Best Online Nursing Programs in Cookeville, TN (2026)

Cookeville, Tennessee has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs. Cookeville has a population of about 35,544. Median household income is $48,501 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 35.4% 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 Cookeville

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer nursing programs near Cookeville, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Cookeville 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 Cookeville. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Tennessee Technological University

Cookeville, TN 1.8 miles from Cookeville BOC Score 61.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,501
Avg net price $14,246/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Nursing Wages Near Cookeville

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Tennessee, statewide)
Registered Nurse$81,500
Licensed Practical Nurse$58,870
Nurse Anesthetist$211,450
Nurse Midwife$116,980
Nurse Practitioner$117,590
Nursing Assistant$37,990

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.


Cookeville at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population35,544Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$48,501Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+35.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Nursing-related employment in Putnam County739 workers, 24 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Cookeville-Area Cities With Nursing Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited nursing schools are near Cookeville, TN?

Accredited schools offering nursing programs near Cookeville 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 in Tennessee?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying nursing-related roles in Tennessee are: Nurse Anesthetist ($211,450), Nurse Practitioner ($117,590), Nurse Midwife ($116,980). Wages for Cookeville workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Lebanon instead of Cookeville?

Lebanon, TN is 46.7 miles from Cookeville 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 Cookeville an affordable place to study nursing?

Cookeville’s median household income of $48,501 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Cookeville 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 Cookeville

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

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.