Clinical Nurse Leader Programs
(found programs from 82 schools)

Below is a complete list of nationally accredited Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) programs.

Show me all the CNL programs in:

The Clinical Nurse Leader role is a relatively new one, so there aren’t as many programs to choose from as there are for the NP or CNS specialties. However, in case you want to do a more specific search (nursing schools by state, online RN to MSN programs, etc.), just use the search box in the top right corner of this page.

What Does A Clinical Nurse Leader / CNL Actually Do?

The Clinical Nurse Leader role has been the subject of much discussion since its creation by the AACN. The primary focus of the role is on managing care plans and care delivery to improve patient outcomes. There is less emphasis on directly providing primary care.

You can find more information about this role on the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) website.

The AACN website has a list of CNL programs as well. Its list has a few more schools than this one. We decided to leave out some of the schools because their CNL programs are offered only as Direct Entry MSN programs, for non-nurses, and are therefore not very useful to RNs. If you’re interested in Direct Entry MSN programs, you can find a directory of them here: Direct Entry MSN programs.

The average salary of a Clinical Nurse Leader is lower than an NP’s or CNS’s - in the $55,000 to $60,000 range. However, part of the reason for this is that the role is newer, so average salary numbers are based on a younger group of workers with less seniority, as opposed to NP or CNS salary data, which includes many nurses who have been practicing for much longer.

How Do I Become A Clinical Nurse Leader?

The first step in becoming a Clinical Nurse Leader is to pursue a CNL track as part of a nationally accredited Masters of Science in Nursing program. The CNL Certification Examination is administered at the end of the program by the AACN’s Commission on Nurse Certification. As always, you should also make sure to check with the Board of Nursing in the state where you intend to practice, for any state specific requirements.