Best colleges for Practical Nursing in Tennessee
Ranked by graduate earnings
Tennessee College of Applied Technology Nashville, TCAT Athens and Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Hartsville are the top Practical Nursing programs in Tennessee by graduate earnings. Tennessee College of Applied Technology Nashville leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $51,085, College Scorecard. South College, Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Knoxville and Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Elizabethton award the most Practical Nursing degrees and certificates in Tennessee: 367, 162 and 97 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 29 Tennessee colleges offer Practical Nursing and award 1,860 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Practical Nursing program, also known as Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants, prepares students for a career as a licensed practical nurse (LPN). This program is designed for individuals who want to provide direct nursing care to…
Top 10 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tennessee College of Applied Technology Nashville Nashville Public · Certificate | $51,085 | 45 | 70% | — | $19,966 |
| 2 | TCAT Athens Athens Public · Certificate | $46,871 | 43 | 95% | — | $9,925 |
| 3 | Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Hartsville Hartsville Public · Certificate | $46,390 | 43 | 82% | — | $5,846 |
| 4 | Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Upper Cumberland Crossville Public · Certificate | $44,915 | 37 | 84% | — | $6,398 |
| 5 | Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Memphis Memphis Public · Certificate | $44,669 | 75 | 55% | — | $14,040 |
| 6 | Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Murfreesboro Murfreesboro Public · Certificate | $44,555 | 22 | 76% | — | $10,723 |
| 7 | Tennessee College of Applied Technology Crump Crump Public · Certificate | $44,134 | 25 | 63% | — | $6,000 |
| 8 | Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Hohenwald Hohenwald Public · Certificate | $42,694 | 51 | 65% | — | $6,500 |
| 9 | Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Dickson Dickson Public · Certificate | $42,651 | 81 | 74% | — | $11,000 |
| 10 | Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Jacksboro Jacksboro Public · Certificate | $42,300 | 51 | 84% | — | $7,439 |
Colleges awarding the most Practical Nursing degrees in Tennessee
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South College Knoxville Private for-profit | 367 | $39,238 |
| 2 | Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Knoxville Knoxville Public | 162 | $38,388 |
| 3 | Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Elizabethton Elizabethton Public | 97 | $33,692 |
| 4 | Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Jackson Jackson Public | 87 | $39,078 |
| 5 | Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Dickson Dickson Public | 81 | $42,651 |
| 6 | Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Memphis Memphis Public | 75 | $44,669 |
| 7 | Tennessee College of Applied Technology Northwest Newbern Public | 69 | $37,350 |
| 8 | Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Morristown Morristown Public | 57 | $39,477 |
| 9 | Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Livingston Livingston Public | 53 | $25,955 |
| 10 | Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Oneida-Huntsville Huntsville Public | 53 | Not reported |
ShowHide the other 19 Tennessee colleges offering Practical Nursing
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Nursing Assistants (SOC 31-1131).
Top skills
What Nursing Assistants earn in Tennessee
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Practical Nursing programs in Tennessee.
Which Tennessee colleges award the most Practical Nursing degrees?+
South College (367 graduates a year), Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Knoxville (162 graduates a year) and Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Elizabethton (97 graduates a year) award the most Practical Nursing degrees and certificates in Tennessee, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 29 Tennessee colleges offer Practical Nursing.
What is the best college for Practical Nursing in Tennessee?+
By graduate earnings, Tennessee College of Applied Technology Nashville leads among Practical Nursing programs in Tennessee, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $51,085, College Scorecard. TCAT Athens and Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Hartsville follow. By degrees awarded, South College is the largest, with 367 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Practical Nursing program in Tennessee has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Tennessee College of Applied Technology Nashville tops the list at $51,085. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Nursing Assistants earn in Tennessee?+
The average annual wage for Nursing Assistants in Tennessee is $38,230 (median $37,990), across about 27,040 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Practical Nursing program?+
The Practical Nursing program, also known as Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants, prepares students for a career as a licensed practical nurse (LPN). This program is designed for individuals who want to provide direct nursing care to…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop active listening, monitoring, reading comprehension, speaking, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Nursing Assistants?+
The national job outlook is about +2.3% growth with around 204,100 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Postsecondary nondegree award is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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