Best Community Colleges in Tennessee 2025
Key Takeaways
- Thirteen schools in Tennessee meet our criteria for the best community colleges in the state.
- Community colleges offer more affordable tuition rates than a traditional four-year college.
- Graduates with an associate degree can often transfer their credits into an accredited bachelor’s degree program.
Best Community Colleges in Tennessee in 2025
- Chattanooga State Community College
- Walters State Community College
- Motlow State Community College +1
- Southwest Tennessee Community College +1
- Columbia State Community College +1
- Pellissippi State Community College –3
- Volunteer State Community College +1
- Roane State Community College –1
- Cleveland State Community College +1
- Nashville State Community College –1
2025 Ranking Update
Our Influence Ranking Engine™ leverages machine learning to track the real-world influence of colleges and universities over time. Below you’ll see which schools gained or lost ground for the 2025 school year.
In 2025, the top ten schools in our ranking of the best community colleges in Tennessee saw a considerable amount of change. Motlow State Community College gained the third ranking position as the college has implemented several enhancements to enrich the student experience. The Automation and Robotics Training Center (ARTC) in McMinnville has expanded its facilities to include a new wing that houses an expanded Mechatronics program and the upcoming Electric Vehicle Engineering Technology (EVET) program. This expansion aims to equip students with skills in emerging technologies, aligning with industry demands.
Additionally, Motlow State has introduced initiatives to support adult learners, offering events and resources to help them balance education with personal responsibilities and connect with potential employers.
We’ve identified 13 community colleges in Tennessee. The following list shows the best community colleges and primarily associate degree granting colleges in Tennessee.
Best Community Colleges in Tennessee
Tuition + fees
$4K
Graduation
22%
Student body
9K
Career Outlook for degree at Chattanooga State Community College
Cost of Degree: $4,550Starting Salary: $33,200What is Chattanooga State Community College known for?
Chattanooga State Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
Chattanooga State Community College, a member of the Tennessee Board of Regents System, is a public, open-entry postsecondary educational institution serving a six-county area in Southeast Tennessee as well as seven bordering counties in Alabama and Georgia.
What we love about ChattState:
It is Tennessee’s only community college that has a Tennessee College of Applied Technology as a fundamental component of its organization, offering more than 25 programs at Diploma and Certificate levels.
ChattState is ideal for students who:
Want to pursue careers in the Allied Health industry, considering that ChattState has a track record of a 98% licensure pass rate.
ChattState might not be the best fit for students who:
Prefer an academic environment with a rural feel.
Tuition + fees
$4K
Graduation
32%
Student body
7K
Career Outlook for degree at Walters State Community College
Cost of Degree: $4,519Starting Salary: $30,900What is Walters State Community College known for?
Walters State Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
Walters State Community College is a public educational institution in Morristown with five campuses serving ten rural counties in East Tennessee.
What we love about Walters State:
It has been recognized as the state’s Community College of the Year for two consecutive years due to its dedication to the success of its students.
Walters State is ideal for students who:
Are looking for more than a hundred academic options for two-year Associate degrees, Technical Certificates, and Transfer programs to four-year universities.
Walters State might not be the best fit for students who:
Find small class sizes and low student-faculty ratios to be intimidating or intrusive.
Tuition + fees
$4K
Graduation
32%
Student body
7K
Career Outlook for degree at Motlow State Community College
Cost of Degree: $4,536Starting Salary: $31,400What is Motlow State Community College known for?
Motlow State Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Motlow State Community College is a multi-campus public educational institution that serves an 11-county area in middle Tennessee through its main campus in Moore County and several campuses and learning centers across the area.
What we love about Motlow State:
It offers at least 90 academic programs in various fields of interest at Professional Certification, Associate degree, and Associate of Applied Science degree levels. Tennessee Transfer Pathway programs are also offered.
Motlow State is ideal for students who:
Aspire to become student-athletes, as the school participates in the National Junior College Athletic Association and Tennessee Community College Athletic Association.
Motlow State might not be the best fit for students who:
Prefer a low student-faculty ratio to benefit from individualized learning and guidance from professors.
Tuition + fees
$4K
Graduation
15%
Student body
10K
Career Outlook for degree at Southwest Tennessee Community College
Cost of Degree: $4,550Starting Salary: $29,100What is Southwest Tennessee Community College known for?
Southwest Tennessee Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Southwest Tennessee Community College is a Memphis-based public community college with several campuses and satellite centers.
What we love about Southwest Tennessee Community College:
It offers at least 140 programs, Certificates and Associate-degree programs that are designed to boost students’ abilities and serve the community.
Southwest Tennessee Community College is ideal for students who:
Want to boost their chances of landing a job after finishing their program, as the school has a track record where 91% of its graduates are working in their field of study.
Southwest Tennessee Community College might not be the best fit for students who:
May have problems with small classes, as professors can be too invested in the students’ lives.
Tuition + fees
$4K
Graduation
27%
Student body
7K
Career Outlook for degree at Columbia State Community College
Cost of Degree: $4,904Starting Salary: $34,600What is Columbia State Community College known for?
Columbia State Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Founded in 1966, Columbia State Community College is the first community college in Tennessee and now has five campuses serving a nine-county area in southern Middle Tennessee.
What we love about Columbia State:
Transfer and retention rates at this school are among the highest in the state.
Columbia State is ideal for students who:
Aspire a career as a Paramedic, considering that the school has a track record of a 100% licensure passing rate in this field.
Columbia State might not be the best fit for students who:
Prefer an academic environment with an urban or suburban vibe or close to a bustling city.
Tuition + fees
$4K
Graduation
27%
Student body
12K
Career Outlook for degree at Pellissippi State Community College
Cost of Degree: $4,576Starting Salary: $33,300What is Pellissippi State Community College known for?
Pellissippi State Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Pellissippi State Community College is a public two-year community college with four campuses across Tennessee, mostly in Knoxville.
What we love about Pellissippi State:
It offers more than 115 training and academic programs, specifically Associate of Applied Science degrees under its Career Programs, Certificate under its Certificates Programs, and Associate degrees under its Transfer/University Parallel Programs.
Pellissippi State is ideal for students who:
Prefer a low student-faculty ratio to benefit from more individualized instruction and guidance from professors.
Pellissippi State might not be the best fit for students who:
Love sports as extracurricular activities, considering that PSCC doesn’t have an athletics program.
- #6 Best Online Associate Degrees in Tennessee 2024 #6 Best Online Associate in Sociology #7 Best Online Associate in Finance #7 Best Online Associate in Fire Science Degree Programs
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$4K
Graduation
23%
Student body
10K
Career Outlook for degree at Volunteer State Community College
Cost of Degree: $4,524Starting Salary: $34,800What is Volunteer State Community College known for?
Volunteer State Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Volunteer State Community College is a comprehensive public educational institution based in Gallatin with three other degree-granting campuses across Tennessee.
What we love about Vol State:
It offers at least 100 academic programs ranging from Technical Certificates to Associate-degree levels through its six major divisions, in addition to various special academic programs like Online Education, Work-Based Learning, and Workforce Development.
Vol State is ideal for students who:
Are looking for an Associate’s-degree program that allows for a seamless transition as a junior to a participating four-year university or college.
Vol State might not be the best fit for students who:
Are searching for vocational schools to attend technical programs for carpentry, plumbing, and other relevant trades.
Tuition + fees
$5K
Graduation
33%
Student body
6K
Career Outlook for degree at Roane State Community College
Cost of Degree: $4,762Starting Salary: $32,600What is Roane State Community College known for?
Roane State Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Roane State Community College is a public educational institution mainly based in Harriman, with nine campuses across East Tennessee.
What we love about Roane State:
It offers two-year academic transfer curricula that equip students with a strong liberal arts foundation to pursue further education at universities, professional schools, or in-state senior institutions.
Roane State is ideal for students who:
Aspire a career in nursing or relevant health science programs at associate-degree or certificate levels.
Roane State might not be the best fit for students who:
Prefer a higher student-faculty ratio to blend in with classmates for a more comfortable learning experience.
- #6 Best Online Associate in Health Information Technology & Informatics #13 Best Online Associate Degrees in Tennessee 2024 #15 Best Online Associate in Finance #16 Best Online Associate in Political Science 2025
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$4K
Graduation
29%
Student body
4K
Career Outlook for degree at Cleveland State Community College
Cost of Degree: $4,530Starting Salary: $32,100What is Cleveland State Community College known for?
Cleveland State Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Cleveland State Community College is a public institution in Southeast Tennessee with additional classrooms, offices and classes across its multi-county service areas.
What we love about CSCC:
It doesn’t just offer Associate-level academic programs but also Junior and Senior college-level courses through agreements with other institutions.
CSCC is ideal for students who:
Are looking for community colleges that offer both high-quality education and various recreational opportunities.
CSCC might not be the best fit for students who:
Prefer a more homogeneous campus community where students have similar socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds.
Tuition + fees
$4K
Graduation
16%
Student body
9K
Career Outlook for degree at Nashville State Community College
Cost of Degree: $4,498Starting Salary: $33,600What is Nashville State Community College known for?
Nashville State Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Nashville State Community College is a public open-entry educational institution with seven campuses serving a seven-county area in Middle Tennessee. Its White Bridge location in Nashville is its largest and oldest campus.
What we love about Nashville State:
It offers more than 80 academic programs, including those available in online learning formats at Certificate and Degree levels.
Nashville State is ideal for students who:
Aspire a career in the areas of Surgical Technology, Nursing, or Occupational Therapy Assistance, considering that the school has a track record of high licensure passing rates in these fields.
Nashville State might not be the best fit for students who:
Prefer a small, tight-knit academic community in a rural environment.
Tuition + fees
$4K
Graduation
28%
Student body
7K
Career Outlook for degree at Northeast State Community College
Cost of Degree: $4,542Starting Salary: $29,900What is Northeast State Community College known for?
Northeast State Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Northeast State Community College is a two-year public educational institution based in Blountville with six locations serving a five-county area.
What we love about Northeast State:
It is a comprehensive community college offering Career, Continuing Education, and Transfer programs that are on par with university-level quality education.
Northeast State is ideal for students who:
Want to secure their future by completing their technical certificate or associate degree program at a community college with a track record of 92% job placement rate.
Northeast State might not be the best fit for students who:
Do not find non-residential campuses with high student-faculty ratios located in fringe rural areas to be appealing.
Tuition + fees
$4K
Graduation
23%
Student body
5K
Career Outlook for degree at Jackson State Community College
Cost of Degree: $4,516Starting Salary: $31,500What is Jackson State Community College known for?
Jackson State Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Established in 1963, Jackson State Community College is considered the first community college in West Tennessee.
What we love about JSCC:
It offers a range of certificates, associate degrees, college-readiness, and continuing education programs to provide accessible learning opportunities to individuals, communities and the workforce.
JSCC is ideal for students who:
Prefer small community colleges located in bustling cities.
JSCC might not be the best fit for students who:
Looking for associate-degree or technical certificate programs with low student-faculty ratio for a more individualized learning experience.
Tuition + fees
$4K
Graduation
26%
Student body
4K
Career Outlook for degree at Dyersburg State Community College
Cost of Degree: $4,540Starting Salary: $29,800What is Dyersburg State Community College known for?
Dyersburg State Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Dyersburg State Community College is a public institution in West Tennessee that provides educational services to nine counties in the area.
What we love about Dyersburg State:
The school is considered to be the fastest-growing community college among its counterparts across Tennessee, and it has a remarkable record of doubling its three-year graduation rate for first-time, full-time students over the past ten years.
Dyersburg State is ideal for students who:
Want a quick and affordable way to enter the fields of healthcare, STEM, or business for companies and organizations in West Tennessee and beyond.
Dyersburg State might not be the best fit for students who:
Are easily distracted from their studies when pursuing their passion for sports, as the school participates in NJCAA Division I and supports a variety of men’s and women’s varsity teams.
The top-rated community colleges offer an accessible intro into higher education, with high-quality two-year degree programs in a wide range of disciplines. The best community colleges in Tennessee offer a broad selection of associate’s degrees, affordable tuition rates, and strong partnerships with public four-year schools so that students can easily transfer their credits into accredited bachelor’s degree programs.
Colleges and Universities in Tennessee
Tennessee has numerous excellent and highly respected community colleges. Many of these top Tennessee schools are noted for their affordability as well.
Students attending community colleges in Tennessee can earn an associate degree in popular subjects like business management, health services administration, health sciences, and criminal justice. Tennessee also has some of the most affordable community colleges in America, giving students the opportunity to pursue a wide range of on-campus and online degree programs for less than in many other states. The average tuition for a year at one of Tennessee’s thirteen community colleges is $4,000.
Find college admissions consultants in your state.
What are Tennessee’s Colleges & Universities?
- 14 Research Universities
- 21 Liberal Arts Colleges & Universities
- 14 Graduate Schools
- 9 Public Colleges & Universities
- 26 Private Colleges & Universities
- 21 Christian Colleges & Universities
- 24 Small Colleges & Universities (fewer than 5,000 students)
- 15 Affordable Colleges (below $20,000/year)
- 13 Community Colleges
- 21 Online Colleges
Tennessee’s Best Overall
2023 Ranking Archive
Many of our 2024 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2023. That’s because we took a fundamentally different approach. For 2024 we utilized our Concentrated Influence algorithm, designed to take away the size advantage larger schools have when we rank their faculty and alumni’s academic influence. Concentrated influence highlights smaller schools that are proportionally as successful as larger universities at cultivating influential alumni and faculty.
- Chattanooga State Community College
- Cleveland State Community College
- Volunteer State Community College
- Northeast State Community College
- Southwest Tennessee Community College
- Walters State Community College
- Pellissippi State Community College
- Roane State Community College
- Nashville State Community College
- Dyersburg State Community College
- Columbia State Community College
- Motlow State Community College
- Jackson State Community College
