Best value colleges for Nursing in Tennessee.2026 Rankings
Choosing the right Nursing program in Tennessee means weighing more than just name recognition. We analyzed 30 colleges across the state, scoring each on the metrics that matter most to long-term career success: graduation rates, post-graduation earnings, net cost, and academic rigor.
The data tells an interesting story: The University of Tennessee-Knoxville leads on selectivity (46% acceptance rate), but selectivity is only one dimension of quality. Across Tennessee's Nursing programs, the typical in-state price is $22,238 and the average graduation rate is 50%. Graduates of these programs earn a median of $36,726 within one year of completing their degree.
Not sure if your profile matches these schools?
The numbers above show what each school requires and costs, but they can't tell you how competitive your individual profile is against this year's applicant pool.
Drop your application data into our Free Application Review. Our AI will analyze your admission chances and stats in 2 minutes. Get practical next steps for improvements where it matters most.
Get My Free Application Review →Nursing Programs in Tennessee
ranked by value score
| # | College | Value Score | Admit Rate | Grad Rate | Net Price | Median Earnings | Student:Faculty | Majors Offered | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Union UniversityPrivate | Great· 38 | 47% | 71% | $25,531 | $68,399 | 8:1 | 60 | 1,637 |
| 2 | Lee UniversityPrivate | Strong· 36 | 72% | 61% | $16,890 | $67,930 | 12:1 | 58 | 2,712 |
| 3 | Lincoln Memorial UniversityPrivate | Strong· 36 | 59% | 54% | $19,591 | $59,588 | 9:1 | 35 | 1,487 |
| 4 | Strong· 36 | 59% | 44% | $14,610 | $41,284 | 12:1 | 39 | 832 | |
| 5 | Strong· 36 | 46% | 74% | $18,820 | $65,298 | 18:1 | 99 | 28,763 | |
| 6 | Strong· 35 | 88% | 56% | $12,547 | $50,114 | 9:1 | 60 | 953 | |
| 7 | Lipscomb UniversityPrivate | Strong· 35 | 67% | 69% | $23,820 | $64,954 | 13:1 | 75 | 3,021 |
| 8 | Milligan UniversityPrivate | Strong· 35 | 70% | 60% | $20,830 | $70,523 | 9:1 | 36 | 783 |
| 9 | Strong· 35 | 83% | 36% | $15,701 | $67,349 | 13:1 | 30 | 827 | |
| 10 | Strong· 34 | 68% | 54% | $12,840 | $65,839 | 17:1 | 72 | 16,115 | |
| 11 | Strong· 34 | 77% | 53% | $12,478 | $65,273 | 17:1 | 47 | 9,878 | |
| 12 | Good· 33 | 68% | 54% | $15,299 | $74,962 | 6:1 | 6 | 673 | |
| 13 | Carson-Newman UniversityPrivate | Good· 33 | 68% | 46% | $17,326 | $56,509 | 12:1 | 64 | 1,374 |
| 14 | Freed-Hardeman UniversityPrivate | Good· 33 | 91% | 68% | $19,533 | $64,784 | 13:1 | 39 | 1,244 |
| 15 | King UniversityPrivate | Good· 33 | 54% | 46% | $21,500 | $68,012 | 12:1 | 42 | 975 |
| 16 | Good· 33 | 93% | 33% | $11,079 | $65,331 | 13:1 | 34 | 6,498 | |
| 17 | Good· 33 | 83% | 54% | $14,405 | $61,379 | 16:1 | 41 | 8,495 | |
| 18 | Belmont UniversityPrivate | Good· 32 | 96% | 72% | $27,345 | $67,072 | 12:1 | 65 | 7,306 |
| 19 | Good· 32 | 87% | 55% | $12,457 | $71,727 | 15:1 | 39 | 4,600 | |
| 20 | Good· 31 | 96% | 45% | $16,365 | $68,235 | 15:1 | 40 | 7,365 | |
| 21 | Trevecca Nazarene UniversityPrivate | Good· 31 | 70% | 55% | $12,303 | $69,533 | 22:1 | 51 | 1,697 |
| 22 | Cumberland UniversityPrivate | Good· 30 | 67% | 47% | $17,891 | $67,094 | 18:1 | 31 | 2,053 |
| 23 | Good· 30 | 67% | 51% | $23,907 | $66,005 | 16:1 | 83 | 2,673 | |
| 24 | University of MemphisPublic | Good· 30 | 93% | 49% | $15,357 | $73,680 | 17:1 | 50 | 13,645 |
| 25 | Average· 29 | 87% | 50% | $16,944 | $64,459 | 18:1 | 51 | 9,807 | |
| 26 | Tusculum UniversityPrivate | Average· 29 | 60% | 31% | $21,842 | $57,543 | 18:1 | 24 | 903 |
| 27 | Bethel UniversityPrivate | Average· 27 | 97% | 35% | $21,838 | $71,315 | 17:1 | 36 | 1,671 |
| 28 | Weak· 18 | — | — | — | $70,619 | 7:1 | 13 | 376 | |
| 29 | South CollegePrivate | Poor· 16 | — | 37% | $18,193 | $65,109 | 23:1 | 18 | 6,323 |
| 30 | Strayer University-TennesseePrivate | Very Poor· 7 | — | 0% | $23,838 | $81,061 | 39:1 | 9 | 2,670 |