Best Online Nursing Programs in Bristol, TN (2026)

Bristol, Tennessee has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs. Bristol has a population of about 27,490. Median household income is $55,007 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 29.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Tennessee, the top-earning nursing-related role is Nurse Anesthetist at a median $211,450 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Nursing Schools to Bristol

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer nursing programs near Bristol, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Bristol city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Bristol. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

King University

Bristol, TN 3.7 miles from Bristol BOC Score 56.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,831
Avg net price $22,347/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 60%
  • Programs offered: 16

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Tennessee schools on the Tennessee nursing page.


Nursing Wages Near Bristol

Bristol is part of the Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA metro area (BLS area code 28700). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Tennessee statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Registered Nurse$76,730Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA$88,808
Licensed Practical Nurse$54,050Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA$62,558
Nurse Anesthetist$211,450TN statewide$244,734
Nurse Midwife$116,980TN statewide$135,394
Nurse Practitioner$118,470Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA$137,118
Nursing Assistant$37,550Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA$43,461

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


Bristol at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population27,490Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$55,007Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+29.8%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)86.4 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Nursing-related employment in Sullivan County4,627 workers, 40 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Bristol-Area Cities With Nursing Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited nursing schools are near Bristol, TN?

Accredited schools offering nursing programs near Bristol are listed on this page, ranked by BOC Score and distance from the city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data on every site update, so it stays current as programs open and close.

What are the highest-paying nursing roles near Bristol?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying nursing-related roles near Bristol are: Nurse Anesthetist ($211,450), Nurse Practitioner ($118,470), Nurse Midwife ($116,980). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Tennessee statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Johnson City instead of Bristol?

Johnson City, TN is 17.6 miles from Bristol and has its own set of local nursing programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Bristol an affordable place to study nursing?

Bristol’s median household income of $55,007 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Bristol while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Tennessee public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.


Learn More About Nursing Programs

Other Programs Available in Bristol

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Bristol:

Data verified: July 23, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.