Best Online Nursing PhD Programs

Best PhD in Nursing Online Programs for 2023

To get you started on your degree search, we’ve listed the best online PhD in nursing programs currently available. Our choices are based a survey of important program elements, including quality academics, study convenience, affordability, and access to valuable student support services. See which colleges rose to the top this year.

Highlighting Online Nursing PhD Programs

Benefits of Earning Your PhD in Nursing Online

We posed this question in the introduction: “Is earning a PhD in Nursing worth it?” If your career goal is to become a nurse educator at universities or major healthcare facilities, the answer is an unqualified “yes.” The answer is also “yes” if your goal is to conduct cutting edge research leading important breakthroughs in nursing scholarship. On top of the benefits you’ll enjoy by earning your nursing PhD, there are also a number of important benefits to earning that degree in an online program. Here’s a look at some of the biggest:   

1. Convenience of attending classes online. Classes in online PhD nursing programs are delivered either asynchronously or synchronously. Asynchronous class sessions are prerecorded, allowing students to logon and attend to them at anytime. Synchronous classes are livestreamed and require attendance at specifically scheduled times. Either way, students can attend their classes without the major cost and hassle of traveling to and from campus.
2. Choice of study pace. Online doctorate programs are typically offered with both full-time and part-time options, and some allow students to study at their own pace. This is particularly advantageous for nurses who need to continue working full or part time while pursuing their degree.
3. Access to additional valuable course and program features. As an online PhD in nursing student, you’ll be able to access a wealth of course and research materials online. You’ll also participate with faculty and fellow students through online discussion groups, communicate with instructors and peers via email and videoconferencing apps like Skype and Zoom, and much more.

Types of Online Nursing PhD Programs

Before enrolling in an online PhD in nursing program, it’s important to understand the differences in how programs deliver their online content. You’ll find that most describe themselves as being either hybrid (partially online) or fully online. It’s critical to look beyond these general terms that are sometimes used interchangeably and gain a full understanding of the specifics of how programs deliver their online content. For hybrid programs, you should know how online and in-person content is structured and balanced.  

Timeline for Your Online PhD in Nursing

Program lengths for online nursing PhD programs vary due to several factors including study pace (full-time or part-time), starting point (BSN to PhD, MSN to PhD, etc.), the need to complete any prerequisite courses prior to starting the PhD curriculum, and how long it takes the doctoral candidate to complete the research and writing of their dissertation. In most cases, students will complete all degree requirements with three to four years of full-time study or four to six years of part-time study. However, programs commonly provide generous maximum program lengths of six or seven years, and sometimes longer, for students who need more time. 

The timeline below offers an example of how full-time students in MSN to PhD programs might progress year to year through their courses of study: 

Online Nursing PhD Learning Outcomes

If you’ve spent time looking at college degree websites, you’ve probably come across lists of program learning outcomes. These lists describe the substantive knowledge and skills students should expect to gain in earning their degrees. A program’s learning outcomes constitute the backbone of its curriculum. Below are descriptions of five learning outcomes common to many online nursing PhD programs.

1. Research: Develop the ability to design, conduct, evaluate, critique, and integrate original research that advances and expands nursing knowledge and scholarship. Demonstrate a commitment to theory development and application of rigorous methods of disciplined, evidence-based scientific inquiry resulting in the continued improvement of patient care and the advancement of the broader nursing profession. 
2. Leadership: Demonstrate skills in the leadership of interdisciplinary research teams and in the career and mentorship of others in the nursing profession. Possess and continue to develop a comprehensive understanding of the evolving roles and responsibilities of the nursing scholar. Act as a professional nurse leader and role model.
3. Communication and Dissemination of Research and Scholarship: Effectively communicate complex research findings and implications that positively contribute to nursing science and practice in a clear, concise, and understandable manner. Ability to disseminate research and scholarship through peer-reviewed publications and presentations to professional, interdisciplinary, and lay audiences alike. 
4. Ethics and Professional Responsibility: Demonstrate knowledge and application of professional codes of ethics, obligations, and relevant institutional policies and procedures guiding nurse research, scholarship, and practice. Demonstrated ability to identify ethical issues in all professional situations and environments, and the capacity to seek professional guidance and access to appropriate resources regarding ethical principles and accepted professional norms to resolve moral dilemmas. 
5. Area of Specialization: Demonstrate in-depth knowledge in the students chosen substantive area of specialization. Ability to apply the knowledge and skills gained in the student’s specialization to nursing practice and in the education of others.

Specializations for Your Nursing PhD

Specialization is a key to graduate nursing study in master’s and doctoral degree programs, as well as post-baccalaureate certificate programs. Many online PhD in nursing programs feature specialization or concentration track options. Faculty members in these programs are involved in conducting research in their own specific areas of the nursing field. As you search for the right online PhD in nursing program for you, be on the lookout for faculty members doing research in the field that corresponds with your own research interests.   

Here are examples of five specialization areas popular with nursing PhD programs and students: 

Accreditation & Online Nursing PhD Programs

Postsecondary accreditation is the process through which U.S. colleges and universities, and the programs they offer, are vetted for academic quality. There are two basic types of postsecondary accreditation: programmatic and institutional. 

Programmatic accreditation concerns the vetting of individual nursing programs. Most undergraduate and graduate nursing degree and certificate programs in the U.S. are accredited by either the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). This includes Doctor of Nursing programs. However, it is not the practice of specialized accreditors to accredit research doctorates. Therefore, neither the CCNE nor ACEN accredits PhD in nursing programs.

Institutional accreditation refers to the accreditation of entire colleges and universities. Institutional accreditation of U.S. colleges and universities, including those offering accredited PhD in nursing degrees, is performed by a group of independent accrediting agencies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. 

Applying to an Online Nursing PhD Program

Admissions requirements for online PhD in nursing programs vary somewhat from program to program depending on the specific academic goals and research focus areas of the program and the applicant’s educational background and professional experience. Along with typical admissions requirements such as a previously earned BSN or MSN degree, letters of recommendation, and the resume or CV, applicants will be required to submit one or more of the items described below. Nursing doctoral program admissions are competitive, so be sure to take considerable care in your application submissions.

• Research/Dissertation Subject: The PhD in nursing is a research-focused credential. Its main function is to provide students with the knowledge and skills required to carry out original research to add to nursing scholarship. Therefore, almost all online nursing PhD programs require applicants to identify (typically in their application essay or statement of purpose) the specific topic or area of research they intend to pursue in their doctorate studies. In many cases, applicants are also required to identify at least one program faculty member whose research area would likely match their own. 
• Demonstrated Capacity to Conduct Advanced Research: Applicants to online nursing PhD programs, such as the Indiana University program spotlighted above, may be required to provide evidence of their capacity to conduct research and produce scholarly work. This is usually evidenced by the submission of published or unpublished papers or reports, journal articles, book chapters, or the applicant’s master’s thesis or project.
• Interview: Nursing doctorate program applicants meeting foundational requirements for admissions will likely be required to sit for an interview with one or more program faculty members. Interviews may either be face-to-face or via videoconferencing. The importance of the interview cannot be overstated as it may be the final and determining factor in the selection of program candidates.

Tuition & Fees

Pursuing a nursing doctorate, online or otherwise, is an expensive proposition. It’s critical to develop a clear understanding of all of the costs involved in taking on a nursing PhD program before you enroll. Below are current tuition costs for four online PhD in nursing programs. These and the other rates shown in this guide will give you a general idea what you might expect to pay for your program. Bear in mind that your total degree price tag will be higher once you factor in additional program fees and the cost of books, supplies, and internet access. On the other hand, as an online student, you’ll save money on things like the transportation costs and parking fees you’d pay by attending on-campus classes. 

NOTE: PhD in nursing programs can look expensive at face value, but practically all colleges and universities offering online nursing doctoral programs provide several financial assistance resources to their students. These include loans, grants, scholarships, research assistantships, and more. Students may also be able to tap into funding help from their employers in the form of tuition reimbursement programs. What all of this means is that you’ll likely be able to substantially reduce the out-of-pocket cost of your online PhD in nursing program.

To find out about financial assistance opportunities for your online PhD in nursing program, be sure to contact the financial aid offices at each of the schools you’re considering. And to learn more on funding your degree, check out PhDs.me’s own scholarships and grants and financial aid guides.

Salaries for Nursing Professionals with a PhD

Whether you use your nursing doctorate for career advancement in scholarly research, as a nurse educator, or to fill a top position in health services administration, you’ll find generous salaries to meet your move up the career ladder. Median salaries for PhD holders are generally in line with those of nurses with only an MSN degree. However, professionals with a PhD in nursing enjoy particularly robust salary growth with the further career advancements that come with more professional experience. 

To illustrate the point, below are current median and top-90% estimated base salary figures for several career titles common to PhD in nursing graduates. Keep in mind that these are base salaries and do not include such items as bonuses, and profit sharing. 

Source: Payscale.com (accessed January 2023)