13 Schools • 1 Online • 10 Mostly Online• 1 Hybrid
Thirteen Tennessee schools prepare family nurse practitioners across MSN, BSN-to-DNP, MSN-to-DNP, RN-to-MSN, post-graduate certificate, and dual-specialty doctoral pathways. Delivery runs from genuinely travel-free online study to a fixed weekly campus day. Tuition spans roughly $10,000 for the shortest certificate to $189,000 for a dual-certification doctorate, with completion times from two semesters to three years.
Compare each school’s online format, campus commitment, cost, and degree options below.
Compare Tennessee FNP Programs
| School | Online Format | Campus Commitment | Cost Per Credit | Degrees | Best For |
| Austin Peay State University Clarksville | Mostly Online | 2 required campus intensives | $533 CPC | MSN | Nurses funded by military Tuition Assistance |
| Carson-Newman University Jefferson City | Mostly Online | 1 to 2 3-day residencies, 2-day certification review | $650 CPC | MSN, BSN-DNP, MSN-DNP, Certificate | Nurses who want preceptors secured for them |
| East Tennessee State University | Mostly Online | DNP intensives 1 to 2 times per semester | $692 CPC | MSN, BSN-DNP, MSN-DNP, Certificate | Nurses who want behavioral health built into the curriculum |
| Lincoln Memorial University Harrogate | Mostly Online | First-semester on-site intensives | $785 CPC | MSN | TN-licensed nurses wanting a 17-month master’s |
| Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro | Online | Campus activity may be required | $623 | MSN | Residents seeking the lowest degree cost |
| Tennessee State University Nashville | Mostly Online | 3 campus visits | $539 | MSN, Certificate | MSN holders wanting the shortest certificate |
| Tennessee Tech University Cookeville | Mostly Online | DNP intensives 2 to 3 times a year | $817 | MSN, Certificate, BSN-DNP, MSN-DNP, RN-to-MSN | Nurses who cannot travel to campus at all |
| Union University Jackson | Mostly Online | Procedures lab | $761 | MSN, BSN-DNP, Certificate | Nurses wanting a 16-month cohort master’s |
| University of Memphis | Mostly Online | 3 Memphis intensives (1–3 days) | $697 | MSN, Certificate, RN-to-MSN entry | Out-of-state nurses avoiding a residency surcharge |
| University of Tennessee at Chattanooga | Hybrid | Designated weekly class day | $649 | BSN-to-DNP, Certificate | Local nurses who want classroom-based training |
| University of Tennessee Health Science Center Memphis | Mostly Online | 4 visits in semester 1, intensives 3 times a year | $690 | Post-BSN DNP, Post-MSN DNP, Certificate | Nurses who want faculty to arrange every placement |
| University of Tennessee, Knoxville | Mostly Online | 2 DNP intensives, Certificate intensives 2 to 3 times per semester | $889 | BSN-to-DNP, Certificate, MSN-to-DNP | Tennessee nurses committed to a doctorate over a master’s |
| Vanderbilt University | Mostly Online | On-campus intensives | $2,119 | MSN, BSN-DNP, dual-specialty DNPs Certificate | Nurses stacking a second certification onto FNP |
How We Classify Program Formats
To make comparing schools easier, we classify every program based on the actual student experience, not the school’s marketing language.
- Online: No required campus attendance. Clinical rotations completed locally are not considered campus requirements.
- Mostly Online: Coursework is primarily online, but students must attend one or more required campus visits, such as orientations, skills labs, or intensives.
- Hybrid: Online coursework combined with recurring scheduled on-campus classes or labs throughout the program.
- Campus: Most coursework is completed in person.
Our classifications are based on published attendance requirements and may differ from how a university markets its program.
What’s the Best FNP Program for You?
Best Fully Online Option
Tennessee Tech University is the only Tennessee school whose master’s and certificate require no campus visits, residencies, or intensives of any kind.
Best Overall Value
Middle Tennessee State University delivers a 42-credit MSN with 630 clinical hours for about $28,000 on its four-semester plan, the lowest full-degree price in the state.
Strongest Placement Support
Carson-Newman University assigns a placement specialist who identifies vetted sites and preceptors from its provider network and handles the paperwork across every clinical track.
Strongest DNP
The University of Tennessee Health Science Center pairs 1,140 clinical hours with faculty-made placements and CCNE accreditation confirmed through December 31, 2034.
Fastest Route for MSN Holders
Tennessee State University’s post-graduate certificate carries the same 750 clinical hours as its 49-credit master’s in 15 credits across two semesters.
Best for Military Nurses
Austin Peay State University bills uniformed personnel using Tuition Assistance at $250 per credit hour with the program service fee waived and no out-of-state surcharge.
Best for Dual Certification
Vanderbilt University is the only Tennessee school that pairs FNP with emergency nurse practitioner or nurse-midwifery preparation inside a single admission.
Tennessee DNP FNP Programs
Eight schools offer doctoral FNP preparation, and three of them — UTC, UT Knoxville, and UTHSC — have retired the master’s route entirely. Format ranges from Tennessee Tech’s twice-yearly intensives to UTC’s weekly class day.
| School | Track | Estimated Tuition | Duration | Clinical Hours |
| Carson-Newman University | BSN to DNP | $48K | 32 months part-time | Not clearly stated |
| Carson-Newman University | MSN to DNP (doctoral completion; no FNP specialty courses listed) | $24K | 18 months part-time | Not clearly stated |
| East Tennessee State University | BSN to DNP | $74K | 3 years | 1000 hrs |
| Tennessee Tech University | BSN to DNP (joint with East Tennessee State) | $68K–$74K | 1,040 hrs | |
| Tennessee Tech University | MSN to DNP | $26K–$29K | 1 year | 500 hrs |
| Union University | BSN to DNP | $63K | 3 years | Not clearly stated |
| University of Tennessee at Chattanooga | BSN to DNP, FNP-Lifespan | $57K | 8 semesters | 1,050 |
| University of Tennessee Health Science Center | Post-BSN DNP | $42K | 3 years full-time | 1,140 |
| University of Tennessee Health Science Center | Post-MSN DNP | $22K | 2 years full-time | Not clearly stated ⚠ |
| Vanderbilt University | BSN to DNP | $127K–$136K | 7 semesters full-time | 500 direct patient care plus 500 DNP practice hours |
| Vanderbilt University | BSN to DNP, FNP/Emergency NP dual | $161K | Not clearly stated ⚠ | Not clearly stated |
| Vanderbilt University | BSN to DNP, Nurse-Midwifery/FNP dual | $189K | 8 semesters full-time | Over 1,400 |
- Highest clinical volume: UTHSC — 1,140 hours post-BSN, with at least 500 required in direct primary care settings.
- Lowest doctoral cost: UTHSC post-MSN DNP — $22K for residents, though the track’s clinical hour requirement is unpublished ⚠.
- Only dual-certification doctorates: Vanderbilt — FNP paired with emergency NP or nurse-midwifery from one admission.
Tennessee MSN FNP Programs
Ten schools still offer a master’s route to FNP certification. Credit totals run 40 to 51, clinical hours 540 to 780, and tuition from roughly $24,000 to $95,000. Every program delivers coursework online, but only Tennessee Tech asks for no campus travel whatsoever, and placement models range from staff-secured to entirely self-sourced.
| School | Estimated Tuition | Duration | Clinical Hours |
| Austin Peay State University | $24K | 2.5 years | 750 |
| Carson-Newman University | $31K | 32 months part-time | 780 |
| East Tennessee State University | $43K | 5 semesters | 540 |
| Lincoln Memorial University | $34K | 17 months full-time | 750 minimum |
| Middle Tennessee State University | $28K–$30K | 2 years full-time / 3.5 years part-time | 630 |
| Tennessee State University | $30K in-state | 6 semesters full-time | 750 |
| Tennessee Tech University | $37K | 1.75–2.5 years | 750 |
| Union University | $39K | 16 months | Not clearly stated |
| University of Memphis | $28K | 24–28 months part-time | 750 minimum |
| Vanderbilt University | $89K–$95K | 4 semesters full-time / 7 part-time | Not clearly stated ⚠ |
- Lowest in-state cost: Middle Tennessee State University — $28K on the accelerated plan, open only to documented Tennessee residents.
- Highest clinical volume: Carson-Newman University — 780 hours, with sites and preceptors secured by staff rather than the student.
- Shortest full-time sequence: Lincoln Memorial University — 17 months across four semesters, accredited by ACEN rather than CCNE.
- No residency surcharge: University of Memphis — $697 per credit for Tennessee residents and out-of-state students alike.
Tennessee Post-Graduate Certificate FNP Programs
Ten schools admit already-credentialed nurses to an FNP certificate, and eligibility rules vary more than price does. Two apply a five-year recency test to prior advanced practice coursework, two accept only nurses already certified as APRNs, and one requires an earned doctorate. Lincoln Memorial offers no certificate, routing MSN holders into a second master’s instead, which preserves federal aid eligibility.
| School | Estimated Tuition | Duration | Clinical Hours |
| Carson-Newman University | $23K | 24 months or less | 780 hrs |
| Tennessee State University | $10K | 2 semesters full-time | 750 hrs |
| East Tennessee State University | $21K | Not clearly stated | 780 hrs |
| Tennessee Tech University | $19K | Not clearly stated | 750 hrs |
| Union University | $23K | Not clearly stated | 560 minimum |
| University of Memphis | $13K–$20K | Not clearly stated | 750 minimum |
| University of Tennessee at Chattanooga | $20K in-state | 4 semesters | 1,050 derived |
| University of Tennessee Health Science Center | $15K | 1.5 years, 3 terms | 600 hrs |
| Vanderbilt University | $53K–$59K | 4–5 semesters full-time | 500 minimum |
- Lowest certificate cost: Tennessee State University — $10K in-state for 15 credits carrying the full 750 hours.
- Narrowest eligibility: UTHSC — applicants must hold an earned DNP plus current NP or CNS certification, not merely an MSN.
- Cost hinges on coursework age: University of Memphis — 18 credits becomes 28 if your advanced pharmacology, pathophysiology, and assessment coursework is more than five years old.
FAQ
How many online FNP programs does Tennessee have?
Thirteen schools are profiled here, offering roughly thirty FNP tracks across master’s, doctoral, and certificate levels. Not all admit out-of-state applicants.
Are any Tennessee FNP programs fully online?
Tennessee Tech’s MSN and post-master’s certificate are the only tracks requiring no campus attendance at all. MTSU publishes no campus requirement but labels itself hybrid. Every other school requires travel, and UTC a weekly class day.
Which Tennessee FNP program has the lowest tuition?
Tennessee State’s certificate is the cheapest credential at roughly $10,000 in-state. Among full degrees, MTSU is lowest at $28,000 for residents. Austin Peay’s military Tuition Assistance rate brings its 45-credit MSN near $11,250.
Do Tennessee FNP programs require campus visits?
Most do. Austin Peay requires two intensives, Carson-Newman one to two residencies plus a certification review, Tennessee State and Memphis up to three visits each, Tennessee Tech’s DNP two to three per year, ETSU’s DNP one to two per semester, and UTHSC four first-semester visits plus intensives three times a year.
Do Tennessee FNP programs require campus visits?
Most do. Austin Peay requires two intensives, Carson-Newman one to two residencies plus a certification review, Tennessee State and Memphis up to three visits each, Tennessee Tech’s DNP two to three per year, and UTHSC four first-semester visits plus intensives three times a year.
Can I complete clinical rotations in my home state?
It depends on the school. Carson-Newman and UTHSC arrange placements for you. Tennessee Tech, MTSU, Tennessee State, UT Knoxville, and Vanderbilt students outside Middle Tennessee source their own. UT Knoxville additionally requires clinicals in your state of residence and licensure, and Tennessee Tech’s doctoral clinicals are limited to three states.
Do I need a Tennessee RN license to enroll?
Often, yes. MTSU requires Tennessee residency and licensure, and Lincoln Memorial an unencumbered Tennessee license. UTC, UTHSC, Union, and ETSU’s doctoral tracks accept a Tennessee license or multistate compact privilege, excluding nurses licensed only in non-compact states. Tennessee State, Memphis, Tennessee Tech, UT Knoxville, and ETSU’s master’s instead require licensure wherever clinicals occur.