College Trends

Community colleges in Tennessee

The College Scorecard lists 13 public colleges that mostly award associate degrees in Tennessee, all compared on this page. Together they enroll 53,731 undergraduate degree-seeking students. The median average net price is $6,788 a year, lower than the $7,415 median for community colleges nationwide. Former students' median earnings 10 years after starting college are $41,366 at the median institution, lower than the $44,632 median for community colleges nationwide. The median graduation rate is 34.1%.

Open in the dashboardSource: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Schools
13
UndergraduatesiUndergraduate degree-seeking enrollment.
53,731
Median net priceiAverage yearly cost for full-time, first-time undergraduates who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. The figure here is the median across schools.
$6,788
U.S.: $7,415
Median earnings, 10 yrsiMedian earnings of former students who received federal aid, 10 years after they started college, among those working and not enrolled. The figure here is the median across institutions (branch campuses count once).
$41,366
U.S.: $44,632
Median debtiMedian federal student-loan balance of graduates. Excludes Parent PLUS and private loans. The figure here is the median across institutions (branch campuses count once).
$9,250
U.S.: $10,500
Median grad rateiShare of full-time, first-time students who finished within 150% of normal time (6 years for a 4-year degree, 3 years for a 2-year degree). The figure here is the median across schools.
34.1%
U.S.: 34.4%

Compare all community colleges in Tennessee on one chart

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Each dot is one school. Dashed lines mark the median for Tennessee. Showing 13 of 13 community colleges in Tennessee; schools missing either value are left out.

All 13 community colleges in Tennessee

Pellissippi State Community College
Knoxville
6,715$6,725$4,930$12,874$42,869$9,25034.1%58.2%
Nashville State Community College
Nashville
5,653$7,979$4,876$8,236$42,096$10,00020.2%44.1%
Volunteer State Community College
Gallatin
5,339$10,508$4,900$8,260$45,291$7,50029.1%51.2%
Chattanooga State Community College
Chattanooga
5,284$5,286$4,916$8,276$43,805$12,00028.5%56.7%
Southwest Tennessee Community College
Memphis
5,047$5,091$5,217$8,246$38,117n/a19.0%45.7%
Northeast State Community College
Blountville
4,404$5,859$4,926$8,286$39,687n/a35.2%59.5%
Motlow State Community College
Tullahoma
3,962$12,645$4,882$8,242$43,171n/a36.6%55.4%
Columbia State Community College
Columbia
3,897$6,788$5,104$8,682$44,553$9,71336.2%55.5%
Walters State Community College
Morristown
3,591$7,082$4,896$8,256$40,092n/a39.7%52.9%
Roane State Community College
Harriman
3,250$1,635$5,160$8,658$41,027$8,03039.6%57.9%
Jackson State Community College
Jackson
2,511$7,025$5,204$8,254$39,715n/a28.9%54.3%
Dyersburg State Community College
Dyersburg
2,103$6,557$4,902$8,262$38,273$9,25039.2%63.4%
Cleveland State Community College
Cleveland
1,975$10,503$5,228$8,588$41,366$6,50032.9%51.9%
Showing 13 of 13. Starts sorted by undergraduate enrollment; select a column to sort.

Quick facts: community colleges in Tennessee

How many community colleges are in Tennessee?
The College Scorecard lists 13 public colleges that mostly award associate degrees in Tennessee.
What do community colleges in Tennessee cost?
Across the 13 schools that report it, the median average net price is $6,788 a year. Net price is what full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid pay after grants and scholarships. Reported net prices range from $1,635 at Roane State Community College to $12,645 at Motlow State Community College.
Which community colleges in Tennessee have the lowest average net price?
By reported average net price: Roane State Community College ($1,635), Southwest Tennessee Community College ($5,091), Chattanooga State Community College ($5,286), Northeast State Community College ($5,859), and Dyersburg State Community College ($6,557).
How much is in-state and out-of-state tuition at community colleges in Tennessee?
The median published in-state tuition is $4,926 a year, and the median out-of-state tuition is $8,262. Many students pay less than published tuition after aid.
How much do former students of community colleges in Tennessee earn?
At the median institution, former students who received federal aid earn $41,366 10 years after starting college (13 institutions reporting; branch campuses share one figure and count once). The highest reported medians are at Volunteer State Community College ($45,291), Columbia State Community College ($44,553), and Chattanooga State Community College ($43,805).
What is the graduation rate at community colleges in Tennessee?
The median graduation rate is 34.1%, across 13 schools reporting. It counts full-time, first-time students who finished within 150% of normal time.
How much student debt do graduates of community colleges in Tennessee have?
The median institution's graduates leave with $9,250 in federal student loans (the median balance). Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.

Keep comparing

Other college types in Tennessee

Community colleges in other states

How these numbers work

This page includes public colleges that mostly award associate degrees, as reported in the College Scorecard. Summary figures are medians across schools: each school counts once, whatever its size, and schools that don't report a measure are left out of that measure. The Scorecard reports earnings and debt for a whole institution, so branch campuses share one figure; for those two measures each institution counts once. Most recent data year: cost 2025, graduation and retention 2025, earnings 2022, debt 2024. More on the data.