Tennessee Public Colleges Ranked by Largest Enrollment

Below is a ranking of the 22 public colleges in Tennessee with the largest enrollment of full and part time students. The University of Tennessee Knoxville leads the list with a population of 38,728 students.

Enrollment is a measure of the size of the student body. Larger schools are more likely to offer a wider range of programs and services while smaller schools may have a more intimate and personalized experience.

List of Tennessee Public Colleges Ranked by Largest Enrollment
College Enrollment

Knoxville, Tennessee

 38,728

Murfreesboro, Tennessee

 20,488

Memphis, Tennessee

 20,276

Johnson City, Tennessee

 13,728

Chattanooga, Tennessee

 11,775

Cookeville, Tennessee

 10,511

Clarksville, Tennessee

 10,439

Knoxville, Tennessee

 9,399

Chattanooga, Tennessee

 7,623

Nashville, Tennessee

 7,533

Martin, Tennessee

 7,499

Memphis, Tennessee

 7,004

Gallatin, Tennessee

 6,963

Nashville, Tennessee

 6,310

Tullahoma, Tennessee

 5,980

Morristown, Tennessee

 5,899

Blountville, Tennessee

 5,757

Columbia, Tennessee

 5,712
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This list is updated annually based on the latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Last updated: March 15, 2026

Data source: IPEDS 2025 survey for academic year 2024/2025 - National Center for Education Statistics.