Top Nursing Schools in Tennessee
This page lists 70 schools in Tennessee that reported awards in licensed nursing education to the U.S. Department of Education for 2023-24 — including 23 practical/vocational nursing (LPN/LVN), 20 associate degree (ADN), 30 bachelor's (BSN), 16 master's and 9 Doctor of Nursing Practice award levels. By ownership, 46 public, 19 private nonprofit and 5 private for-profit. 41 appear in the CCNE or ACEN accreditor directories for at least one nursing program level. The largest concentrations are in Nashville (9), Memphis (7), Knoxville (4) and Jackson (3).
Data last reviewed: October 6, 2026
Sources: IPEDS (U.S. Dept. of Education) / CCNE directory / ACEN directory / official school websites
Listing does not certify educational quality or guarantee licensure eligibility. Verify details with the school before applying.
Listed alphabetically. Inclusion is editorial selection, not a ranking — see our methodology. How schools are selected
Verified program profiles (26)
See all 26 programs →Individual programs whose details we verified on the school's own website, each fact with a source.
| Program | School | Award / pathway | Format | Tuition (basis) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continuous Enrolled (Accelerated) BSN | East Tennessee State University | BSN, Accelerated BSN (ABSN) | On-campus | Not published |
| Doctor of Nursing Practice | East Tennessee State University | DNP, BSN-to-DNP, MSN-to-DNP, FNP, AGPCNP, PMHNP, Leadership | Hybrid | $672 per credit |
| Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing | East Tennessee State University | PhD | Hybrid | Not published |
| LPN to BSN | East Tennessee State University | BSN, LPN / LVN-to-BSN | — | Not published |
| Master of Science in Nursing - Family Nurse Practitioner | East Tennessee State University | MSN, FNP | Online coursework | $672 per credit |
| Master of Science in Nursing - Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner | East Tennessee State University | MSN, PMHNP | Online coursework | $672 per credit |
Schools (70)
| School | Location | Ownership | Nursing awards / programs | Accreditation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin Peay State University | Clarksville, TN | Public | BSN, MSN, Grad Cert-FNP | CCNE, ACEN |
| Baptist Health Sciences University | Memphis, TN | Private nonprofit | BSN, DNP | CCNE |
| Belmont University | Nashville, TN | Private nonprofit | BSN, MSN, DNP | CCNE |
| Bethel University | McKenzie, TN | Private nonprofit | BSN | — |
| Carson-Newman University | Jefferson City, TN | Private nonprofit | BSN, MSN-FNP, Post-Master's-FNP | CCNE |
| Chattanooga State Community College | Chattanooga, TN | Public | ADN | ACEN |
| Christian Brothers University | Memphis, TN | Private nonprofit | BSN | CCNE |
| Cleveland State Community College | Cleveland, TN | Public | ADN | ACEN |
| Columbia State Community College | Columbia, TN | Public | ADN | ACEN |
| Concorde Career College-Memphis | Memphis, TN | Private for-profit | ADN | — |
| Cumberland University | Lebanon, TN | Private nonprofit | BSN | CCNE |
| Dyersburg State Community College | Dyersburg, TN | Public | ADN | ACEN |
| East Tennessee State University | Johnson City, TN | Public | BSN, ABSN, LPN-BSN, RN-BSN, MSN, MSN-FNP, MSN-PMHNP, Grad Cert-PMHNP, DNP-AGPCNP, DNP-FNP, DNP-Leadership, DNP-PMHNP, BSN-DNP, MSN-DNP, PhD | CCNE |
| Fortis Institute-Cookeville | Cookeville, TN | Private for-profit | ADN | — |
| Fortis Institute-Nashville | Nashville, TN | Private for-profit | ADN | — |
| Freed-Hardeman University | Henderson, TN | Private nonprofit | BSN | CCNE |
| Galen Health Institutes-Nashville Campus | Nashville, TN | Private for-profit | ADN, BSN | — |
| Jackson State Community College | Jackson, TN | Public | CNA, ADN | ACEN |
| King University | Bristol, TN | Private nonprofit | BSN, MSN, MSN-FNP, MSN-PMHNP, Post-Master's-FNP, Post-Master's-PMHNP, DNP | CCNE |
| Lee University | Cleveland, TN | Private nonprofit | BSN, DNP-FNP | CCNE |
Before you apply in Tennessee
- Prelicensure nursing programs must be approved by the state's board of nursing. Check the board's current list for the campus you will attend.
- Program accreditation (CCNE, ACEN or CNEA) is separate from state approval and from the institution's own accreditation. Each school page shows which records we found and where.
- Online programs based in another state may not accept residents of Tennessee. See online coursework and clinical requirements.