Here are the most affordable colleges and universities in Tennessee. Our list will help you find the right kind of school for you, at a price you can afford.
About one third of the higher learning institutes in Tennessee are public schools. Students who attend these schools can expect to pay anywhere between $4,000 to $13,000 in tuition and have the option to pursue degrees in fields such as economics, history, nursing, literature, education, and criminal justice. Tennessee’s largest public school, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, boasts some impressive alumni, including Oprah Winfrey, Kurt Vonnegut, and Cormac McCarthy. The private school alumni are equally as notable. For example, author James Patterson and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Muhammad Yunus both attended Vanderbilt University in Nashville.
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Tennessee also offers nearly 30 religiously affiliated schools, the largest being Belmont University in Nashville, located just blocks from the famous Music Row. Here, students can study a wide range of fields including Christian leadership, audio engineering technology, and biophysics. Additionally, Tennessee offers students several loan forgiveness programs. Math and science teachers, minority teachers, and registered nurses interested in becoming teachers or administrators who meet certain requirements may be eligible.
Tennessee is home to mouthwatering barbecues, electrified blues, and the sweeping majesty of the Smoky Mountains National Park. And with access to countless historic sites, unique museums, and lush green spaces, students attending one of the more than 60 colleges and universities in The Volunteer State will have plenty to do and see in their downtime.
Discover more about the top programs and higher education learning opportunities available in Tennessee.
There are 15 colleges and universities in Tennessee with stated tuitions and fees under $20,000/year. The following list of the most affordable colleges and universities in Tennessee is composed entirely of schools offering bachelor’s degree programs, have stated tuition and fees near or under the national average of $16,000/year, and are fully accredited colleges.
These schools are ranked by academic excellence, and all under $20,000/year.
Tuition + fees
$13K
Acceptance
75%
Graduation
72%
Student body
28K
Median SAT/ACT
1221/28
University of Tennessee’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$10K
Acceptance
95%
Graduation
54%
Student body
17K
Median SAT/ACT
1095/22
University of Memphis’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$9K
Acceptance
68%
Graduation
54%
Student body
19K
Median SAT/ACT
1095/23
Middle Tennessee State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$8K
Graduation
30%
Student body
6K
Tennessee State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$9K
Acceptance
87%
Graduation
51%
Student body
12K
Median SAT/ACT
1055/23
East Tennessee State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$10K
Acceptance
86%
Graduation
54%
Student body
10K
Median SAT/ACT
1110/23
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$10K
Acceptance
79%
Graduation
60%
Student body
9K
Median SAT/ACT
1150/24
Tennessee Technological University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$10K
Acceptance
75%
Graduation
52%
Student body
6K
University of Tennessee at Martin’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$8K
Acceptance
93%
Graduation
42%
Student body
8K
Median SAT/ACT
1053/21
Austin Peay State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$12K
Graduation
24%
Student body
1K
Lane College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
98%
Graduation
18%
Student body
<1K
LeMoyne–Owen College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$10K
Acceptance
92%
Graduation
34%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1017/20
University of Tennessee Southern’s faculty and alumni have been influential in: