Last Updated: October 7, 2026
Compare three reviewed nursing options in Atlanta and the surrounding region: Mercer’s Atlanta ABSN, Kennesaw State’s Metro Atlanta pathway and Brenau’s Gainesville program. Nursing sequences take approximately 12–16 months, with campus and hybrid formats.
Comparable tuition figures range from $10,752 to $63,935.76, before required fees, prerequisites and living costs. Kennesaw and Brenau use current-rate estimates; Mercer publishes a program figure. Gainesville is a regional alternative, so evaluate its campus and clinical travel separately from Atlanta-based options.
Atlanta-Area ABSN Programs at a Glance
| School | Est. Tuition | Duration | GPA | Start |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Kennesaw State University Kennesaw, GA | $10,752 | 4 semesters (~16 months) | 3.0 | Fall / Spring |
Brenau University Gainesville, GA | $51,026 | 4 semesters (16 months) | 3.0 recommended | Jan 11, 2027 |
Mercer University Atlanta, GA | $63,935.76 | 3 semesters (12 months) | 3.0 cumulative + science | January / May / August |
How to Compare Atlanta-Area ABSN Programs
Public-university tuition: Kennesaw State has the lowest resident tuition figure among these three reviewed options. Its full-time campus sequence includes summer and assigned Metro Atlanta clinical experiences.
Three entry opportunities: Mercer offers January, May and August starts and a 12-month sequence. Online theory is paired with required face-to-face testing, labs, simulation and clinical learning.
Associate-degree or transfer entry: Brenau accepts qualifying associate-degree graduates or applicants with 60 transferable credits and required preparation, as well as non-nursing bachelor’s graduates. Its Gainesville hybrid format still requires campus and clinical attendance.
Program Format and Attendance
Atlanta learning site: Mercer uses asynchronous online theory, with all testing and hands-on learning face to face. Its learning site is at 3350 Riverwood Parkway, Suite 500, Atlanta; clinical rotations occur at assigned Metro Atlanta facilities.
Kennesaw campus: Kennesaw State runs four consecutive full-time semesters with no part-time option. Campus, laboratory, simulation and clinical requirements continue through summer.
Gainesville regional option: Brenau blends online and in-person instruction with local labs, simulation and assigned clinical experiences. Plan around the Gainesville campus and the entering cohort’s placement locations.
Work and travel: Mercer and Kennesaw discourage employment during the accelerated sequence. Choose housing after reviewing required attendance and possible clinical sites; proximity to campus alone does not establish the daily commute. Online theory does not eliminate fixed attendance or clinical travel.
Admissions and Prerequisite Differences
| School | GPA requirement | Entrance exam and degree entry |
|---|---|---|
3.0 transfer or KSU cumulative, based on credit history | ATI TEAS required; 78 strongly recommended. Non-nursing bachelor’s before entry | |
3.0 cumulative and science recommended | HESI 75% required; qualifying associate, bachelor’s or transfer-credit routes | |
3.0 cumulative, science and prerequisites | TEAS 76%; completed non-nursing bachelor’s degree |
Kennesaw preparation: Complete seven of 11 prerequisites, including five math/science courses, by the nursing deadline and all 11 with C or better before entry. One approved two-course laboratory sequence in Biology, Chemistry or Physics is required alongside Anatomy and Physiology and Microbiology; sciences have a ten-year age limit, with specified repeat rules.
Mercer preparation: Complete 30 prerequisite credits, including Pathophysiology, Abnormal Psychology, Nutrition and other required courses. An approved religion exemption requires a three-credit general-education replacement; Anatomy and Physiology, Microbiology and Pathophysiology have a seven-year recency limit.
Brenau preparation: Its checklist includes Anatomy and Physiology, Microbiology, Chemistry I and II with labs or an approved substitution, Psychology, Human Development, Statistics and College Algebra. Sciences older than 15 years require repetition or acceptance review; transcript evaluation determines any additional liberal-education preparation.
Minimum eligibility does not guarantee admission. Compare complete prerequisite lists, course-age and repeat policies, testing windows and transfer evaluation in the linked profiles before registering for additional coursework.
Start Dates and Application Deadlines
| School | Start | Final application deadline |
|---|---|---|
August / January | Jan 31 for fall; Aug 10 for spring | |
Jan 11, 2027 | Nov 6, 2026 | |
January / May / August | Nov 1 / Mar 15 / Jul 15 respectively |
Brenau’s posted final spring-2027 HESI test date is November 4; finish testing before the November 6 application deadline. Mercer reviews applications year-round, but application materials must reach the program by the corresponding final deadline.
University admission and nursing admission are separate. Kennesaw advises transfer applicants to allow at least three months for university admission and transcript evaluation before the nursing deadline; check each profile for current application steps.
Tuition and Costs
These comparisons cover nursing-sequence tuition, before aid. Required fees and other educational costs are separate; current-rate calculations extend across the verified sequence and may rise if rates change in later terms.
| School | Tuition calculation | Required fees and additional expenses |
|---|---|---|
$10,752 fall entry: 56 billed credits × $192 after term cap; $10,944 spring entry | $2,376 mandatory fees over four terms; at least $309.50 listed charges for five required courses | |
$51,026: 62 nursing credits × $823 | About $7,866.65 in course, development and university-services fees, before books and other costs | |
$63,935.76 published program tuition | $3,600 nursing and facility/technology fees across three terms; books and other expenses additional |
Residency and billing: Kennesaw’s current nonresident estimates are $40,432 for fall entry and $41,154 for spring. Its 57-credit nursing major and semester cap produce different billed-credit totals across the two cohort plans.
Mercer’s published figure and rate: The 2026–27 bursar rate of $1,103.09 per credit produces $61,773.04 for 56 credits, separately from the program page’s total. The comparison uses published program tuition; confirm the billing basis for the entering cohort.
Full budget: Allow for prerequisites, remaining graduation courses, books, uniforms, screening, BLS, health insurance, equipment, transportation, parking and living expenses. Required-fee totals above are not complete all-in budgets; travel and housing choices can change personal costs.
Clinical Training and Local Travel
Assigned Metro Atlanta placements: Kennesaw uses multiple agencies in Metro Atlanta and surrounding areas. Assignments may occur seven days a week, including nights and weekends, and cannot be changed for personal preferences; students provide transportation.
Specialty care and simulation: Mercer lists acute care, adult health, intensive care, maternity, mental health, pediatrics and long-term care. On-site skills practice and simulation with debriefing support those experiences; the profile explains its procedural training.
Gainesville clinical sequence: Brenau pairs laboratory or clinical registrations with specialty courses across its four-semester sequence. Adult, behavioral, family, community and high-acuity care lead to professional transition and preceptorship; assigned sites determine travel.
Placement readiness: Meet each school’s health, BLS and screening requirements and each agency’s clearance conditions. A nursing school’s name or a hospital partnership does not guarantee a specific placement; degree credits do not establish a separate count of direct clinical hours.
Explore More Georgia Nursing Options
Compare all seven reviewed Georgia ABSN and second-degree BSN programs for options in Savannah, Albany, Americus and Valdosta, plus the programs above. Use the individual school profiles for complete courses, prerequisites, fees and application requirements.