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.
The University of the South
- Private 4 Year
- Sewanee, TN
-
4.5 | 2 reviews
- $56,120 tuition
- Feb 1 application deadline
Sewanee is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate English, creative writing, and environmental studies. The campus occupies a 13,000-acre domain on Tennessee's Cumberland Plateau.
- SAT Range 1260-1390
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 57%
- Net Price $34,815
Carson Newman University
- Private 4 Year
- Jefferson City, TN
-
4.0 | 1 reviews
- $34,700 tuition
Carson-Newman is a private Baptist university with undergraduate strengths in nursing, education, and the liberal arts. Students live on a residential campus in the small East Tennessee town of Jefferson City.
- SAT Range 955-1215
- Avg GPA 3.6
- Acceptance Rate 90%
- Net Price $20,895
Johnson University
- Private 4 Year
- Knoxville, TN
-
4.5 | 2 reviews
- $21,122 tuition
- Aug 1 application deadline
Johnson University is a private Christian university known for undergraduate biblical studies and ministry. The residential campus sits in a rural setting outside Knoxville.
- SAT Range 960-1110
- Avg GPA 3.52
- Acceptance Rate 65%
- Net Price $22,615
Southwest Tennessee Community College
- Public 2 Year
- Memphis, TN
-
| 0 reviews
- $4,778 tuition
Southwest Tennessee is a public community college known for associate programs in nursing and business. Urban campuses serve commuting students across Memphis.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $5,396
Bethel University
- Private 4 Year
- McKenzie, TN
-
| 0 reviews
- $18,712 tuition
Bethel is a private Christian university affiliated with the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, known for undergraduate business and education programs. The campus is set in the small town of McKenzie in western Tennessee.
- SAT Range 830-1120
- Avg GPA 3.6
- Acceptance Rate 60%
- Net Price $13,112
South College
- Private 4 Year
- Knoxville, TN
-
| 0 reviews
- $18,535 tuition
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $17,588
Union University
- Private 4 Year
- Jackson, TN
-
| 0 reviews
- $40,025 tuition
Union is a private Christian university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and Christian studies. The residential campus sits in Jackson in West Tennessee.
- SAT Range 1160-1390
- Avg GPA 3.8
- Acceptance Rate 60%
- Net Price $28,452
Lane College
- Private 4 Year
- Jackson, TN
-
0.0 | 1 reviews
- $11,790 tuition
- Aug 21 application deadline
Lane is a private historically Black college with undergraduate programs in business, education, and criminal justice. Most students live on a compact residential campus in Jackson.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA 2.57
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $11,803
The University of Tennessee Martin
- Public 4 Year
- Martin, TN
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- $10,560 tuition
UT Martin is a public university known for undergraduate agriculture, education, and business. The residential campus is in the small college town of Martin in northwest Tennessee.
- SAT Range 970-1210
- Avg GPA 3.6
- Acceptance Rate 88%
- Net Price $11,955
Pellissippi State Community College
- Public 2 Year
- Knoxville, TN
-
| 0 reviews
- $4,786 tuition
Pellissippi State is a public community college known for associate programs in engineering technology, nursing, and information technology. Multiple campuses serve the Knoxville area, with the main Hardin Valley campus in west Knoxville.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $6,568
Trevecca Nazarene University
- Private 4 Year
- Nashville, TN
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- $31,300 tuition
- Aug 1 application deadline
Trevecca is a private Nazarene university known for undergraduate education, business, and ministry programs. Most students live on the urban Nashville campus.
- SAT Range 980-1235
- Avg GPA 3.43
- Acceptance Rate 69%
- Net Price $18,035
Volunteer State Community College
- Public 2 Year
- Gallatin, TN
-
3.0 | 1 reviews
- $4,756 tuition
- Aug 25 application deadline
Volunteer State is a public community college known for associate programs in nursing and allied health. The Gallatin campus primarily serves commuting students from the greater Nashville area.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA 3.24
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $8,651
Roane State Community College
- Public 2 Year
- Harriman, TN
-
3.5 | 2 reviews
- $4,998 tuition
Roane State is a public community college known for associate programs in nursing and allied health. The main campus is in Harriman, with additional locations across East Tennessee.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA 3.17
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $5,249
Cumberland University
- Private 4 Year
- Lebanon, TN
-
4.0 | 1 reviews
- $27,840 tuition
Cumberland is a private university known for undergraduate business, nursing, and education. The campus is in Lebanon, a smaller city east of Nashville.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA 3.3
- Acceptance Rate 67%
- Net Price $18,499
Tusculum University
- Private 4 Year
- Greeneville, TN
-
| 0 reviews
- $29,250 tuition
Tusculum is a small private university with undergraduate programs in business, education, and nursing. The historic Greeneville campus is Tennessee's oldest college and retains a Presbyterian affiliation.
- SAT Range 910-1110
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.18
- Acceptance Rate 72%
- Net Price $20,355
Baptist Health Sciences University
- Private 4 Year
- Memphis, TN
-
| 0 reviews
- $13,796 tuition
- Jun 1 application deadline
Baptist Health Sciences is a private university known for undergraduate nursing and allied health programs. The urban Memphis campus is affiliated with Baptist Memorial Health Care.
- SAT Range 990-1090
- Avg GPA 3.21
- Acceptance Rate 82%
- Net Price $11,348
Christian Brothers University
- Private 4 Year
- Memphis, TN
-
| 0 reviews
- $38,420 tuition
Christian Brothers is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate engineering and business. The urban campus sits in midtown Memphis.
- SAT Range 1020-1380
- Avg GPA 3.67
- Acceptance Rate 87%
- Net Price $16,754
Columbia State Community College
- Public 2 Year
- Columbia, TN
-
| 0 reviews
- $5,296 tuition
- Aug 13 application deadline
Columbia State is a public community college known for undergraduate nursing and health sciences programs. The main campus sits in Columbia, a small city in middle Tennessee.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $6,193