Colleges & Universities in Tennessee

About Colleges & Universities in Tennessee

Tennessee is home to 106 accredited postsecondary institutions, spanning 57 four-year colleges and universities and 49 two-year community and technical colleges. Of these, 49 are publicly funded, offering subsidized in-state tuition for Tennessee residents. Our composite scores combine acceptance rate, six-year graduation rate, net price for lower-income students, and enrollment to produce a single 0–100 quality signal for each institution. The average composite score across Tennessee colleges is 50 out of 100.

The average acceptance rate across Tennessee colleges with available data is 70%, compared to the national median of around 65%. Selectivity varies enormously — from highly competitive research universities that admit fewer than 15% of applicants to open-enrollment community colleges that welcome all students. Use the "Acceptance Rate" sort to find the most and least selective options.

When choosing a college in Tennessee, look beyond the sticker price. The net price for families earning under $30,000 per year is often far lower than published tuition after grants and scholarships are applied. Sort by "Most Affordable" to surface institutions where lower-income students pay the least out of pocket. You can also compare colleges in Tennessee side by side to evaluate fit across every dimension.