Best RN Programs in Tennessee for 2024

Located in Knoxville, Tennessee, Pellissippi Community College is one of the best nursing colleges in the state with the NCLEX pass rate of more than 96%. The nursing educators and faculty aim to provide an education that values excellence in ethical patient care and professional growth and integrity.

The department itself is committed to assisting every student in achieving success and thus they have specific plans, goals, and requirements requiring enrollment and re-entry so that each student gets the opportunity they deserve. The curriculum is designed to prepare students to function as productive team members of the healthcare team and practice safe nursing practices. The clinical hours and laboratory practice allow them to become effective providers as well as managers of care. The students are taught not only to work as members of a team but also to work independently with a network of individuals who can recognize and be in step with the rapid changes in the healthcare delivery processes. The nursing department also realizes and acts upon the necessity of continued professional growth and development through life-long learning.

Undergraduate Programs: The Associate of Applied Science in Nursing (AASN) degree offers two options for students to get entry into the healthcare field. The traditional pathway accepts fall and spring applications where students can enroll in a degree that allows them to begin their healthcare journey. 

Similarly, there is a spring bridge to RN pathway that allows students who already have begun a nursing career to get their RN license upon passing their NCLEX-RN examinations.

Columbia State Community College’s nursing division aims to serve the community of Tennessee and global health by providing students with a basic nursing education that allows them to become successful registered nurses. The graduates work as nurse generalists who take on the roles of care provider, manager/coordinator of care, and valuable healthcare team members. 

Nursing education at Columbia State Community College teaches the students the basics of collaboration, organization, delegation, accountability, advocacy, and respect for other healthcare workers. The nursing curriculum here combines general education with nursing education courses to provide the students with the scientific knowledge, and technical and interpersonal skills needed to make a difference in an individual’s health. In their clinical rotations, the students are taught to provide care to sick individuals as well as their families and communities. They are also taught to take care of groups of patients in acute, intermediate, and long-term care settings. Along with patient care and health promotion, they are also taught collaboration, organization, delegation, accountability, advocacy, and respect for other healthcare workers.

Undergraduate Programs: The AAS nursing degree can be completed in four semesters and allows students to sit for their NCLEX-RN examinations. The coursework itself is challenging and requires attention to time management and self-discipline to excel.

At Jackson State Community College, the nursing program employs continuous quality improvement methods to meet the needs of its students, employers, and the healthcare community as a whole. The college ranks among the top nursing colleges in the state with an NCLEX-RN pass rate of more than 99%.

Nursing students at Jackson State Community College practice in diverse clinical environments such as hospitals, clinics, and extended care facilities to strengthen their skills and knowledge. Additionally, they are led by expert faculty who are currently practicing nursing, in these practicals as well as in their theory classes. The college administration and faculty are also continuously studying the healthcare environment and the students’ experiences to ensure that the curriculum evolves to encompass the recent rapid changes in healthcare. Graduates of the program have been found to function effectively as providers and managers of care, team players, and they abide by the legal and ethical standards of the profession.

Undergraduate Programs: The two-year Associate of Applied Science in Nursing (AAS) program prepares the students for entry-level skills and knowledge needed to begin a nursing career upon passing their NCLEX-RN examinations. The graduates can even choose to continue their education to the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels.

Similarly, the LPN to RN career mobility track allows working LPNs to pursue their AAS in Nursing degree and take their NCLEX-RN examination. Applicants must possess a valid unencumbered Tennessee or multi-state practical nurse license and complete a minimum of 20 hours of prerequisites before applying for the course.

Ranked as one of the state’s best nursing colleges, Cleveland State Community College aims to educate its nursing students to become managers of ill people, their families, and the community as a whole. Graduates of the program are working in hospitals, communities, school systems, nursing homes, Doctors’ offices, home health care, and a plethora of other areas.  

Nursing students of Cleveland State Community College graduate to become not only good care providers but also competent supervisors of care, nursing managers, counselors, and health promoters. In their extensive clinical hours, the students learn the application of nursing procedures and skills in a manner that benefits the patients and is rooted in evidence-based practice. Students learn in teams, either with themselves or with other healthcare providers in healthcare facilities. In such teams, they learn the importance of collaboration, communication, prioritization, delegation, and teamwork. The highly trained instructors also teach them to practice within the ethical, legal, and regulatory frameworks of nursing and the standard of professional nursing practice. Thus the graduates of Cleveland State Community College are highly sought-after and find employment soon after graduation.

Undergraduate Programs: Cleveland State Community College offers three tracks for obtaining an AAS degree. There is a day option as well as a night option for students who have other commitments. Similarly, there is also an LPN - AAS bridge with a flexible schedule that allows working LPNs to work towards their AAS degree and subsequently their RN license.

Chattanooga State Community College is an affordable public institution that is committed to providing accessible, quality nursing education to its students. The nursing program here prepares students to be successful RNs who can meet the current and emerging needs of the individuals, community, and healthcare system. 

Graduates from Chattanooga State Community College become RNs who can use clinical decision-making and evidence-based practice to provide healthcare to diverse individuals in all kinds of healthcare settings across the lifespan. The college is highly affordable and has a great record in terms of NCLEX pass rates, graduation rates, and job placement rates of the past four years. In addition to this, the college has day and night programs for their AAS classes which allow students to choose to work and study in the shift that is feasible to them. Most graduates of the program have successfully found employment within one year of graduation in healthcare centers like hospitals, physician's offices, home healthcare agencies, nursing homes, outpatient care centers, government agencies, social assistance agencies, and educational services. 

Undergraduate Programs: The Associate RN program or the AAS in Nursing in Chattanooga State Community College accepts students in both the day and night shifts. The day program includes four clinical program courses that can be completed in two academic years and the night program includes five clinical program courses which students can complete in two and half years.

Furthermore, registered and working LPNs and Paramedics can choose to transition to RN by pursuing their AAS degree in Nursing to qualify to take their NCLEX-RN examination and work as RNs.

Nashville State Community College is one of the best nursing colleges in the state that trains students to work with people from various cultures across the life span. The education aims to create a dynamic learning environment that includes accountability/trust, caring, creativity/passion, diversity, excellence, and lifelong learning.

At Nashville State Community College, the nursing program teaches students the art of nursing that includes providing evidence-based practice through discovery, integration, application, innovative technology, and scholarship. Students also participate in clinical practicals in hospitals and healthcare settings located in middle Tennessee, in addition to classroom education. The clinical practical includes rotations in nursing care of adults in a medical-surgical setting and an intensive care unit, family nursing including care of children and expectant mothers, mental health nursing, and community health nursing. In addition to classroom education, the highly dedicated faculty also help students succeed in reaching their educational and career goals, provide learning opportunities to serve students in occupational and educational settings, and respond to the educational and training demands of both students and employers.

Undergraduate Programs: The Nursing Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree at Nashville State Community College is a two-year course that includes both didactic and clinical training. Students are eligible to take and excel at their NCLEX-RN examinations upon graduation and graduates have been successfully working in multiple healthcare settings including obstetrics, psychiatric care, critical care, and other departments and facilities.

Located in Dyersburg, Tennessee, Dyersburg State Community College is a public nursing college that ranks among the best in the entire state. The college is committing to allowing its students to be equipped with the knowledge and expertise needed to lead a career in professional nursing.

By providing quality nursing education from trained professionals, Dyersburg State Community College aims to elevate the region’s educational attainment and health which in turn helps to enhance the quality of life in West Tennessee. The college aims to provide leadership in public service activities, workforce development projects, and educational collaborations. As such it actively involves its students in lifelong learning, promotion of diversity, and improvement of the community as a whole. Nursing students benefit from the high-tech classrooms where they are instructed by some of the most highly-accredited healthcare professionals in the state. They also spend a huge portion of their academic years in clinical rotations in multiple healthcare facilities in the state where they learn to take care of a diverse population while also working in a team and applying evidence-based practice.

Undergraduate Programs: Dyersburg State Community College offers a traditional ASN program that allows students to sit for their NCLEX-RN examination and work as nurse generalists. The program is also available in the evening track where students will have two night classes a week.

Similarly, the Advanced Standing LPN-RN fast track is a one-year program that allows licensed LPNs to attend the classes while also remaining employed.

Finally, there is a Paramedic-RN program that aims to provide licensed paramedics with the opportunity to work towards their RN degrees. The program is three semesters long.

Motlow State Community College’s nursing curriculum prepares students to work in the rapidly changing healthcare world of today. The nursing program here is rigorous and prepares students to become caring and accomplished professionals in addition to being competent leaders.

The nursing program emphasizes the application of professional behavior, communication, assessment, clinical decision making, care provision, teaching and learning, collaboration, and care management of diverse client populations. In addition to classroom instruction, the students also participate in clinical rotations. The clinical practicum takes place in hospitals, extended care facilities, and other health and community agencies. Furthermore, the clinical facilities are located within the college’s 11-county service area so students get the chance to care for a diverse population in different specialty areas. In addition to being affordable and accessible, Motlow State Community College also features a single scholarship application system that allows nursing students to apply for all nursing scholarships together. 

Undergraduate Programs: The Associate of Applied Science (AAS) Nursing is a four-semester curriculum that prepares students for their NCLEX-RN examination. Students learn under the guidance of highly qualified, experienced faculty, and their clinical experiences throughout Tennessee prepare them for a rewarding nursing career in any field of their choosing. Graduates contribute to the supply of registered nurses in Motlow State’s eleven county service areas.

Walters State Community College is a public nursing college located in Morristown, Tennessee. The program aims to provide an affordable, high-quality nursing education for the residents of East Tennessee and beyond.

At Walters State Community College, the nursing curriculum is a blend of natural sciences, social and behavioral sciences, humanities, and mathematics. This curriculum aims to provide education that enables the students to function with intellectual and technical competence and utilize critical thinking skills and the application of the nursing process. Owing to the small class sizes and competency of the faculty members, each individual student is provided with individualized guidance that allows them to apply their full potential to patient care and the development of the nursing profession. The faculty members also function as nursing experts, teachers, mentors, and nurturers. In their classroom hours as well as clinical practicum, students learn the basics of patient-centered care, teamwork and collaboration, evidence-based practice, quality improvement, safety, and informatics; competencies that will help them practice as competent nurses.

Undergraduate Programs: The Associate of Applied Science Degree in Nursing program prepares students for a fulfilling career as nurse generalists in all kinds of healthcare facilities such as hospitals, long-term care facilities, clinics, and other healthcare delivery areas.

Roane State Community College aims to prepare competent nurses who can provide skilled nursing care to both patients and their families in a variety of healthcare settings. The curriculum consists of intensive study in patient-centered nursing care.

At Roane State Community College clinical rotations and classroom instructions occur in relatively small groups which allow for individualized attention and instruction from highly trained instructors. The clinical experiences take place in a variety of healthcare settings that allow students to learn about the healthcare needs of a diverse population. The college’s affiliation with a variety of healthcare facilities allows students to hone their clinical skills and nursing competencies before starting a healthcare journey on their own. Roane State Community College also offers multiple scholarships and grants each year so that the students have access to quality education despite their economic conditions. The graduates have a good reputation among the employers in the state and thus the job placement rate is more than 90%. Moreover, graduates can also choose to transfer to universities upon completion of their degree at Roane State.

Undergraduate Programs: The two-year intensive Associate of Applied Science in Nursing degree prepares students for a successful nursing career or further education. Freshers can enroll in the traditional AAS track while licensed LPNs can enroll in the LPN Mobility track which allows them to expand their skills and knowledge in order to obtain an RN license.

Southwest Tennessee Community College is located in Memphis, Tennessee.  STCC offers an AAS in Nursing: Generic Track and LPN Mobility Track.  STCC has nationally ranked for their degree programs for minorities and African Americans, such as "number one in the top 100 Associate Degree producers for total minorities in business operations support and assistant services – Diverse: Issues in Higher Education, 2014" and "number two in the top 100 Associate Degree producers for African-Americans in business operations support and assistant services – Diverse: Issues in High Education, 2014."