Best Nursing Colleges in Tennessee2026 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.
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| # | 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 | Lincoln Memorial UniversityPrivate | Strong· 36 | 59% | 54% | $19,591 | $59,588 | 9:1 | 35 | 1,487 |
| 3 | The University of Tennessee-KnoxvillePublic | Strong· 36 | 46% | 74% | $18,820 | $65,298 | 18:1 | 99 | 28,763 |
| 4 | Lee UniversityPrivate | Strong· 36 | 72% | 61% | $16,890 | $67,930 | 12:1 | 58 | 2,712 |
| 5 | Tennessee Wesleyan UniversityPrivate | Strong· 36 | 59% | 44% | $14,610 | $41,284 | 12:1 | 39 | 832 |
| 6 | Milligan UniversityPrivate | Strong· 35 | 70% | 60% | $20,830 | $70,523 | 9:1 | 36 | 783 |
| 7 | Christian Brothers UniversityPrivate | Strong· 35 | 88% | 56% | $12,547 | $50,114 | 9:1 | 60 | 953 |
| 8 | Lipscomb UniversityPrivate | Strong· 35 | 67% | 69% | $23,820 | $64,954 | 13:1 | 75 | 3,021 |
| 9 | The University of Tennessee SouthernPublic | Strong· 35 | 83% | 36% | $15,701 | $67,349 | 13:1 | 30 | 827 |
| 10 | Middle Tennessee State UniversityPublic | Strong· 34 | 68% | 54% | $12,840 | $65,839 | 17:1 | 72 | 16,115 |
| 11 | The University of Tennessee-ChattanoogaPublic | Strong· 34 | 77% | 53% | $12,478 | $65,273 | 17:1 | 47 | 9,878 |
| 12 | Carson-Newman UniversityPrivate | Good· 33 | 68% | 46% | $17,326 | $56,509 | 12:1 | 64 | 1,374 |
| 13 | Tennessee Technological UniversityPublic | Good· 33 | 83% | 54% | $14,405 | $61,379 | 16:1 | 41 | 8,495 |
| 14 | Tennessee State UniversityPublic | Good· 33 | 93% | 33% | $11,079 | $65,331 | 13:1 | 34 | 6,498 |
| 15 | Freed-Hardeman UniversityPrivate | Good· 33 | 91% | 68% | $19,533 | $64,784 | 13:1 | 39 | 1,244 |
| 16 | King UniversityPrivate | Good· 33 | 54% | 46% | $21,500 | $68,012 | 12:1 | 42 | 975 |
| 17 | Baptist Health Sciences UniversityPrivate | Good· 33 | 68% | 54% | $15,299 | $74,962 | 6:1 | 6 | 673 |
| 18 | The University of Tennessee-MartinPublic | Good· 32 | 87% | 55% | $12,457 | $71,727 | 15:1 | 39 | 4,600 |
| 19 | Belmont UniversityPrivate | Good· 32 | 96% | 72% | $27,345 | $67,072 | 12:1 | 65 | 7,306 |
| 20 | Trevecca Nazarene UniversityPrivate | Good· 31 | 70% | 55% | $12,303 | $69,533 | 22:1 | 51 | 1,697 |
| 21 | Austin Peay State UniversityPublic | Good· 31 | 96% | 45% | $16,365 | $68,235 | 15:1 | 40 | 7,365 |
| 22 | University of MemphisPublic | Good· 30 | 93% | 49% | $15,357 | $73,680 | 17:1 | 50 | 13,645 |
| 23 | Cumberland UniversityPrivate | Good· 30 | 67% | 47% | $17,891 | $67,094 | 18:1 | 31 | 2,053 |
| 24 | Southern Adventist UniversityPrivate | Good· 30 | 67% | 51% | $23,907 | $66,005 | 16:1 | 83 | 2,673 |
| 25 | East Tennessee State UniversityPublic | 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 | The University of Tennessee Health Science CenterPublic | 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 |