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BSN to DNP vs. MSN to DNP: Which Pathway Works for You?
Herzing Staff Sep 30, 2026
You know you want to move forward with your nursing education, but you’re not sure how to get there. Should you go straight from your Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) to a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), or earn a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) first and then add the doctorate later?
Your answer will depend on your career goals and your employer's requirements, as well as practical factors like time and cost. At Herzing University, we offer both routes. This article compares our BSN to DNP pathway with our MSN to DNP pathway and explains why nurses might choose one over the other.
What Is a DNP, and Why Would Nurses Want One?
A DNP is a Doctor of Nursing Practice, the terminal practice degree in nursing. Coursework covers evidence-based practice, quality improvement, health policy, nursing informatics, population health and systems leadership. Most programs, including ours, finish with a practice project that applies those skills to a real problem in the student's own workplace.
The degree is newer than many nurses assume. The first DNP program launched in 2001, and enrollment has climbed steadily since. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) counts 452 schools currently enrolling DNP students across all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
A DNP is also different from a PhD in nursing. The PhD is research-focused and prepares nurse scientists to generate new knowledge. The DNP is practice-focused and prepares nurses to put knowledge to work at the bedside or across a health system.
DNP-prepared nurses work in a range of roles:
- Nurse practitioners
- Nurse managers moving into director and chief nursing officer positions
- Quality and informatics leaders
- As faculty or administrators in nursing education programs
Reasons why nurses earn a DNP
Nurses pursue the DNP for three main reasons.
Ambition to lead. Whatever specialty track you choose, DNP coursework builds skills for executive-level, systems-wide leadership, including change management, financial stewardship and quality improvement that go beyond the MSN core.
Competitive positioning. A doctorate can help you stand out in a hiring pool and may open doors to upper-level leadership roles. Earnings still depend on your specialty, your experience and the market where you work. Nurse practitioners of all education levels earned a median annual wage of $134,920 in May 2025*, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Professional trends. The profession has been moving toward the DNP as the entry-level qualification for nurse practitioners. The National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties set a goal of completing that transition by 2025. That shift is still in progress. While you can still prepare to become an NP with a master’s, some nurses want to be ahead of the change.
What's the Difference Between a BSN to DNP Program and an MSN to DNP Program?
The difference comes down to where you’re starting from.
BSN to DNP programs are built for RNs who hold a bachelor's degree in nursing. MSN to DNP programs are built for nurses who already hold a master's, often with a nurse practitioner specialty, a leadership focus or a background in nursing education.
Because BSN to DNP students complete master's-level coursework on the way to the doctorate, they take more courses and spend more semesters in the program. MSN to DNP students have already covered much of that groundwork, so their programs are shorter and require fewer credits.
Clinical requirements follow the same logic. The AACN's doctoral standards call for a minimum of 1,000 practice hours after the bachelor's degree. This means that a school can evaluate the relevant graduate hours an MSN-prepared nurse has already earned and apply them toward the DNP minimum. A nurse entering with a BSN completes the full number of hours as part of their DNP.
Specialty also plays a role in planning. BSN to DNP students will choose a specialty at the start and earn it as part of the doctorate. MSN to DNP students may already have a specialty when they enroll in their DNP. They can choose to earn another specialty while pursuing their doctorate. Or, if preparing for leadership is their goal, they can choose our post-master's DNP with no specialization.
Compare Herzing's BSN to DNP and MSN to DNP Pathways
| BSN to DNP | MSN to DNP | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it's for | RNs who hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing | RNs who hold a Master of Science in Nursing |
| Format | 100% online didactic coursework, hands-on clinical experience and a DNP Practice Project | 100% online didactic coursework, hands-on clinical experience and a DNP Practice Project |
| Length | 28 to 32 months (7 to 8 semesters) | 20 to 24 months (5 to 6 semesters) |
| Credits | 62 to 71 semester credit hours, depending on specialty | 32 to 62 semester credit hours, depending on specialty |
| Clinical and project hours | Varies by specialty | Varies by specialty; qualifying hours earned during the MSN may count toward the requirement |
| Specialty options | 8 specialty tracks | 8 specialty tracks, plus a DNP with no specialization |
| Admission requirements | Active, unrestricted RN license; BSN from an accredited college or university; minimum 3.0 GPA; no GRE | Active, unrestricted RN license; MSN from an ACEN-, CCNE- or NLN-accredited program; minimum 3.0 GPA; no GRE |
| Tuition | $770 per credit hour | $770 per credit hour |
Note: Herzing’s online DNP program is available in select states.
Credit totals, program length and clinical hour requirements vary by specialty, so check the program page for the track you’re considering. Both pathways are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education,† and both are taught by the same faculty.
How to Decide Which Pathway to Choose
If you hold a BSN and you are weighing an MSN against going straight to the doctorate, four questions will narrow it down quickly.
Am I primarily interested in advanced clinical practice as a nurse practitioner?
If your main focus is becoming an NP, you can earn an MSN in the specialization of your choice to prepare for advanced practice now, then pursue our post-master's DNP pathway later. However, that route also spreads the cost of your education over more years.
Does my employer require an MSN for the roles I want?
Some employers tie specific titles, pay grades and promotion tracks to the master's degree. Others may offer tuition assistance that applies to one degree level at a time. Ask your nurse leader or HR department about your organization’s policies before you apply to a DNP program.
Do I want systems-level leadership skills at the highest level as well as a clinical or public health specialty?
As long as your employer does not require the master's first, going straight to the DNP gets you both credentials in one continuous program, with no second admissions process and no gap between degrees.
What if I want to teach and am not focused on leadership or the NP role?
A DNP may qualify you to teach at some colleges and universities. However, if education is your passion, consider our Doctor of Nursing Education (DNE). It’s designed specifically for MSN-prepared nurses whose goal is to teach, design courses and lead nursing education programs. It takes 20 months full time or 28 months part time.
If you’re still undecided, talk it through with an admissions advisor. They can review your transcripts and confirm which coursework transfers. They can also help you understand how each program would impact your current schedule.
Common Questions
Your starting credential. BSN to DNP programs admit nurses with a bachelor's degree and include master's-level coursework on the way to the doctorate. MSN to DNP programs admit nurses who already hold a master's and focus on doctoral-level work. As a result, MSN to DNP programs are shorter and require fewer credits.
The DNP adds preparation for systems-wide leadership, quality improvement and evidence-based practice at the organizational level, and it is the terminal practice degree in nursing. The profession has also been moving toward the DNP as the preferred preparation for nurse practitioners.
Our BSN to DNP takes 28 to 32 months depending on specialty. Our MSN to DNP takes 20 to 24 months. Clinical and project hours vary by track. The BSN to DNP and MSN to DNP family nurse practitioner tracks each include 945 combined clinical and project hours. However, students in the MSN to DNP program may be able to apply clinical hours from their MSN to the required clinical hours.
The DNP is a practice doctorate for advanced clinical practice and systems leadership. The DNE is a practice doctorate for nurse educators, built around curriculum design, teaching methods and leadership in nursing education. A PhD is a research doctorate that prepares nurse scientists to conduct original research.
Tuition is $770 per credit hour for both pathways. Your total depends on the credits your track requires and any credits you transfer in. The post-master's DNP accepts up to 12 transfer credits. Financial aid and scholarships are available to those who qualify.
Both pathways offer:
- Adult gerontology acute care nurse practitioner
- Adult gerontology primary care nurse practitioner
- Family nurse practitioner
- Nursing leadership and administration
- Nursing informatics
- Pediatric primary care nurse practitioner
- Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner
- Public health nursing
- Women's health nurse practitioner
The MSN to DNP route also offers a DNP with no specialization for nurses who already hold their clinical credential.
Ready to Choose Your Pathway?
Find the pathway that fits your goals. Explore Herzing's Doctor of Nursing Practice programs or get in touch to talk through your options with an admissions advisor.
Explore Herzing's DNP program options
* BLS pay estimates calculate the median annual wage for various occupations. Per the BLS the median wage for an occupation is: "The wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount, and half earned less. Median wage data are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey." Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook 2025. BLS median wage estimates do not represent entry-level wages and/or salaries. Multiple factors, including prior experience, age, geographic market in which you want to work, and degree level and field, will affect career outcomes, including starting salary and earnings as an experienced employee. Herzing neither represents that its graduates will earn the median salaries calculated by BLS for a particular job nor guarantees that graduation from its program will result in a job, promotion, particular wage or salary, or other career growth.
✝The doctor of nursing practice program at Herzing University Madison is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org). Herzing University is approved to offer programs in an online learning modality through association with the main campus in Madison, Wisconsin.
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