# Best Nursing Colleges in Tennessee

> CollegeRanker Agent Insights — structured data for AI systems
> Updated: 2026-08-03 | Schools: 42 | Category: By State
> Source: https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-nursing-tennessee

## Methodology

Nursing programs in Tennessee ranked by outcomes and program concentration

CollegeRanker uses a 4-pillar algorithm: Academic Quality (15-20%), Economic Outcomes (30%), Social Mobility (25-35%), Value & Affordability (20-25%). Social mobility data from Raj Chetty's Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (30M+ anonymized tax records). No subjective surveys.

## Summary

Choosing a nursing program is a significant decision for many students and families. In Tennessee, there are 41 nursing colleges that prepare graduates for rewarding careers in healthcare. With nursing roles projected to grow significantly in the coming years, now is a great time to explore options.

What sets the top nursing colleges apart are their outcomes, which include graduate earnings, completion rates, and debt levels. The schools listed below not only offer quality education but also show how well their graduates fare in the job market. Pay attention to key metrics like earnings and debt when comparing programs, as these will impact your long-term financial health.

For example, Baptist Health Sciences University stands out with average earnings of $72,529 for graduates, but carries a higher debt of $29,500. In contrast, Dyersburg State Community College has lower earnings at $36,132 but a much lower net price of $4,612 and debt of $6,900. Each option has trade-offs, making this decision more complex but also more tailored to individual needs.

## Key Findings

- Baptist Health Sciences University graduates earn an average of $72,529, the highest in the state.
- Dyersburg State Community College has a low net price of $4,612, making it an affordable option.
- The average graduation rate among the top programs is 46%, indicating varying levels of student success.
- Tennessee Wesleyan University and Christian Brothers University both have graduation rates of 46% but different debt levels.

## Rankings

| Rank | School | Location | Graduation | Earnings (10yr) | Net Price | Median Debt | Debt/Earnings |
|------|--------|----------|------------|-----------------|-----------|-------------|---------------|
| 1 | [Christian Brothers University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/christian-brothers-university) | Memphis, TN | 55% | $57,478 | $9,854 | $27,000 | 0.47x |
| 2 | [Southern Adventist University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/southern-adventist-university) | Collegedale, TN | 50% | $53,723 | $24,345 | $24,500 | 0.46x |
| 3 | [Tennessee Wesleyan University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/tennessee-wesleyan-university) | Athens, TN | 46% | $45,989 | $14,836 | $20,000 | 0.43x |
| 4 | [East Tennessee State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/east-tennessee-state-university) | Johnson City, TN | 52% | $44,859 | $15,983 | $19,442 | 0.43x |
| 5 | [Dyersburg State Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/dyersburg-state-community-college) | Dyersburg, TN | 31% | $36,132 | $4,612 | $6,900 | 0.19x |
| 6 | [Columbia State Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/columbia-state-community-college) | Columbia, TN | 30% | $40,256 | $4,734 | $8,500 | 0.21x |
| 7 | [Union University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/union-university) | Jackson, TN | 68% | $53,990 | $27,171 | $20,714 | 0.38x |
| 8 | [Volunteer State Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/volunteer-state-community-college) | Gallatin, TN | 26% | $41,150 | $7,802 | $7,550 | 0.18x |
| 9 | [Lincoln Memorial University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lincoln-memorial-university) | Harrogate, TN | 52% | $49,956 | $20,406 | $20,000 | 0.4x |
| 10 | [Chattanooga State Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/chattanooga-state-community-college) | Chattanooga, TN | 24% | $37,598 | $5,283 | $10,419 | 0.28x |
| 11 | [Roane State Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/roane-state-community-college) | Harriman, TN | 34% | $39,407 | $4,270 | $8,454 | 0.21x |
| 12 | [Baptist Health Sciences University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/baptist-health-sciences-university) | Memphis, TN | 46% | $72,529 | $11,212 | $29,500 | 0.41x |
| 13 | [Trevecca Nazarene University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/trevecca-nazarene-university) | Nashville, TN | 54% | $49,378 | $16,813 | $18,744 | 0.38x |
| 14 | [Austin Peay State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/austin-peay-state-university) | Clarksville, TN | 42% | $44,301 | $9,735 | $20,547 | 0.46x |
| 15 | [Rhodes College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/rhodes-college) | Memphis, TN | 83% | $66,651 | $28,585 | $21,761 | 0.33x |
| 16 | [King University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/king-university) | Bristol, TN | 47% | $59,831 | $22,347 | $22,750 | 0.38x |
| 17 | [Lipscomb University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lipscomb-university) | Nashville, TN | 70% | $55,541 | $24,739 | $19,500 | 0.35x |
| 18 | [University of Memphis](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-memphis) | Memphis, TN | 50% | $48,458 | $12,397 | $23,300 | 0.48x |
| 19 | [Tennessee Technological University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/tennessee-technological-university) | Cookeville, TN | 56% | $48,501 | $14,246 | $15,650 | 0.32x |
| 20 | [Maryville College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/maryville-college) | Maryville, TN | 49% | $49,279 | $19,360 | $25,375 | 0.51x |
| 21 | [Middle Tennessee State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/middle-tennessee-state-university) | Murfreesboro, TN | 54% | $48,541 | $13,359 | $20,000 | 0.41x |
| 22 | [Belmont University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/belmont-university) | Nashville, TN | 71% | $55,930 | $33,147 | $20,500 | 0.37x |
| 23 | [Lee University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lee-university) | Cleveland, TN | 62% | $43,222 | $18,878 | $25,750 | 0.6x |
| 24 | [Cleveland State Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cleveland-state-community-college) | Cleveland, TN | 33% | $36,671 | $6,384 | $7,954 | 0.22x |
| 25 | [Cumberland University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cumberland-university) | Lebanon, TN | 46% | $57,687 | $18,759 | $17,952 | 0.31x |
| 26 | [Tennessee State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/tennessee-state-university) | Nashville, TN | 33% | $42,730 | $15,796 | $27,000 | 0.63x |
| 27 | [Bethel University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/bethel-university-tn) | McKenzie, TN | 35% | $47,482 | $12,595 | $27,249 | 0.57x |
| 28 | [Johnson University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/johnson-university) | Knoxville, TN | 59% | $40,596 | $22,063 | $21,500 | 0.53x |
| 29 | [Northeast State Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/northeast-state-community-college) | Blountville, TN | 33% | $34,553 | $6,864 | $6,827 | 0.2x |
| 30 | [Milligan University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/milligan-university) | Milligan, TN | 62% | $46,641 | $21,365 | $25,219 | 0.54x |
| 31 | [Nashville State Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/nashville-state-community-college) | Nashville, TN | 18% | $38,519 | $6,777 | $9,595 | 0.25x |
| 32 | [Pellissippi State Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/pellissippi-state-community-college) | Knoxville, TN | 30% | $38,440 | $4,983 | $8,725 | 0.23x |
| 33 | [Walters State Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/walters-state-community-college) | Morristown, TN | 35% | $37,085 | $5,387 | N/A | N/A |
| 34 | [The University of Tennessee-Knoxville](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/the-university-of-tennessee-knoxville) | Knoxville, TN | 74% | $60,249 | $18,976 | $20,500 | 0.34x |
| 35 | [Jackson State Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/jackson-state-community-college) | Jackson, TN | 23% | $35,224 | $6,236 | N/A | N/A |
| 36 | [Freed-Hardeman University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/freed-hardeman-university) | Henderson, TN | 70% | $47,485 | $21,574 | $21,500 | 0.45x |
| 37 | [The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/the-university-of-tennessee-chattanooga) | Chattanooga, TN | 52% | $51,151 | $14,265 | $19,500 | 0.38x |
| 38 | [Motlow State Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/motlow-state-community-college) | Tullahoma, TN | 31% | $40,397 | $15,742 | N/A | N/A |
| 39 | [The University of Tennessee-Martin](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/the-university-of-tennessee-martin) | Martin, TN | 54% | $44,213 | $10,701 | $21,024 | 0.48x |
| 40 | [The University of Tennessee Southern](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/the-university-of-tennessee-southern) | Pulaski, TN | 36% | $38,924 | $12,798 | $21,500 | 0.55x |
| 41 | [Carson-Newman University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/carson-newman-university) | Jefferson City, TN | 50% | $48,382 | $20,251 | $21,500 | 0.44x |
| 42 | [Southwest Tennessee Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/southwest-tennessee-community-college) | Memphis, TN | 19% | $34,071 | $4,754 | N/A | N/A |

## Data Sources

- U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov)
- Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (https://opportunityinsights.org/data)
- Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
- Times Higher Education World University Rankings
- NCES IPEDS

## Citation

CollegeRanker. "Best Nursing Colleges in Tennessee." CollegeRanker.com, 2026-08-03. https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-nursing-tennessee

## License

This data summary is provided for informational purposes. Underlying data from federal sources (College Scorecard, IPEDS) is public domain. Opportunity Insights data is available under their data use agreement at https://opportunityinsights.org/data/.