Tennessee's 27 TCATs (Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology) all run 12-month LPN programs — and Tennessee Reconnect makes them tuition-covered for adults without a college degree. That's not a loan. It's a last-dollar grant that fills the gap after Pell and other aid. Combined with no state income tax on wages, Tennessee offers one of the best financial deals in nursing education: a 12-month program at zero cost leading to a career with immediate employment demand.
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Every TCAT runs the same 12-month practical nursing program approved by the Tennessee Board of Nursing. The difference between campuses is location and clinical partnerships — not program quality or cost.
Nashville
~$4,500–$6,000
State capital. HCA Healthcare and Vanderbilt clinical access. Nashville is one of the largest healthcare markets in the Southeast.
Memphis
~$4,500–$6,000
St. Jude, Methodist Le Bonheur, Baptist Memorial clinical network. Second-largest TN city.
Knoxville
~$4,500–$6,000
UT Medical Center and Covenant Health clinicals. East Tennessee's healthcare hub.
Statewide
~$4,000–$6,000
27 TCATs cover every TN region. Rural locations often have less competition for seats. All Reconnect eligible.
Tennessee resident. Don't have an associate's or bachelor's degree. Not currently enrolled. Apply at TNReconnect.gov.
Last-dollar grant covering tuition and mandatory fees after Pell and other aid. At TCAT tuition levels with Pell covering $7,395, most students pay $0.
Tennessee has no state income tax on wages — every dollar above is take-home.
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