DNP vs PhD Nursing: Key Differences and How to Choose
| 11 Min Read
DNP vs PhD nursing is a choice between two doctorates with different goals. A DNP prepares nurses to apply research in practice and leadership. A PhD prepares nurses to generate new knowledge. Benedictine University offers an Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in Executive Leadership online program. This guide explains the DNP in detail and describes the PhD fairly. Neither degree is better for everyone.
This guide compares the two degrees side by side. It covers focus, final project, careers, pay and demand, and it ends with a simple way to choose. Read the tables first if you are short on time. Read the full sections for the evidence behind each row.
Readers here are usually nurses with a master’s degree, such as advanced practice nurses, nurse leaders and educators. You already know the clinical basics, so this guide skips them. Pay and workforce figures come from BLS and AACN. A median is the middle number, so half of workers earn more and half earn less. Individual pay varies with employer, region and experience.
Searches like DNP vs PhD, PhD vs DNP and doctor of nursing practice vs PhD share one question. DNP or PhD in nursing? The sections below answer that question. Both degrees sit at the top of nursing education, and they lead to different careers. A good choice starts with the work you want to do. Where the data allows, this guide shows numbers for both paths.
What Is a DNP?
A DNP is a terminal practice degree that prepares nurses to apply research in clinical care and leadership. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) says DNP programs prepare nurse leaders at the highest level of nursing practice.
AACN says DNP curricula build on master’s programs with evidence-based practice, quality improvement and systems leadership. A DNP student also completes a practice-focused final project. AACN’s 2026 white paper expects at least 500 post-baccalaureate practice hours.
AACN reports more than 108,000 DNP graduates since 2004, including 12,207 in 2025. AACN notes that the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) began accrediting DNP programs in fall 2008. DNP programs now operate in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. That reach lets nurses compare accredited programs near where they work.
Benedictine’s DNP is a leadership-focused program. It takes 24 to 26 months and runs in 8-week terms. Its asynchronous courses let nurses study when and where they prefer. Outcomes include appraising research, using systems thinking to shape health care policy and leading interprofessional teams.
The program ends with a DNP project. The project focuses on improving patient outcomes, addressing organizational challenges and developing strategic initiatives.
What Is a PhD in Nursing?
A PhD in nursing is a research doctorate that prepares nurses to generate new knowledge. The National Academies says the PhD is designed to prepare nurse scientists to conduct research.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) says doctoral programs usually take several years to complete. Most PhD programs require a dissertation. A dissertation is a paper that presents original research and is defended before experts. One path for PhD-prepared nurses is teaching at colleges and universities. BLS says postsecondary teachers typically need a PhD or other doctorate in their field.
BLS says tenure may take up to 7 years to attain. The decision to grant tenure rests on a candidate’s research, contribution to the institution and teaching. Research counts alongside teaching in that decision, so a research-focused PhD fits nurses on the faculty track. AACN’s 2025 enrollment data show that PhD enrollment fell 3.05% from 2024 to 2025. That is the 11th straight annual decline. AACN calls this trend a major concern for academic nursing leaders.
How Do the DNP and PhD Differ?
The DNP focuses on applying evidence to practice, while the PhD focuses on creating new evidence. In DNP vs PhD nursing terms, the main split is practice versus research.
| Factor | DNP | PhD in nursing |
| Main focus | Applying research to practice, quality improvement and systems leadership (AACN) | Generating new knowledge through original research (AACN, BLS) |
| Final project | A practice-focused DNP Project (AACN) | A dissertation presenting original research (BLS) |
| Typical roles | Advanced practice, executive leadership and teaching roles (BLS, Benedictine) | Faculty, nurse scientist and research roles (AACN, BLS) |
| Enrollment trend | Up for 22 straight years, to 44,976 students in 2025 (AACN) | Down for 11 straight years, to 4,077 students in 2025 (AACN) |
AACN says DNP-prepared nurses are well equipped to implement the science that PhD-prepared researchers develop. In other words, the two doctorates complement each other. AACN’s white paper adds that DNP and PhD graduates should ideally collaborate to improve health outcomes.
The final projects also differ. AACN’s white paper says the DNP Project is not a research dissertation. The paper lists design, planning, evaluation and dissemination as required elements. The paper also ties the DNP Project to the student’s area of advanced nursing practice.
A PhD dissertation asks a different question. It asks what new knowledge the student can add to the field. A DNP Project asks how the student can improve care in a real setting. Day to day, the work differs too. DNP students complete supervised practice hours, and PhD students write and defend a dissertation. The enrollment numbers show where programs and demand have grown. They describe national trends, so weigh them against your own goals.
Where Does Each Degree Lead?
A DNP leads mainly to practice and leadership roles. A PhD leads mainly to teaching and research roles. DNP careers include these roles, which suit nurses who want to lead how care is delivered:
- Advanced practice nurse: BLS says a master’s degree is the most common entry point. Nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists and nurse midwives may also choose a DNP or a PhD. The National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties reaffirms the transition to the DNP as the standard entry point for all entry-level nurse practitioners.
- Nurse executive: Benedictine’s Doctor of Nursing Practice in Executive Leadership program page names executive roles. They include chief nursing officer, director of patient care services and director of patient safety.
- Nurse educator. AACN says a clinical doctorate should prepare practitioners to serve as clinical faculty.
- Quality and safety leader: Benedictine’s program outcomes include developing health care policy that promotes a culture of safety and quality care.
The two paths can overlap. A DNP-prepared leader may teach part time, and a PhD-prepared researcher may work with clinical teams. Nursing PhD careers include these roles, which suit nurses who want to build the evidence others apply:
- Nursing faculty: BLS says a postsecondary nursing teacher might also need a nursing license.
- Nurse researcher: BLS says doctoral-level advanced practice nurses may conduct independent research or join an interprofessional research team.
- Research leader: The National Academies say more PhD-prepared nurses are needed for research aimed at improving clinical and community health.
BLS notes that some advanced practice nurses take on managerial or administrative roles. Others go into academia. Your degree qualifies you for these roles, and your experience and employer decide which one you hold.
How Do Pay and Demand Compare?
Advanced practice roles paid a combined median of $134,920 in May 2025, while nursing instructors earned $80,250. BLS projects 36% growth for the three advanced practice roles combined. BLS projects 17% growth for nursing instructors, against 3% for all occupations. BLS projects 24% growth for medical and health services managers.
BLS reports wages by occupation, not by degree. A DNP vs PhD nursing pay comparison therefore works best at the job level. Benedictine’s DNP in Executive Leadership points toward leadership roles, so the table adds the BLS figure for managers.
| Role | Median pay, May 2025 | Projected growth, 2025 to 2035 | Source |
| Nurse anesthetists | $236,590 | 10% | BLS |
| Nurse practitioners | $132,300 | 41% | BLS |
| Nurse midwives | $134,040 | 11% | BLS |
| Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary | $80,250 | 17% | BLS |
| Medical and health services managers | $123,860 | 24% | BLS |
Advanced practice roles pay more than nursing faculty roles in this data. The advanced practice rows describe those roles in general, not outcomes of Benedictine’s leadership-focused program. The managers row covers all medical and health services managers. It gives context for leadership careers, not a pay figure for one title.
Salaries for those with a DNP often depend on the advanced practice or leadership role you hold. Salary figures from one job does not apply to every graduate. BLS reports a median of $96,120 for postsecondary teachers at state colleges and universities in May 2025. At state junior colleges, the median was $68,160. These figures cover all postsecondary teachers, not only nursing faculty. Employer type matters, so compare job postings at both kinds of schools before choosing a faculty path.
Interest is rising in both programs. AACN reports that applications grew 18.1% for DNP programs and 50.0% for PhD programs in 2025. Even so, PhD enrollment has not rebounded. Competition for seats also differs. AACN reports that schools turned away 9,859 applications to DNP programs but only 500 to PhD programs. PhD enrollment has fallen 20.8% since 2013, from 5,145 to 4,077 students. Seat counts say nothing about job demand, so read them alongside the BLS growth figures above.
How Do You Choose Between a DNP and a PhD?
Choose the DNP to lead practice. Choose the PhD to lead research or teach at a university. Four questions can settle the choice between the DNP and nursing PhD because each one points toward practice or research:
- What problem do you want to solve? Choose a DNP for care delivery and systems problems. Choose a PhD for open research questions.
- Where do you want to work? A DNP can lead to health system leadership roles. A PhD can lead to university faculty and research roles.
- What final project fits you? A DNP Project suits a nurse with a care problem to fix at work. A dissertation suits a nurse ready to present and defend original research.
- How much time can you commit? Benedictine’s DNP takes 24 to 26 months. BLS says doctoral programs usually take several years, and PhD programs add a dissertation.
Admission rules vary by program, so check each program’s admission page. Benedictine’s DNP, for example, asks for a master’s or higher nursing degree and an RN license. It also requires two years of full-time RN experience and 500 hours of supervised clinical practice. The 500 hours from a master’s program count toward the program’s 1,000-hour practicum requirement.
Is a DNP worth it? Yes, if you want to lead practice or health care teams. Benedictine’s DNP also lets students complete the practicum where they work, which suits nurses balancing a job. A PhD pays off when research and teaching match your goals.
Talk with advisors and compare real job postings before you decide. Ask working nurses how their degree shaped their roles. Then choose the path that fits the work you want to do. If you are still unsure, request information from schools that offer each degree. Compare admission rules, practice hours and timelines side by side. Timelines vary by program, so neither path is shorter by default.
See how the Doctor of Nursing Practice in Executive Leadership from Benedictine University fits your practice and leadership goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nurses weighing the DNP often ask the same practical questions about timing, projects and clinical hours. These answers draw on AACN, BLS and the Benedictine program page.
How long does Benedictine’s online DNP in Executive Leadership take?
The program takes 24 to 26 months and runs in 8-week terms.
Does a DNP require a dissertation?
No. AACN says the DNP Project is not a research dissertation. BLS says most PhD programs require one.
How many practice hours does a DNP require?
AACN expects at least 500 post-baccalaureate practice hours. Benedictine lists a 1,000-hour practicum requirement and counts 500 master’s program hours toward it.
Can nurses complete the practicum where they work?
Yes, Benedictine offers clinical practicum placement support, with the option to complete the requirement where students work.
About the Online Doctor of Nursing Practice in Executive Leadership
Benedictine University is a Catholic university in the Benedictine tradition. It began as St. Procopius College in 1887 and now serves students in Lisle, Illinois, in Mesa, Arizona and online. The university says its education is grounded in Benedictine values.
Every level of nursing education at Benedictine, from the bachelor’s and master’s programs through the online Doctor of Nursing Practice in Executive Leadership, is accredited by CCNE, according to the university’s accreditation page. The DNP adds a doctoral option for working nurses.