2 Schools • 2 Mostly Online
Two Colorado schools publish eight ACNP pathways: master’s, BSN-entry doctoral, and post-graduate certificate options, plus dual AG-ACNP/FNP concentrations at both degree levels. Every track carries an adult-gerontology acute care population focus. Both schools are Mostly Online, with finite on-campus requirements. Resident tuition estimates span $13K to $70K, and completion runs one to four years.
Compare each school’s online format, campus commitment, cost, and degree options below.
Compare Colorado Acute Care NP Programs
| School | Track | Online Format | Campus Commitment | Cost Per Credit | Degrees | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CSU Pueblo | AG-ACNP; dual AG-ACNP/FNP | Mostly Online | On-campus class days plus three simulation lab courses | $625.89 CPC | MS, BSN-to-DNP, post-master’s certificate | Colorado-based nurses who want dual AG-ACNP and FNP certification eligibility at a resident rate |
| CU Anschutz | AG-ACNP | Mostly Online | Advanced Assessment carries an on-campus requirement | $820 CPC | MS, BS-to-DNP, post-graduate certificate | Denver metro nurses without acute care experience who want placements assigned rather than sourced |
What’s the Best ACNP Program for You?
Best Overall Value
The 53-credit MS at CSU Pueblo reaches AG-ACNP eligibility for roughly $33K at Colorado resident and WRGP rates.
Best Clinical Placement Support
CU Anschutz assigns sites and preceptors for students living in the Denver metro area through UCHealth, Children’s Hospital Colorado, and its own nurse-led clinics.
Best Dual-Role Option
CSU Pueblo runs the only Colorado pathway to two certification examinations, pairing AG-ACNP with FNP at both the master’s and doctoral level.
Best Entry Without ICU Experience
Neither CU Anschutz admissions page names a required, preferred, or recommended amount of RN, acute care, or critical care practice, so the entry gate is academic.
Most Transparent Clinical Structure
CSU Pueblo’s graduate clinical handbook allocates its 780 AG-ACNP hours by setting, down to 60 hours of rural health and 180 in hospitalist or intensivist practice.
Fastest Post-Graduate Certificate
CU Anschutz completes its 16-credit AG-ACNP certificate in three semesters from a spring start, subject to a transcript evaluation that sets the final course list.
Colorado DNP ACNP Programs
Both schools enter the doctorate from the BSN, and neither publishes an MSN-to-DNP acute care pathway. CSU Pueblo awards the MS concurrently with the DNP, which it ties to states requiring a master’s for nurse practitioner practice. CU Anschutz uses a single application covering both degrees. Each school layers 540 doctoral hours on top of its specialty sequence, and at CU those hours are project work rather than patient contact.
| School | Track | Estimated Tuition | Duration | Clinical Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CSU Pueblo | AG-ACNP | $56K | 4 years (11 semesters) | 1,320 hrs |
| CSU Pueblo | Dual AG-ACNP/FNP | $70K | 4 years (11 semesters) | 1,560 hrs |
| CU Anschutz | AG-ACNP | $61K | 4 years (13 semesters) | 1,215 hrs |
- Lowest doctoral cost: CSU Pueblo — $56K, though the figure applies only to Colorado residents
Colorado MSN ACNP Programs
Both schools award a Master of Science rather than an MSN, and both admit in fall only. CSU Pueblo spreads a five-course AG-ACNP theory and practicum sequence across seven semesters, with each course offered in one fixed term per year. CU Anschutz runs its advanced practice core through the first four semesters, so acute care content begins in the fourth.
| School | Track | Estimated Tuition | Duration | Clinical Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CSU Pueblo | AG-ACNP | $33K | 2.5 years (7 semesters) | 900 hrs |
| CSU Pueblo | Dual AG-ACNP/FNP | $46K | 2.5 years (7 semesters) | 1,560 hrs |
| CU Anschutz | AG-ACNP | $40K | 2.5 years (8 semesters) | 675 hrs |
- Lowest master’s cost: CSU Pueblo — $33K.
- Only dual-certification master’s: CSU Pueblo — 74 credits and 1,560 clinical hours for AG-ACNP and FNP examination eligibility.
- Fewest credits: CU Anschutz — 49 credits, of which 15 are clinical at 45 direct patient care hours each.
- Experience gate: CSU Pueblo requires one year of full-time or two years of part-time RN practice; CU Anschutz names none.
Colorado Post-Graduate Certificate ACNP Programs
Colorado’s two certificates differ in length, entry term, and clinical load. CU Anschutz sets 16 credits across three spring-entry semesters at 360 clinical hours. CSU Pueblo’s runs 24 to 26 credits assigned by gap analysis, with at least 16 postgraduate credits completed in residence, and reuses the same specialty sequence as its MS. Both publish hour totals below the ANCC and AACN floor of 500 faculty-supervised AGACNP hours.
| School | Track | Estimated Tuition | Duration | Clinical Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CSU Pueblo | AG-ACNP | $15K | 2 years (6 semesters); | 780 hrs |
| CU Anschutz | AG-ACNP | $13K | 1 year (3 semesters) | 360 hrs |
- Lowest certificate cost: CU Anschutz — $13K, though transcript evaluation can add core courses beyond the published 16 credits
Colorado ACNP School Summaries
Colorado State University Pueblo
Clinical placement: CSU Pueblo publishes rotation targets by setting: 180 hours hospitalist or intensivist, 180 emergency or urgent care, 180 specialty medicine, 180 hospital units, 60 rural health. Every practicum hour must be completed in Colorado. Students make five documented preceptor attempts before the Graduate Clinical Liaison assists.
Pathways: Five AG-ACNP pathways run off one specialty sequence. The dual AG-ACNP/FNP concentration carries 1,560 clinical hours and leads to both certification exams. A dual-concentration certificate is also offered, with no credit, cost, or hour data published.
Progression and prerequisites: Each specialty course runs once a year, so a deferred course costs a full year rather than a semester. MS applicants need one year of full-time RN practice. BLS, ACLS, and PALS are required before the first clinical day.
Best for: Southern Colorado nurses with existing hospital contacts who want dual-role certification at a resident rate.
University of Colorado Anschutz
Clinical placement: Students in the Denver metro have sites and preceptors arranged through UCHealth, Children’s Hospital Colorado, and CU’s nurse-led clinics. Assignments can land anywhere in Colorado and may involve overnight shifts, several sites in one semester, and late confirmation. Students outside the metro source their own placements.
Pathways: Three AG-ACNP entry points run off a single specialty sequence, and CU reports a 100% board certification pass rate.
Admissions and eligibility: No RN, acute care, or critical care experience is required or screened for on any admissions page, which is unusual for the specialty.
Best for: Denver-area BSN nurses who need assigned placements and cannot show an acute care background.
National Online ACNP Options
Colorado’s in-state field leaves three gaps. No Colorado program offers a pediatric acute care (PNP-AC) track. Neither school publishes an MSN-to-DNP acute care pathway for nurses who already hold a master’s. And placement help is either limited to the Denver metro or absent entirely, with CSU Pueblo requiring five documented preceptor attempts before a clinical liaison steps in.
Walden University runs CCNE-accredited AG-ACNP pathways at RN-to-MSN, BSN-to-MSN, BSN-to-DNP, and MSN-to-DNP entry, plus a post-master’s certificate.
South College offers BSN-to-MSN and post-master’s certificate AG-ACNP options.
Both are worth checking against Colorado’s residency-linked pricing, since WRGP and WICHE participation only reduces cost for residents of eligible western states.
Purdue Global ACNP Programs
West Lafayette | $420 cpc | Certificate
Purdue Global's Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Postgraduate Certificate offers Colorado nurses with master's degrees an online pathway to advanced acute care practice. The 57-credit program costs $23,940 and takes approximately 1.5 years to complete, featuring innovative VR-based acute care skills training and clinical rotations in real-world settings. Colorado-based students must maintain ACLS certification and demonstrate one year of acute care RN experience to qualify for admission.
South College ACNP Programs
Knoxville | $615 cpc | Certificate
For Colorado nurses, South College’s AGACNP programs provide an online format paired with required clinical experiences. Students may enroll in a BSN-MSN degree or a post-graduate certificate. Both tracks prepare graduates for advanced decision-making in acute and critical care environments.
Walden University ACNP Programs
Minneapolis | $785 cpc | Certificate
In Colorado, Walden University’s AGACNP DNP, MSN, and post-master’s certificate tracks allow nurses to study online while completing supervised practicum experiences in Colorado-based acute and critical care settings. Colorado nurses benefit from the Practicum Pledge® field placement support, virtual skills lab, and Walden Grand Rounds to help secure clinical sites and build confidence with complex adult-gerontology cases. These CCNE-accredited programs prepare graduates to pursue national AGACNP certification and contribute to high-acuity teams across Colorado’s hospitals and health systems.
West Coast University ACNP Programs
Anaheim | $850 cpc | Certificate
West Coast University opens three AGACNP pathways to Colorado nurses—MSN, RN to MSN, and a Post-Master’s Certificate—each available in accelerated and working professional formats. Students learn through online 8-week terms, attend two on-site intensive weekends for hands-on skills, and work with dedicated clinical placement coordinators who guide preceptor and site selection in acute care settings. The CCNE-accredited curriculum integrates telehealth, complex adult-gerontology care, and evidence-based practice, preparing graduates to sit for AGACNP certification and move into advanced roles in Colorado’s hospitals and specialty units.
FAQ
How many online ACNP programs are in Colorado?
Two schools publish eight pathways. CSU Pueblo offers five: an MS, a BSN-to-DNP, dual AG-ACNP/FNP versions of each, and a post-master’s certificate. CU Anschutz offers three: an MS, a BS-to-DNP, and a post-graduate certificate. Both schools award the doctorate, and both enter it from the BSN only.
Are any Colorado ACNP programs fully online?
No. CU Anschutz is Mostly Online, with an on-campus requirement attached to Advanced Assessment and, for BS-DNP students, DNP Project Prep. CSU Pueblo is also Mostly Online, requiring on-campus class days plus three simulation lab courses worth 120 lab hours. Neither school publishes a campus visit count for its acute care tracks.
Which Colorado ACNP program costs the least?
At resident rates, CU Anschutz’s post-graduate certificate is lowest at roughly $13K, followed by CSU Pueblo’s certificate at $15K. Among degree pathways, CSU Pueblo’s MS is lowest at $33K. All figures are calculated rather than published and exclude the per-term and per-course fees both schools charge.
Is pediatric acute care available in Colorado?
Not from either school. Every published Colorado track carries an adult-gerontology acute care population focus, and the dual concentration adds family primary care rather than pediatrics. Nurses seeking PNP-AC preparation and CPNP-AC eligibility will need to look outside the state.
Do Colorado ACNP programs require ICU or critical care experience?
CSU Pueblo requires one year of full-time or two years of part-time RN clinical experience for its MS tracks; its DNP and certificate pages list 2,000 RN hours as a preference rather than a requirement. CU Anschutz names no required, preferred, or recommended experience on any admissions page and does not screen for acute care background.
Can I complete clinical hours outside Colorado?
Not at CSU Pueblo, where the graduate clinical handbook requires every practicum hour to be completed in-state and warns that reciprocity to other states is not guaranteed. CU Anschutz places students anywhere in Colorado but assists rather than arranges for those outside the Denver metro, leaving the student responsible for locating a site and preceptor.
Does my state of residence affect admission or cost?
Both. CU Anschutz treats state authorization as an admission bar, closing the MS to applicants seeking licensure in four states and the certificate to eight. On cost, WRGP and WICHE participation extends Colorado resident pricing to eligible western states, cutting CU’s MS from $65K to $40K and CSU Pueblo’s per-credit rate from $1,031.96 to $625.89.