BSN to DNP AGACNP pathway with Fall entry only. Both tracks require students to complete clinical practicums in Georgia or South Carolina, and students must be proactive in securing preceptors and meeting insurance, CPR, and health-compliance rules. The post-BSN to DNP pathway is 77 credits and includes an MSN opt-out at 43 credits, which allows students to exit with the MSN and pursue national certification. The certificate track uses a gap analysis to waive prior coursework when appropriate, but it still blends didactic content with supervised acute care clinical experiences focused on adult and older adult patients...read more.
Georgia State University ACNP Programs
Atlanta | $450 cpc | Certificate / MSN
Georgia State University offers an online MSN AGACNP and an online post-master’s AGACNP certificate with residency-neutral tuition of $450 per credit hour for all students. The MSN includes 48 credits and builds acute care competence through advanced core courses plus specialty coursework, with 500 total clinical hours across three required clinical courses. The post-master’s certificate uses a waiver review for equivalent prior graduate coursework, then focuses on acute adult-gerontology specialty courses with the same 500 clinical hours requirement. Both tracks require a week-long on-campus start experience and ongoing in-person skills testing, plus standard clinical compliance items like RN licensure, CPR, immunizations, liability insurance, and background checks...read more.
Mercer University ACNP Programs
Atlanta | $1,159 - $1,285.50 cpc | MSN / DNP
Mercer University offers an MSN AGACNP, a BSN-to-DNP AGACNP, and a post-master’s DNP pathway that adds AGACNP specialty coursework for nurses who already hold an MSN. The programs use blended online synchronous classes plus in-person labs and clinical experiences in Atlanta, with start terms in January, May, and August and full-time or part-time pacing. The MSN plan is a 49-credit track with three acute care practicums and at least 780 total clinical practice hours, including 750 direct patient care hours. The BSN-to-DNP pathway includes 1,020 post-baccalaureate practice hours, and the post-master’s DNP pathway includes 960 total practice hours that combine acute care practicums with immersion work in leadership and systems improvement...read more.
Middle Georgia State University ACNP Programs
Warner Robins | $261 cpc | Certificate / MSN
Middle Georgia State University offers a fully online MSN AGACNP and a post-master’s AGACNP certificate, with two required on-campus intensive or immersion days each semester. The MSN is a 45-credit plan that covers advanced assessment, pathophysiology, pharmacology, and three adult-gerontology acute care courses, and it takes about 2.5 years on a full-time, five-semester schedule. MSN students complete 855 clinical practice hours and may use Navicent Health or another approved Georgia facility. The post-master’s certificate is a 24-credit, three-course sequence built around Adult/Gerontology Acute Care I–III, with clinical hours set by gap analysis for APRNs seeking AGACNP certification...read more.
Purdue Global ACNP Programs
Fully Online | $420 cpc | Certificate
Purdue Global offers Georgia nurses an accessible online AGACNP Postgraduate Certificate that prepares master's-prepared RNs for advanced practice in medical, surgical, and critical care settings. The program costs $23,940 for 57 quarter credits at $420 per credit and includes both virtual reality immersive learning and supervised clinical experiences. Georgia students complete 12 core courses covering advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology, and acute care management while preparing for ANCC or AACN national certification exams.
South College ACNP Programs
Fully Online | $615 cpc | Certificate / MSN
For nurses in Georgia, South College provides online AGACNP programs that balance coursework with clinical practice. The BSN-MSN and post-graduate certificate tracks focus on adult and geriatric acute care. Both options develop skills needed to manage complex and critical patient conditions.
Walden University ACNP Programs
Fully Online | $775 cpc | Certificate / MSN / DNP
Georgia nurses can complete Walden’s AGACNP DNP, MSN, or post-master’s certificate tracks online while arranging precepted practicum hours in Georgia-based hospitals and acute care facilities, with institutional support for placement. Through CCNE-accredited curricula, Practicum Pledge® services, and Grand Rounds case discussions, Georgia students refine advanced clinical decision-making for acutely and critically ill adults and older adults. These AGACNP pathways help Georgia nurses expand career options and step into specialized acute care and leadership roles across the state’s healthcare landscape.
Comparing ACNP Programs in Georgia
TLDR: Quick Selection Guide
Choose Georgia State University if you want residency-neutral online tuition at $450/credit for all students, required on-campus experiences limited to one week at start plus skills testing, and a 97% certification exam pass rate.
Choose Georgia Southern University if you want the most affordable certificate at $6,650 (or $15,000-$16,000 for MSN opt-out from DNP track) with fully online delivery and clinicals restricted to Georgia or South Carolina.
Choose Augusta University if you’re a Georgia resident seeking the lowest in-state DNP at $33,516 with 100% board pass rates for four of the last five years and CCNE accreditation.
Choose Middle Georgia State University if you want the most affordable MSN at $12,940 for in-state students with fully online delivery and only two required on-campus days per semester.
Choose Emory University if you want a top-tier research university MSN with 840 clinical hours, metropolitan-Atlanta hospital rotations, and faculty mentorship from expert clinicians.
Choose Mercer University if you want flexible start terms (January, May, August), blended online/in-person format, and three program options (MSN, BSN-DNP, Post-Master’s DNP) with personalized faculty guidance.
Choose Brenau University if you want the fastest certificate completion in just 2 semesters with guaranteed clinical placement within 100 miles of Gainesville for Georgia residents and hybrid delivery with minimal campus time.
Post-Master’s Certificate Programs
Georgia offers 5 post-master’s certificate options ranging from $6,650 to $16,655, with completion times of 2 semesters to 2 years. Brenau University offers the fastest completion at just 2 semesters, while Georgia Southern provides the most affordable option at $6,650.
| School | Total Cost | Duration | Format | Clinical Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia Southern | $6,650 | 3 semesters | Fully online | GA or SC only |
| Middle Georgia State | $7,220 | 2 years | Fully online | 2 on-campus days/semester |
| Augusta University | $8,020 | 1 year | Hybrid | GA or SC only |
| Georgia State | $7,650-$11,250 | 1-2 years | Online + 1 week on-campus | On-campus week required |
| Brenau | $16,655 | 2 semesters | Hybrid | 100 miles of Gainesville |
Key Differences:
- Geographic restrictions: Georgia Southern and Augusta require GA or SC residency for clinical placements
- On-campus requirements: Most programs are online, but Georgia State requires one week on-campus plus skills testing; Brenau requires one weekend per semester
- Credits required: Varies by gap analysis (minimum 19-24 credits depending on program)
- Prerequisites: All require current APRN certification; some specify critical care experience requirements
Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Programs
Georgia offers 4 MSN-AGACNP programs ranging from $12,940 to $107,060, with completion times of 17 months to 4 years. Middle Georgia State offers the most affordable MSN at $12,940 for a 2.5-year program, while Emory University provides the fastest full-time completion at 2 years but at premium pricing.
| School | Total Cost | Duration (FT) | Clinical Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Georgia State | $12,940 | 2.5 years | 855 hrs |
| Georgia State | $21,600-$24,960 | 2-3 years | 500 hrs |
| Mercer | $56,791 | 17-28 months | 780 hrs |
| Emory | $107,060 | 2 years | 840 hrs |
Key Differences:
- Clinical hours: Range from 500 (Georgia State) to 855 (Middle Georgia State)
- Start dates: Mercer offers three annual starts (January, May, August); most others have Fall or Fall/Spring only
- On-campus requirements: Middle Georgia State requires minimal on-campus time (2 days per semester); Emory requires regular Atlanta campus attendance
- Experience requirements: Most require 1 year RN experience; some specify critical care background
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Programs
Georgia offers 4 DNP-AGACNP programs ranging from $27,000 to $139,373, with completion times of 2 years to 4 years. Georgia Southern’s Post-BSN to DNP offers the most affordable option at $27,000-$28,000 for 77 credits with an MSN opt-out available, while Augusta University provides the lowest-cost Georgia resident rate at $33,516.
| School | Track | Total Cost | Duration (FT) | Clinical Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia Southern | Post-BSN | $27,000-$28,000 | 3-4 years | 720 hrs |
| Georgia Southern | MSN Opt-Out | $15,000-$16,000 | 2-3 years | 720 hrs |
| Augusta | Post-BSN | $33,516 | 3 years | 1,216 hrs |
| Mercer | BSN to DNP | $99,024 | 2.5-3 years | 1,020 hrs |
| Mercer | Post-Master’s | $74,559 | 2 years | 960 hrs |
| Emory | Post-BSN | $139,373 | 2.5 years | Extensive |
Key Differences:
- MSN opt-out option: Georgia Southern allows students to exit with MSN after 43 credits
- Clinical hours: Range from 720 (Georgia Southern MSN opt-out) to 1,216 (Augusta post-BSN DNP)
- Geographic restrictions: Augusta and Georgia Southern require GA or SC residency
- DNP project: All programs include doctoral-level capstone/project requirements
- Start dates: Mercer offers three annual starts; others typically Fall only
Admissions Requirements Comparison
| School | Program Type | Minimum GPA | Application Deadline | Key Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Augusta | DNP | Not specified | May 15 (Fall 2026) | GA/SC residency, NursingCAS application |
| Augusta | Certificate | Not specified | Rolling | Current NP certification, GA/SC residency |
| Brenau | Certificate | 3.0 | Rolling (first-come) | Active APRN license |
| Emory | MSN | Not specified | Varies by semester | 1 year acute/critical care, ACLS cert |
| Emory | DNP | Not specified | Varies by semester | 1-2 years acute/critical care |
| Georgia Southern | Both | 3.0 | March 1 (Fall only) | 1 year critical care, GA/SC residency |
| Georgia State | MSN | 2.75 cumulative | Fall: May 15; Spring: Nov 1 | 1-2 years RN experience |
| Georgia State | Certificate | Master’s degree | Fall/Spring varies | Active RN license |
| Mercer | MSN | 3.0 (2.75-2.99 conditional) | Contact admissions | 1 year RN experience, interview |
| Mercer | BSN-DNP | 3.2 (3.0-3.19 conditional) | Contact admissions | No experience required, interview |
| Mercer | Post-Master’s DNP | 3.0 (2.85-2.99 conditional) | Contact admissions | APRN certification preferred |
| Middle Georgia State | MSN | 3.0 | July 15 (Fall priority) | 1 year RN experience |
| Middle Georgia State | Certificate | Not specified | Nov 15 (Spring) | 1 year APRN experience |
Common Requirements Across Programs:
- Active, unencumbered RN license (Georgia or multistate for most programs)
- Official transcripts from all institutions
- Professional references (typically 2-3)
- Resume/CV
- Personal statement or statement of purpose
- Background check and drug screening
- BLS certification (ACLS required for some acute care programs)
- Professional liability insurance
Program Accreditation
All Georgia AGACNP programs hold accreditation from either the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN):
CCNE-Accredited:
- Augusta University
- Brenau University
- Georgia Southern University
- Georgia State University
ACEN-Accredited:
- Middle Georgia State University
Program-Specific Outcomes:
- Augusta University: 100% board pass rates for 4 of the last 5 years
- Georgia State: 97% APRN certification exam first-time pass rate (2024 average across all tracks)
All programs prepare graduates to sit for national AGACNP certification through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN).
Financial Considerations
Most Affordable Options:
- Certificate: Georgia Southern – $6,650
- MSN: Middle Georgia State – $12,940 (in-state)
- DNP: Georgia Southern – $27,000-$28,000 full DNP or Augusta – $33,516 (GA residents)
Residency-Neutral Tuition:
- Georgia State: $450/credit for all students regardless of location
In-State vs Out-of-State:
- Most Georgia public institutions charge significantly higher rates for out-of-state students
- Private institutions (Emory, Mercer, Brenau) charge same rate regardless of residency
Financial Aid: