College Trends

Public universities in Tennessee

The College Scorecard lists 11 public colleges that mostly award bachelor's degrees or higher in Tennessee, all compared on this page. Together they enroll 106,728 undergraduate degree-seeking students. The median average net price is $12,377 a year, lower than the $14,226 median for public universities nationwide. Former students' median earnings 10 years after starting college are $52,227 at the median institution, lower than the $58,635 median for public universities nationwide. The median graduation rate is 53.2%.

Open in the dashboardSource: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Schools
11
UndergraduatesiUndergraduate degree-seeking enrollment.
106,728
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.
$12,377
U.S.: $14,226
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).
$52,227
U.S.: $58,635
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).
$18,636
U.S.: $19,500
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.
53.2%
U.S.: 51.6%

Compare all public universities in Tennessee on one chart

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Each dot is one school. Dashed lines mark the median for Tennessee. Showing 10 of 11 public universities in Tennessee; schools missing either value are left out.

All 11 public universities in Tennessee

The University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Knoxville
30,418$18,314$13,812$33,256$65,090$18,75074.5%91.9%41.6%
Middle Tennessee State University
Murfreesboro
16,301$12,562$10,932$33,428$52,702$18,05753.6%79.5%69.1%
University of Memphis
Memphis
12,701$12,192$11,256$15,960$52,227$22,75052.9%77.4%72.0%
The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga
Chattanooga
10,074$15,026$10,762$19,068$56,442$18,50055.8%72.5%81.1%
East Tennessee State University
Johnson City
10,004$14,208$10,994$15,194$48,646$18,63655.3%75.7%86.2%
Tennessee Technological University
Cookeville
8,698$16,830$11,926$16,126$52,901$17,15056.0%78.2%76.1%
Austin Peay State University
Clarksville
7,560$9,049$9,456$15,216$48,900$19,57041.9%70.0%96.4%
The University of Tennessee-Martin
Martin
4,866$10,211$10,824$16,864$48,116$19,50051.4%77.0%88.2%
Tennessee State University
Nashville
4,848$12,154$9,048$22,848$47,151$24,25034.0%33.5%70.1%
The University of Tennessee Southern
Pulaski
864$6,690$11,264$11,264$46,623$18,12531.8%77.2%86.7%
The University of Tennessee Health Science Center
Memphis
394n/an/an/a$77,971$11,805n/an/an/a
Showing 11 of 11. Starts sorted by undergraduate enrollment; select a column to sort.

Quick facts: public universities in Tennessee

How many public universities are in Tennessee?
The College Scorecard lists 11 public colleges that mostly award bachelor's degrees or higher in Tennessee.
What do public universities in Tennessee cost?
Across the 10 schools that report it, the median average net price is $12,377 a year. Net price is what full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid pay after grants and scholarships. Reported net prices range from $6,690 at The University of Tennessee Southern to $18,314 at The University of Tennessee-Knoxville.
Which public universities in Tennessee have the lowest average net price?
By reported average net price: The University of Tennessee Southern ($6,690), Austin Peay State University ($9,049), The University of Tennessee-Martin ($10,211), Tennessee State University ($12,154), and University of Memphis ($12,192).
How much is in-state and out-of-state tuition at public universities in Tennessee?
The median published in-state tuition is $10,963 a year, and the median out-of-state tuition is $16,495. Many students pay less than published tuition after aid.
How much do former students of public universities in Tennessee earn?
At the median institution, former students who received federal aid earn $52,227 10 years after starting college (11 institutions reporting; branch campuses share one figure and count once). The highest reported medians are at The University of Tennessee Health Science Center ($77,971), The University of Tennessee-Knoxville ($65,090), and The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga ($56,442).
What is the graduation rate at public universities in Tennessee?
The median graduation rate is 53.2%, across 10 schools reporting. It counts full-time, first-time students who finished within 150% of normal time.
How much student debt do graduates of public universities in Tennessee have?
The median institution's graduates leave with $18,636 in federal student loans (the median balance). Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.

Keep comparing

Other college types in Tennessee

Public universities in other states

How these numbers work

This page includes public colleges that mostly award bachelor's degrees or higher, 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.