Austin Peay State University Nursing: Programs, NCLEX & Requirements (2026)
Public university in Clarksville serving Middle Tennessee and Fort Campbell with a CCNE-accredited pre-licensure BSN, an online RN-to-BSN completion track, and an MSN featuring FNP, PMHNP, and Nurse Educator concentrations. Below: Tennessee Board of Nursing links, Austin Peay’s published tuition tables, and the School of Nursing’s NCLEX outcome disclosures.
Contents
Quick Facts
Key Takeaway
APSU combines a synchronous, campus-based pre-licensure BSN with fully online RN-to-BSN and graduate pathways, publishes public NCLEX and employment tables on its BSN page, and is closely tied to military nursing pipelines—including long-running Army AECP AMEDD support and a Fort Campbell instructional presence with separate tuition schedules.
Overview & Why Students Choose Austin Peay State University
Clarksville anchors a busy Tennessee–Kentucky river corridor with growing acute and ambulatory networks, and Austin Peay State University’s School of Nursing sends pre-licensure students into those agencies for immersive clinical rotations while delivering the completion and graduate tracks online for working RNs. The college’s nursing leadership emphasizes evidence-based teaching, interprofessional practice, and inclusive cohort development consistent with the mission statement published on apsu.edu/nursing.
Undergraduate pathways split cleanly: a face-to-face BSN nursing major for pre-licensure students and an asynchronous RN-to-BSN concentration for licensed associate-prepared RNs. Graduate students choose among board-approved MSN concentrations, including two nurse practitioner tracks that blend distance learning with focused on-campus intensives. Confirm every pathway’s modality, start term, and residency rules each year because policies can shift.
Austin Peay’s BSN page publishes a multi-year table of BSN program NCLEX pass rates alongside Tennessee and national comparison percentages supplied by the program. The row for calendar year 2024 lists 98.2% for APSU. These figures are school-published; validate them against the Tennessee Board of Nursing consolidated NCLEX reporting and confirm the next data release with APSU analysis staff.
Reasons students choose Austin Peay State University
Military-connected BSN pipeline
The School of Nursing highlights its decade-plus partnership with the Army AECP AMEDD program and notes strong annual enrollment from that pathway—a differentiator for service members balancing rigorous clinical training with leadership expectations.
Transparent outcomes reporting
Public BSN tables track calendar-year NCLEX, employment, and completion metrics, letting applicants compare APSU results to statewide context in the same document.
Completion-friendly RN-to-BSN
Licensed RNs complete upper-division coursework fully online with 24/7 access through APSU’s learning platforms, supporting shift workers across Tennessee and Fort Campbell.
MSN with high-touch intensives
Family and psychiatric mental health NP students attend two structured on-campus intensives for hands-on mentorship while maintaining mostly online didactic schedules.
Regional public tuition policy
Per-credit pricing is published for both Clarksville and Fort Campbell tiers, with discounted rates after baseline credit thresholds during fall and spring semesters.
Nursing Programs Offered
The bullets below follow the APSU School of Nursing website, the 2025–2026 undergraduate catalog Nursing (B.S.N.) entry, and the graduate nursing overview. Separate pre-licensure, post-licensure completion, and graduate blocks so admissions expectations stay clear.
Pre-licensure (Traditional BSN)
Bachelor of Science in Nursing — Pre-Licensure concentration
The catalog describes a synchronous, on-campus BSN nursing major that culminates in NCLEX-RN eligibility after 120 total credit hours, including lower- and upper-division nursing courses. Students progress through fundamentals, adult health, mental health, maternal–child, community, and leadership clinical experiences.
Post-licensure completion
RN-to-BSN concentration
Designed for Registered Nurses who hold an active, unencumbered license (or new ADN graduates eligible for licensure), this asynchronous, fully online concentration allows up to seven semesters to finish once enrolled, with advising each term per catalog language.
Graduate (MSN)
MSN — Family Nurse Practitioner
Focuses on primary care across the lifespan. APSU notes two on-campus intensives so students can practice advanced skills with faculty mentors while completing the majority of coursework online.
MSN — Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Trains APRNs for mental health settings with the same intensive/on-campus structure highlighted for FNP students on the graduate nursing page.
MSN — Nurse Educator
Prepares master’s-prepared nurses for academic and staff-development educator roles through the fully online graduate program shell described on apsu.edu/nursing/msn.
The BSN pages state Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accreditation, while the MSN page states Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) accreditation with the most recent decision described as initial accreditation. Initial accreditation is a milestone, not interchangeable with decades-long CCNE standing; confirm exact status dates with each accreditor and APSU before you commit.
NCLEX-RN Pass Rate
The APSU BSN program’s public statistics table (same page as employment and completion metrics) reports calendar-year NCLEX performance for the BSN program. The 2024 entry lists 98.2%, and 2023 lists 96.59%, with parallel columns for Tennessee and national comparison percentages published there. Treat these as school-disclosed, calendar-year aggregates; board-compiled archives may use different reporting windows or definitions.
For regulator-maintained archives, consult the Tennessee Board of Nursing educational program resources, including the periodically updated BSN-MSN NCLEX Pass Rates PDF (filename and publication cycle subject to change when the Department of Health refreshes files).
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| BSN program NCLEX pass rate (CY 2024) | 98.2% (Austin Peay BSN statistics table) |
| BSN program NCLEX pass rate (CY 2023) | 96.59% (same table; TN comparison 93.24%, national 88.57% per APSU) |
| Source | APSU Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN Program NCLEX Pass Rates table) · Tennessee Board of Nursing. Confirm each new cohort with both. |
NCLEX outcomes change by cohort and calculation method. Always confirm the latest rates with APSU analytics staff and the Tennessee Board of Nursing.
International Students & Internationally Educated Nurses
International applicants and foreign-educated nurses must satisfy APSU admissions policies, U.S. visa rules, clinical clearance standards, and Tennessee’s nurse licensure regulations. The checklist below is guidance only, not immigration or legal advice; requirements evolve with federal policy and Board rulemaking.
- English-language proficiency: Confirm minimum TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, or other scores with APSU Admissions and the Graduate Studies office if you are applying to the MSN.
- Transcript / credential evaluation: Determine whether APSU requires a specific evaluator (e.g., WES, CGFNS, or another NACES member) for nursing prerequisites.
- Tennessee Board of Nursing: Internationally educated nurses seeking initial licensure must follow Board pathways for educational equivalency, English proficiency, and NCLEX eligibility—often parallel to but separate from university admission.
- Immigration & visa status: Online RN-to-BSN or MSN coursework may still require limited residency for intensives; F-1 students must clarify face-to-face components before accepting admission.
Verify every requirement with APSU’s International Student Services, the School of Nursing, and the Tennessee Board of Nursing.
Admissions: A Realistic Look
The undergraduate catalog is explicit: general admission to Austin Peay does not guarantee admission to the nursing program, the pre-licensure major is competitive, and only a limited number of students are admitted each semester. Prospective students must monitor the official BSN page for deadlines, prerequisite sequencing, and supplemental application materials.
Because nursing is capacity-controlled, treat prerequisite science grades, repeat policies, and holistic review elements as high stakes. Download the latest BSN program handbook PDF referenced in the catalog for policies incorporated by reference.
Application timeline
| Entry Term | Deadline | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-licensure BSN nursing major | Not publicly disclosed on the catalog excerpt reviewed | The Nursing Major catalog entry directs students to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing website for admission specifics; confirm priority vs. final deadlines there or with nursingfocusadvisor@apsu.edu. |
| RN-to-BSN concentration | Varies by term | Follow the online RN-to-BSN instructions and School of Nursing advising; asynchronous entry still requires nursing program acceptance. |
| MSN concentrations | Varies | Graduate applicants use the process outlined on APSU Graduate Studies and the MSN program pages. |
Admissions snapshot
| Factor | Details |
|---|---|
| Nursing program competitiveness | Limited seats per semester; university admission alone is insufficient (undergraduate catalog). |
| Acceptance rate (nursing-specific) | Not publicly disclosed |
| Typical admitted GPA | Not publicly disclosed |
| TEAS / HESI | Not named in the Nursing Major catalog excerpt reviewed; verify via the current BSN handbook or nursing admissions FAQ. |
| Advising contact (BSN) | BSN facilitator office: 931-221-6479, nursingfocusadvisor@apsu.edu (2025–2026 catalog Nursing Major page). |
Tuition & Cost of Attendance
Austin Peay publishes per-credit tuition and program service fees through Student Account Services. Figures below summarize the Clarksville campus Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 undergraduate and graduate rates exactly as listed on the tuition index page; special course fees (including nursing differentials) are billed separately.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate tuition (in-state, hrs 1–12) | $318 per credit hour per semester (Fall 2025 / Spring 2026 Clarksville). |
| Undergraduate tuition (in-state, hrs 13+) | $66 per credit hour for additional hours in the same semester; summer terms do not stack the discount—each hour bills at $318. |
| Undergraduate tuition (out-of-state, hrs 1–12) | $558 per credit hour combined ($240 out-of-state + $318 in-state components) with further caps described on the APSU page for hours beyond 12. |
| Graduate tuition (in-state, hrs 1–10) | $512 per credit hour; hours 11+ bill at $104 per credit hour during fall/spring under the same discount structure. |
| Graduate tuition (out-of-state, hrs 1–10) | $800 per credit hour ($288 + $512) with identical upper-hour discount mechanics. |
| Program services fee (example) | Clarksville bundle equals $912 per semester, allocated at $91.20 per credit hour for hours 1–10 (parking, health, activities, technology, etc., as itemized by APSU). |
| MSN marketing note | Graduate nursing pages state in-state students can complete the MSN for under $25,000 in tuition only—model your own total using current per-credit rates, fees, and practicum travel. |
| Source | Austin Peay Tuition & Fees · Cost of Attendance · Course & nursing fee list (PDF). Confirm billing before each term. |
Student Outcomes & Career Prospects
APSU’s BSN statistics table combines NCLEX outcomes with employment percentages reported for each calendar year. Treat employment figures as school-reported summaries whose methodology may differ from federal gainful-employment disclosures. Advanced-practice graduates should separately track national certification exam pass data published by APSU or aggregate NP boards.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| BSN program NCLEX pass rate (CY 2024) | 98.2% (APSU BSN statistics table) |
| BSN program employment rate (CY 2024) | 93% reported employment (same APSU table; confirm definition with the School of Nursing) |
| BSN completion rate (CY 2023) | 93.7% (APSU BSN completion table; confirm whether 2024 has posted) |
| Source | APSU Bachelor of Science in Nursing; corroborate licensing statistics with the Tennessee Board of Nursing. |
Is Austin Peay State University the Right Fit for You?
Choose APSU when you want a public university option between Nashville and Fort Campbell with transparent BSN metrics, hybrid graduate intensives, and the ability to stack military education benefits alongside Tennessee residency pricing.
✓ Good fit for students who—
- Prefer synchronous, campus-based pre-licensure instruction with documented NCLEX outcomes.
- Need an online RN-to-BSN or MSN while continuing to work clinically.
- Value Fort Campbell proximity or Army AMEDD partnership pathways highlighted by the School.
✗ May not be ideal for students who—
- Require a fully online pre-licensure program (the BSN major remains on-ground per APSU).
- Expect DNP or PhD nursing study at the same institution—those degrees are not listed on the reviewed APSU nursing pages.
- Want guaranteed admission after general university acceptance; APSU explicitly caps nursing seats.
Local Healthcare Ecosystem
Clarksville is a secondary city of the Nashville CSA, with civilian hospitals, multispecialty clinics, public health offices, and the Blanchfield Army Community Hospital ecosystem serving Fort Campbell directly across the Kentucky line. APSU routinely rotates students through diverse inpatient, community, and service-branch settings, though specific affiliation contracts rotate and are not enumerated in the excerpts used for this guide.
| Facility / System | Details |
|---|---|
| Tennova Healthcare & regional acute care | Local acute-care anchors provide med-surg, perioperative, and specialty exposure minutes from the Clarksville campus. |
| Blanchfield Army Community Hospital | Military treatment facility supporting active duty families; APSU’s military nursing messaging signals recurring student pathways involving Fort Campbell clinical partners. |
| Nashville referral corridor | Vanderbilt University Medical Center, TriStar, and HCA facilities are within an hour for higher-acuity experiences when faculty assign regional rotations. |
| Tennessee Department of Health | County health departments and state programs provide community and population-health learning aligned with the public-health nursing courses in the APSU catalog. |
Student Experience & Campus Life
The School of Nursing is headquartered in McCord Building Room 218, sharing the College of Behavioral and Health Sciences footprint with other human-service disciplines. Undergraduate nursing students participate in skills labs and simulation before branching into regional clinicals, while online RN-to-BSN and MSN learners visit campus only as required (notably the NP intensives). Student life extends to standard APSU organizations, Govs athletics, and the recreation center funded through the same program services fees that appear on your tuition statement.
Resources & Next Steps
Contact & location
- Campus location
- Clarksville, TN
- University address
- 601 College Street, Clarksville, TN 37044, US
- School of Nursing office
- McCord Building, Room 218 (per APSU catalog)
- BSN advising phone
- 931-221-6479
- Director (listed in catalog)
- Dr. Eve Rice · 931-221-7483 · ricem@apsu.edu
- Undergraduate admissions
- 931-221-7661 · admissions@apsu.edu
- Website
- apsu.edu
Official links
Your “Next 7 Days” checklist
- Visit the official APSU School of Nursing, download the BSN handbook PDF, and screenshot NCLEX tables for your records.
- Line up transcripts against the Nursing Major prerequisite list in the APSU catalog.
- Email nursingfocusadvisor@apsu.edu to confirm whether TEAS/HESI or other tests apply to your cohort.
- Model tuition using the per-credit tables plus the Course Fees PDF so you understand nursing differential charges.
- MSN applicants should budget for travel to Clarksville intensives if selecting an NP concentration.
- Service members and dependents should compare Clarksville vs. Fort Campbell tuition PDFs on the Student Account Services site.
- Bookmark the Tennessee Board of Nursing page for future NCLEX verification.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Austin Peay State University CCNE-accredited for nursing?
The BSN pages state the baccalaureate program holds CCNE accreditation with a link to the CCNE directory for the latest action. The MSN program page separately cites ACEN with an initial accreditation decision. Always cross-check both accreditors and the Tennessee Board of Nursing before enrolling.
What NCLEX data does APSU publish for its BSN program?
The undergraduate BSN page lists calendar-year NCLEX pass rates of 98.2% for 2024 and 96.59% for 2023 with Tennessee and national comparators in the same table. Confirm the newest year with APSU and validate against Tennessee Board summaries.
Can I complete the entire Austin Peay BSN online?
No. APSU’s catalog states the pre-licensure nursing major runs synchronously on campus, while only the RN-to-BSN concentration is online and asynchronous.
Does Austin Peay require TEAS or HESI for pre-licensure nursing?
The Nursing Major catalog excerpt we reviewed does not name either exam. Download the current BSN handbook or email nursingfocusadvisor@apsu.edu for the active testing policy before paying for a prep class.
How much is in-state undergraduate tuition at Austin Peay (2025–26 rates)?
Student Account Services lists $318 per credit hour for undergraduate hours 1–12 each fall/spring semester on the Clarksville campus, with a lower per-credit rate for hours 13 and above. Summer bills each hour at the higher rate.
What MSN concentrations can I choose at APSU?
Graduate nursing pages advertise Family Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, and Nurse Educator tracks. NP students attend two intensives on campus while completing most coursework online.
Does Austin Peay publish BSN employment rates?
Yes. The BSN statistics table includes yearly employment percentages (for example, 93% for calendar year 2024). Ask the School of Nursing how “employment” is defined before comparing to other schools.
Is Fort Campbell billing different from Clarksville?
Yes. APSU publishes separate Fort Campbell PDFs with technology access fees instead of Clarksville program service bundles. Military-affiliated applicants should open both schedules on the tuition index page.
Where should Tennessee nurses verify NCLEX outcomes independently of APSU?
Use the Tennessee Department of Health Division of Health Licensure and Regulation nursing board resources, including the multi-program NCLEX pass-rate PDF when updated. This complements—but does not replace—the school’s disclosures.
References
- Austin Peay State University — School of Nursingapsu.edu/nursing
- APSU — Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN statistics)apsu.edu/nursing/bachelornursing
- APSU — Graduate Nursing (MSN)apsu.edu/nursing/msn
- APSU — Tuition & Fees (Student Account Services)apsu.edu/student-account-services/tuition_and_fees
- APSU — Nursing (B.S.N.) catalog entrycatalog.apsu.edu Nursing (B.S.N.)
- APSU — Nursing Major catalogcatalog.apsu.edu Nursing Major
- Tennessee Board of Nursingtn.gov/nursing-board
- Tennessee BON — BSN/MSN NCLEX pass rates PDF (verify filename/date)BSN-MSN NCLEX Pass Rates (PDF)
- National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)ncsbn.org
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Registered Nursesbls.gov/ooh
Editorial Standards & Review
About the author: Francesco Di Siena, RN, writes evidence-based nursing education guides for NurseOnShift.
Review: This page was reviewed by Araceli Collado, RN, for alignment between APSU catalog language, tuition tables, BSN outcome tables, and MSN accreditation disclosures.
Disclaimer: This page is for general reference only. It does not constitute professional, admissions, or financial advice. Requirements, deadlines, tuition, and policies change; always verify with Austin Peay State University and the Tennessee Board of Nursing.
Published: April 1, 2026 · Last reviewed: April 1, 2026 · Medical Review Process · Editorial Policy