by our College Data Analytics TeamCollege Factual looked at 5 colleges and universities when compiling its 2025 Best Nursing Doctor's Degree Schools in Tennessee ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 394 doctor's degrees in nursing during the 2022-2023 academic year.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
The nursing doctor's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:
A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To take this into account we include a school's overall Best Colleges for a Doctor's Degree ranking which itself looks at a combination of different factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving their doctor's degree from the school. After all, your doctor's degree won't mean much if it doesn't help you find a job that will help you earn a living.
The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.
Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for nursing students working on their doctor's degree.
When choosing the right school for you, it's important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we've created a number of major-specific rankings, including this Best Nursing Doctor's Degree Schools in Tennessee list to help you make the college decision.
Below you'll see a list of the best colleges and universities for pursuing a doctor's degree in nursing.
The University of Tennessee - Health Science Center is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting a doctor's degree in nursing. Located in the city of Memphis, UTHSC is a public university with a small student population.More information about a doctorate in nursing from The University of Tennessee - Health Science Center
Union University is a good choice for individuals interested in a doctor's degree in nursing. Located in the city of Jackson, Union is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population.
Those nursing students who get their doctor's degree from Union University receive $36,952 more than the average nursing graduate.
More information about a doctorate in nursing from Union University
The University of Tennessee - Knoxville is a good decision for students pursuing a doctor's degree in nursing. UT Knoxville is a very large public university located in the midsize city of Knoxville.More information about a doctorate in nursing from The University of Tennessee - Knoxville
Belmont University is a good choice for individuals pursuing a doctor's degree in nursing. Located in the large city of Nashville, Belmont is a private not-for-profit university with a moderately-sized student population.More information about a doctorate in nursing from Belmont University
ETSU is a fairly large public university located in the small city of Johnson City.
Students who graduate with their doctorate from the nursing program report average early career income of $110,936.
More information about a doctorate in nursing from East Tennessee State UniversityExplore all the Best Nursing Colleges in the Southeast Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Colleges | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 138 | 636 |
| Virginia | 127 | 237 |
| Georgia | 126 | 236 |
| North Carolina | 115 | 372 |
| Mississippi | 113 | 50 |
| Louisiana | 103 | 147 |
| Alabama | 98 | 490 |
| South Carolina | 91 | 79 |
| Kentucky | 87 | 404 |
| Arkansas | 58 | 66 |
| West Virginia | 49 | 36 |
One of 34 majors within the Health Professions area of study, Nursing has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Nursing Practice | 238 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | 103 |
| Nursing Science | 21 |
| Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | 20 |
| Critical Care Nursing | 5 |
| Nursing Administration | 4 |
| Registered Nursing | 2 |
| Emergency Room/Trauma Nursing | 1 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Medicine | 751 |
| Pharmacy/Pharmaceutical Sciences | 501 |
| Rehabilitation & Therapeutic Professions | 438 |
| Dentistry | 180 |
| Optometry | 128 |
| Communication Sciences | 63 |
| Allied Health Professions | 22 |
| Public Health | 14 |
| Mental & Social Health Services | 3 |
