Ranked #3 in popularity, nursing is one of the most sought-after degree programs in the nation. This means there are lots of options to choose from when you decide to get your degree.
College Factual looked at 40 colleges and universities when compiling its 2025 Best Nursing Schools in Tennessee ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 6,214 degrees in nursing to qualified students.
The nursing program you select can have a big impact on your future. That's why we developed our collection of Best Schools for Nursing rankings. In order to come up with a best overall ranking for nursing schools, we combine our degree-level rankings, weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each level.
In order to find the schools that are the best fit for you, you may want to filter to one of the degree levels below.
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we've developed the Best Nursing Schools in Tennessee ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
If you'd like to restrict your choices to just one part of the country, you can filter this list by location.
In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat.
Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.
Although we recommend filtering by degree level first, you can view the list below to see which schools give the educational experience for the nursing degree levels they offer.
The University of Tennessee - Health Science Center is a good decision for students pursuing a degree in nursing. Located in the large city of Memphis, UTHSC is a public university with a small student population.
There were approximately 194 nursing students who graduated with this degree at UTHSC in the most recent year we have data available. Nursing degree recipients from The University of Tennessee - Health Science Center get an earnings boost of approximately $15,304 over the average earnings of nursing majors.
Union University is a great option for students pursuing a degree in nursing. Located in the city of Jackson, Union is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population. A Best Colleges rank of #538 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Union is a great university overall.
There were about 233 nursing students who graduated with this degree at Union in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the nursing program state that they receive average early career wages of $83,821.
With the affordable and transfer-friendly online RN to BSN program at Southern New Hampshire University, you can build upon your prior educational journey and enhance your professional experience in a program designed to fit around your schedule.
Southern Adventist University is a wonderful option for students interested in a degree in nursing. Located in the suburb of Collegedale, Southern Adventist is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population. A Best Colleges rank of #244 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Southern Adventist is a great university overall.
There were approximately 225 nursing students who graduated with this degree at Southern Adventist in the most recent data year. Soon after graduating, nursing degree recipients generally earn about $82,602 at the beginning of their careers.
East Tennessee State University is one of the best schools in the United States for getting a degree in nursing. ETSU is a fairly large public university located in the city of Johnson City. A Best Colleges rank of #802 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means ETSU is a great university overall.
There were about 638 nursing students who graduated with this degree at ETSU in the most recent year we have data available. Graduates who receive their degree from the nursing program earn about $76,204 in their early career salary.
UT Knoxville is a very large public university located in the medium-sized city of Knoxville. A Best Colleges rank of #226 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UT Knoxville is a great university overall.
There were roughly 314 nursing students who graduated with this degree at UT Knoxville in the most recent year we have data available. Nursing degree recipients from The University of Tennessee - Knoxville earn a boost of approximately $3,237 above the average earnings of nursing graduates.
Located in the city of Nashville, Belmont is a private not-for-profit university with a medium-sized student population. A Best Colleges rank of #237 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Belmont is a great university overall.
There were approximately 212 nursing students who graduated with this degree at Belmont in the most recent year we have data available. Graduates who receive their degree from the nursing program make about $70,260 in their early career salary.
Located in the large city of Memphis, UofM is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #807 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UofM is a great university overall.
There were roughly 391 nursing students who graduated with this degree at UofM in the most recent year we have data available. Students who receive their degree from the nursing program make an average of $79,269 for their early career.
BS in Nursing - RN to BSN - Accelerated RN to MSNProgram Name
At Southern New Hampshire University, we understand the demands placed on today's nursing professionals. When it comes to your education, consider saving money and time by electing the RN to MSN pathway. Eligible students will complete graduate courses within their undergraduate program. This pathway allows you to gain a BSN along the way and ultimately shorten your time within the MSN Nursing Education or Population Healthcare tracks.
Located in the town of Harrogate, LMU is a private not-for-profit university with a medium-sized student population. A Best Colleges rank of #618 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means LMU is a great university overall.
There were approximately 332 nursing students who graduated with this degree at LMU in the most recent year we have data available. Soon after graduating, nursing degree recipients generally make around $68,909 in their early careers.
JSCC is a small public college located in the small city of Jackson. A Best Colleges rank of #799 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means JSCC is a great college overall.
There were roughly 66 nursing students who graduated with this degree at JSCC in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the nursing program report average early career earnings of $66,385.
UT Chattanooga is a fairly large public university located in the city of Chattanooga. This university ranks 16th out of 41 schools for overall quality in the state of Tennessee.
There were roughly 188 nursing students who graduated with this degree at UT Chattanooga in the most recent data year. Graduates who receive their degree from the nursing program make an average of $85,120 for their early career.
The bars on the spread charts above show the distribution of the schools on this list +/- one standard deviation from the mean.
The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
The nursing program you select can have a big impact on your future. That's why we developed our collection of Best Schools for Nursing rankings. In order to come up with a best overall ranking for nursing schools, we combine our degree-level rankings, weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each level.
