Jun. 30, 2025
South College Nashville has earned the top ranking for its Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA) program after achieving a 100 percent ultimate pass rate on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE®) for 2023-2024 graduates. To earn certification, candidates must demonstrate mastery on the exam administered by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT®).
The achievement places the program in the top percentile nationally out of 356 accredited programs. The mean pass rate nationwide was approximately 87 percent.
“This outstanding accomplishment is a reflection of our faculty’s commitment, our students’ dedication and the strong clinical partnerships that help prepare our graduates for success,” said Michelle Wray, PTA program director and assistant professor at South College Nashville.
This is one of several similar accomplishments for the Nashville institution’s courses of study. Its Physician Assistant (PA) program achieved a 100 percent pass rate on the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination®(PANCE).
“It is gratifying to see our graduates consistently excel on licensure and certifying exams,” said Nick South, campus president for South College Nashville. “We strive to offer instruction that genuinely prepares our students for professional success, and it’s nice to see those efforts realized.”
The Associate of Science in Physical Therapist Assistant program at South College has received a number of other recent accolades. For 2023-2024, College Factual ranked the program No. 1 in Tennessee, No. 2 in the Southeast and No. 6 in the country.
South College Nashville opened in 2017. The campus is located at 616 Marriott Drive, near Interstate 40, and features classrooms, laboratories and other conveniences for students and faculty, including a Barnes & Noble bookstore, and large student centers. The institution offers a variety of programs and concentrations in the areas of dental, business, healthcare, education, legal studies, technology and more.
For more information about South College Nashville, visit south.edu/location/nashville.
Across its national footprint, South College offers an array of academic programs in business, education, healthcare and other fields. The institution was founded in Knoxville, Tennessee, in 1882 and now includes 10 physical campuses, online learning and competency-based education (CBE). To learn more about South College, visit south.edu.
About South College
South College serves more than 16,000 students and is proud of its more than 17,000 graduates. The institution offers academic programs at multiple levels, including professional certificates and associate, bachelor’s, master’s, educational specialist and doctoral degree programs via campuses in Knoxville and Nashville, Tennessee; Asheville, North Carolina; Atlanta and Marietta, Georgia; Indianapolis, Indiana; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Dallas, Texas; and Orlando, Florida, as well as Online and CBE. South College focuses on ensuring high standards and quality educational offerings, maintaining multiple authorizations and accreditations.
South College’s programs span diverse fields such as business, criminal justice, dental hygiene/assisting, diagnostic medical sonography, nursing, occupational therapy, paralegal studies, physical therapy, radiography, respiratory therapy, physician assistant studies, pharmacy and surgical technology. The institution is dedicated to preparing students with the skills and knowledge needed for the professional opportunities ahead of them. For more information, visit south.edu.
