Compare tuition, NCLEX outcomes, and program formats for every BSN option near Clarksville.
Can you find a BSN program in Clarksville that delivers strong NCLEX results without a 40-mile drive to Nashville? The city’s position next to Fort Campbell and its rapid population growth have pushed local healthcare demand well past what its two nursing programs can absorb.
Austin Peay State University’s traditional BSN and Herzing University’s accelerated option anchor the city, but many students expand their search to nearby schools in Nashville, Cookeville, and Hopkinsville. That radius matters, because net price and first-time NCLEX pass rates swing sharply between public and private pathways.
In a metro where RNs earn a median $57,730, far less than Nashville’s $76,300, the math forces a hard choice: pay more for a faster degree or borrow less for a longer timeline.
Our rankings spotlight accredited nursing programs within 65 miles of Clarksville, Tennessee, using federal data on costs, graduation rates, and post-college earnings. We also considered program accreditation, NCLEX pass rates, and delivery formats to highlight options that balance quality and accessibility for local students.
| Rank | School | Location | Net price | Best for | |
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| #1 | Austin Peay State University | Clarksville, TN | ~$11,000/yr (est.) | Montgomery County residents pursuing campus BSN | |
Austin Peay State University, located right in Clarksville, offers a CCNE-accredited pre-licensure BSN with hands-on clinicals and internships, plus an accelerated online RN to BSN for working nurses. The program emphasizes evidence-based practice, inclusive care, and leadership, with doctoral-educated faculty and strong NCLEX pass rates.
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| #2 | Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College | Bowling Green, KY | Affordability-driven learners choosing an ADN | ||
Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College in Bowling Green provides an ACEN-accredited ADN that combines classroom instruction with clinical rotations in hospitals, long-term care, and clinics. The program prides itself on low tuition and a selective admission process that prepares graduates for the NCLEX-RN exam.
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| #3 | Lipscomb University | Nashville, TN | $17,000/yr | Faith-centered students seeking a private BSN | |
Lipscomb University's BSN program in Nashville combines rigorous academics with a faith-based approach, boasting a perfect job placement rate and NCLEX pass rate. Students benefit from small class sizes, extensive clinical hours, and a supportive Christian community focused on whole-person care.
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| #4 | Murray State University | Murray, KY | $11,000/yr | ||
Murray State University’s four-year BSN program blends prerequisite coursework with five semesters of nursing courses and regional clinical experiences. The curriculum stresses leadership, communication, and evidence-based practice, preparing graduates for the NCLEX-RN and diverse healthcare settings.
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| #5 | Madisonville Community College | Madisonville, KY | |||
Madisonville Community College offers an ACEN-accredited ADN with a high NCLEX pass rate and strong job placement. The two-year program features selective admission, fall and spring starts, and an LPN to RN bridge track, all at Kentucky’s lowest tuition.
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| #6 | Belmont University | Nashville, TN | $28,000/yr | ||
Belmont University’s direct-entry BSN in Nashville immerses students in clinicals from sophomore year with a 100% placement rate in top area health systems. The program boasts a 98% first-time NCLEX pass rate, NLN Center of Excellence status, and a community college bridge option.
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| #7 | Hopkinsville Community College | Hopkinsville, KY | |||
Hopkinsville Community College, just across the state line, provides an ACEN-accredited ADN with multiple tracks including a LPN to RN bridge. Low tuition and clinical practice in real-world settings make it an accessible entry point into registered nursing.
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| #8 | Western Kentucky University | Bowling Green, KY | $12,000 – $18,000/yr | ||
Western Kentucky University offers a traditional BSN, an associate degree pathway, and an accelerated Master Entry Professional Nursing (MEPN) program. Students benefit from guaranteed freshman admission for the BSN and a hybrid format for the MEPN, which leads to both a BSN and MSN.
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| #9 | Trevecca Nazarene University | Nashville, TN | $11,000/yr | ||
Trevecca Nazarene University’s faith-based BSN in Nashville guarantees small class sizes and one-on-one faculty attention. With a 100% NCLEX pass and job placement rate, clinical rotations at premier Vanderbilt and Ascension Saint Thomas sites, and transfer-friendly admissions, it prepares graduates for a range of nursing roles.
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| #10 | Volunteer State Community College | Gallatin, TN | |||
Volunteer State Community College’s ADN program provides a cohort-based curriculum with summer and fall starts across three campuses. Competitive point-based admission and articulation agreements into BSN programs make it a strategic stepping stone for local nursing students.
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Herzing University Clarksville's BSN can be completed in as few as 3 years of year-round study, while Austin Peay State University's traditional BSN follows a standard 4-year fall/spring schedule. This structural difference influences aspects from tuition costs to clinical scheduling.
Austin Peay maintains long-standing partnerships with local providers including Tennova Healthcare and Blanchfield Army Community Hospital, offering students exposure to military and civilian patient populations. Herzing Clarksville primarily coordinates clinical rotations through area long-term care facilities, clinics, and hospital networks, with placement staff dedicated to securing sites within 50 miles.
Recent Tennessee Board of Nursing data show both programs producing graduates ready for licensure. Austin Peay's first-time NCLEX-RN pass rates have hovered in the high 80s to low 90s range over the past three years, while Herzing Clarksville's BSN graduates have achieved rates in the mid-80s. Both schools integrate NCLEX-style exams and provide end-of-program review courses to support testing success.
The sticker price of a BSN can vary dramatically between public and private schools. However, net price after grants and scholarships often narrows the gap. Keep in mind these figures are institution-wide averages; your actual cost depends on your financial aid package.
NCLEX first-time pass rates offer a clear picture of how well a nursing program prepares graduates for licensure. For May 2026 applicants, these numbers should weigh heavily in your school decision.
According to 2024 figures from the Tennessee Board of Nursing, Austin Peay State University nursing students achieved a first-time NCLEX pass rate of 91%.1 This means nine out of ten APSU graduates passed the licensure exam on their first attempt. Data for Herzing University's Clarksville campus was not publicly reported in the same state dataset, making a direct head-to-head comparison difficult. Prospective students are encouraged to contact Herzing's admissions office directly for their most recent NCLEX outcomes.
At 91%, Austin Peay's result sits just below the national average of 91.16% for BSN programs and more notably below Tennessee's statewide average of 94.89%.1 While the difference is modest, it signals that the program's curriculum could benefit from closer alignment with NCLEX test plans. Programs that consistently perform below state averages may face heightened scrutiny from accrediting bodies.
Successful first-time NCLEX passage is often a prerequisite for hospital job offers, because employers want nurses who can start without lengthy retesting delays. A single NCLEX retake can delay your entry into the workforce by weeks or months, affecting your income and career momentum. Programs with pass rates below 80% for consecutive years risk losing accreditation or being placed on warning status with the state board. The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) both monitor pass rates as part of their review cycles; a sustained dip can trigger a site visit or require a program improvement plan.
Beyond the exam, detailed employment and earnings data for Clarksville nursing graduates is not yet available through federal sources, but strong NCLEX performance is a reliable proxy for graduate readiness in the local job market. For the most current NCLEX and job placement statistics, always verify directly with the nursing program.
The push for flexible nursing education has brought a wave of online BSN programs, but few are fully remote for pre-licensure students. Clarksville residents can tap into these options, though they must navigate the reality that hands-on clinical hours still require in-person attendance.
Most BSN programs advertise online coursework but cannot eliminate the clinical component. Even "online" pre-licensure tracks partner with local hospitals and clinics to arrange in-person rotations. For Clarksville students, this often means commuting to sites in the Nashville metro or accepting a hybrid structure where lectures are remote but labs and clinicals are on campus.
If you already hold an RN license, the landscape flips. RN-to-BSN programs are widely available fully online because the required clinical hours were already completed during the initial associate degree. Many Tennessee public universities, including those near Clarksville, offer these accelerated online tracks. They often feature flexible start dates and can be finished in as little as 12 months.
A handful of schools in Tennessee and neighboring states provide pre-licensure BSN programs with online didactic portions, but they typically require on-campus intensives for skills check-offs and extensive clinical placements. Clarksville residents should verify that a program’s clinical partners are within a reasonable driving distance before enrolling. The top-ranked BSN programs on this page are primarily campus-based; however, exploring online options from larger state universities may reveal hybrid alternatives that balance flexibility with local clinical access.
Registered nurses in the Clarksville TN-KY metropolitan area earned a median annual wage of $57,730 in 2024.1 This is below the Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro MSA median ($76,300) and the Tennessee statewide median ($79,030).1 The national median RN wage for the same period was $93,600,2 so Clarksville salaries reflect a local market that is competitive relative to Tennessee's cost of living.
The region's largest healthcare employers provide steady opportunities. Tennova Healthcare Clarksville operates a full-service hospital and multiple specialty clinics, while Blanchfield Army Community Hospital at Fort Campbell serves military personnel and their families. Both institutions, along with smaller physician networks and long-term care facilities, create a steady demand for new BSN graduates from top BSN programs in Tennessee.
Nationally, the BLS projects 5% growth in RN employment from 2024 to 2034, with about 189,100 job openings each year.2 In the Clarksville area, demand is reinforced by the presence of Fort Campbell and by the rapid expansion of healthcare services along the Nashville corridor. As facilities add capacity and population growth continues, local RNs can expect a favorable job market with a range of practice settings.
Clarksville presents aspiring nurses with a clear choice: Austin Peay's public, four-year BSN provides in-state affordability and traditional clinical rotations, while Herzing's private, year-round format compresses the timeline to about three years. Neither is universally better. If minimizing debt is your priority, APSU's net price after aid is hard to beat. If a faster track or evening flexibility is essential, Herzing's schedule may be the better fit. Weigh NCLEX pass rates, clinical site locations, and your budget carefully. The right program is the one that aligns with your life and career timeline.
