College Costs in Tennessee
Tennessee Colleges, Cost and Affordability for 2027
How much does it cost to attend college in Tennessee? The average annual in-state college tuition in Tennessee was $19,016 for the 2024-2025 academic year. This is $1,206 higher than the U.S. average and ranks Tennessee in the middle of the pack as the 19th most expensive state or district to attend college. This is a change of $1,839 from the 2022-2023 average of $17,177 and represents a 10.71% annual increase in tuition costs. The list of Tennessee colleges below provides school specific cost and value rating.
This analysis surveyed tuition data from the 65 colleges and universities in Tennessee, the most popular being The University of Tennessee Knoxville with 34,027 full time students and an in-state tuition list price of $13,812. Vanderbilt University is the most expensive in Tennessee with an in-state tuition of $67,498.
All price data are reprinted from the U.S. Department of Education's IPEDS 2025 survey and reflect reported costs for academic year 2024/2025.
Vanderbilt University
- Private 4 Year
- Nashville, TN
-
5.0 | 5 reviews
- $67,498 tuition
- Jan 1 application deadline
Vanderbilt is a highly selective private university known for undergraduate education, music, and the sciences. The tree-lined urban campus is a designated arboretum in the heart of Nashville.
- SAT Range 1500-1570
- Avg GPA 3.89
- Acceptance Rate 6%
- Net Price $25,186
The University of Tennessee Knoxville
- Public 4 Year
- Knoxville, TN
-
4.8 | 5 reviews
- $13,812 tuition
Tennessee is a large public university known for undergraduate supply chain management, business, and nuclear engineering. The campus borders the Tennessee River in Knoxville.
- SAT Range 1200-1370
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.66
- Acceptance Rate 42%
- Net Price $21,648
University of Memphis
- Public 4 Year
- Memphis, TN
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- $10,728 tuition
- Jul 1 application deadline
University of Memphis is a large public university known for undergraduate music, business, and journalism. The urban campus is in Midtown Memphis.
- SAT Range 915-1180
- Avg GPA 3.48
- Acceptance Rate 72%
- Net Price $12,756
Belmont University
- Private 4 Year
- Nashville, TN
-
4.0 | 4 reviews
- $42,540 tuition
- Jul 1 application deadline
Belmont is a private university known for undergraduate music business, commercial music, and entertainment programs. The urban Nashville campus has long ties to the city's recording and music industry.
- SAT Range 1160-1350
- Avg GPA 3.83
- Acceptance Rate 95%
- Net Price $38,578
Middle Tennessee State University
- Public 4 Year
- Murfreesboro, TN
-
4.5 | 2 reviews
- $10,266 tuition
- Aug 15 application deadline
MTSU is a large public university known for undergraduate recording industry, aerospace, and music business programs. The campus is in Murfreesboro, a growing city about a half hour southeast of Nashville.
- SAT Range 1010-1230
- Avg GPA 3.64
- Acceptance Rate 69%
- Net Price $13,859
Tennessee State University
- Public 4 Year
- Nashville, TN
-
| 0 reviews
- $8,616 tuition
Tennessee State is a public HBCU known for undergraduate nursing, business, and engineering. The urban campus is in Nashville.
- SAT Range 880-1050
- Avg GPA 3.22
- Acceptance Rate 70%
- Net Price $14,586
Fisk University
- Private 4 Year
- Nashville, TN
-
| 0 reviews
- $25,858 tuition
- Aug 1 application deadline
Fisk is a private historically Black university known for undergraduate natural sciences and music. The historic urban campus sits in Nashville and is closely tied to the Fisk Jubilee Singers.
- SAT Range 1140-1510
- Avg GPA 3.1
- Acceptance Rate 37%
- Net Price $18,595
The University of Tennessee Chattanooga
- Public 4 Year
- Chattanooga, TN
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- $10,448 tuition
- May 1 application deadline
UTC is a public university known for undergraduate engineering, business, and nursing. The urban campus borders the Tennessee River in downtown Chattanooga.
- SAT Range 1013-1210
- Avg GPA 3.61
- Acceptance Rate 81%
- Net Price $15,347
Rhodes College
- Private 4 Year
- Memphis, TN
-
4.5 | 2 reviews
- $57,110 tuition
- Jan 15 application deadline
Rhodes is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate biology and international studies. The collegiate Gothic campus sits in a wooded residential section of Memphis.
- SAT Range 1300-1486
- Avg GPA 3.99
- Acceptance Rate 50%
- Net Price $31,037
Austin Peay State University
- Public 4 Year
- Clarksville, TN
-
| 0 reviews
- $9,006 tuition
- Aug 4 application deadline
Austin Peay is a public university known for undergraduate education and nursing. The Clarksville campus is close to Fort Campbell and draws many military-connected students.
- SAT Range 843-1126
- Avg GPA 3.3
- Acceptance Rate 96%
- Net Price $9,882
Lipscomb University
- Private 4 Year
- Nashville, TN
-
4.0 | 2 reviews
- $40,572 tuition
Lipscomb is a private Christian university known for undergraduate business, education, and nursing. The residential campus sits in Nashville's Green Hills neighborhood.
- SAT Range 1160-1380
- Avg GPA 3.73
- Acceptance Rate 68%
- Net Price $27,695
East Tennessee State University
- Public 4 Year
- Johnson City, TN
-
4.0 | 1 reviews
- $10,472 tuition
ETSU is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and bluegrass music. The campus sits in the Appalachian Highlands of northeastern Tennessee.
- SAT Range 980-1200
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.33
- Acceptance Rate 86%
- Net Price $16,286
Nashville State Community College
- Public 2 Year
- Nashville, TN
-
| 0 reviews
- $4,730 tuition
- Aug 13 application deadline
Nashville State is a community college known for undergraduate programs in nursing, business, and information technology. Most students commute to its urban Nashville campus.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA 2.91
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $6,892
Lee University
- Private 4 Year
- Cleveland, TN
-
| 0 reviews
- $23,790 tuition
Lee is a private Christian university known for undergraduate music and education. Most undergrads live on the residential campus in Cleveland, Tennessee.
- SAT Range 1040-1230
- Avg GPA 3.73
- Acceptance Rate 71%
- Net Price $20,416
Tennessee Technological University
- Public 4 Year
- Cookeville, TN
-
| 0 reviews
- $11,376 tuition
- Aug 1 application deadline
Tennessee Tech is a public university known for undergraduate engineering and technology. The campus sits in the college town of Cookeville on the Cumberland Plateau.
- SAT Range 1048-1310
- Avg GPA 3.63
- Acceptance Rate 76%
- Net Price $15,336
Maryville College
- Private 4 Year
- Maryville, TN
-
| 0 reviews
- $39,284 tuition
Maryville is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate environmental studies and outdoor programs. The residential campus sits near the Great Smoky Mountains in East Tennessee.
- SAT Range 1018-1188
- Avg GPA 3.61
- Acceptance Rate 61%
- Net Price $21,469
Le Moyne Owen College
- Private 4 Year
- Memphis, TN
-
| 0 reviews
- $12,076 tuition
- Apr 1 application deadline
Le Moyne-Owen is a private historically Black liberal arts college known for undergraduate business and education. The urban campus sits in Memphis.
- SAT Range 898-1093
- Avg GPA 2.5
- Acceptance Rate 99%
- Net Price $6,542
Chattanooga State Community College
- Public 2 Year
- Chattanooga, TN
-
| 0 reviews
- $4,772 tuition
Chattanooga State is a public community college known for associate programs in nursing and engineering technology. The campus lies along the Tennessee River.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA 3.0
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $5,908