How Higher Education Is Governed and Funded in Tennessee

Tennessee has no single office that runs every college. Public universities, community colleges, technical colleges and private schools answer to different bodies. Knowing which one applies saves time when you need a transcript, want to file a complaint or are starting an application. Our database holds 295 college listings across the state, from large university campuses to small career schools in towns such as Dayton and Henderson.

The Tennessee Higher Education Commission, or THEC, sits at the center. It coordinates public higher education policy, makes funding recommendations and authorizes most private and out-of-state postsecondary institutions to operate in Tennessee under the state's Postsecondary State Authorization Act. For a private career school, THEC authorization is the first thing worth checking.

Public campuses are split between two systems. The University of Tennessee system runs the flagship in Knoxville plus campuses in Chattanooga, Martin and Pulaski, along with the Health Science Center in Memphis. The Tennessee Board of Regents oversees the community colleges and the Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology, known as TCATs. Since the FOCUS Act of 2016, six universities have had their own local governing boards. They include Middle Tennessee State, Tennessee State, Austin Peay and the University of Memphis.

Two state programs shape who enrolls. Tennessee Promise covers tuition and mandatory fees left after other grants for eligible high school graduates at community colleges and TCATs. Tennessee Reconnect offers a similar path for adults who have no college degree. The HOPE scholarship is funded by the Tennessee Education Lottery and administered by the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation. It helps students at eligible public and private schools. GPA requirements, test scores and deadlines change from year to year, so confirm current terms with the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation before you plan around any award.

Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville and Chattanooga: Where Tennessee's Campuses Cluster

The four big metro areas hold most of the listings. Nashville and Memphis alone account for about a third of the 295 entries. Davidson County and Shelby County together hold more than a third of the statewide total. If you live in either metro, expect a wide range of choices, from research universities to one-year career programs.

Davidson County mixes research universities, historically Black institutions such as Fisk University and Tennessee State University, and professional schools. Our database lists Argosy University-Nashville at 100 Centerview Drive, but Argosy closed in 2019. Treat entries like that one as historical, and ask THEC about student records instead of relying on the old number, 615-525-2800.

In Shelby County, Christian Brothers University sits at 650 East Parkway South in Memphis, phone 901-321-3000. It is a private Catholic university. The county also includes the University of Memphis, Rhodes College and LeMoyne-Owen College. The Cordova listing for ITT Technical Institute at 7260 Goodlett Farms Parkway reflects a national chain that shut down in 2016.

Knox County centers on the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and Pellissippi State Community College. The database also lists Fountainhead College of Technology at 10208 Technology Drive, phone 865-688-9422, so confirm its current operating status before you visit. In Hamilton County, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and Chattanooga State Community College anchor the area. The old ITT Technical Institute campus at 5600 Brainerd Road is another closed-chain listing. Call ahead before driving to any small private school.

Small-Town and Rural Colleges Across Tennessee's Three Grand Divisions

Tennessee is traditionally described in three grand divisions: East, Middle and West. Outside the metros, colleges are spread thinner, and the technical college network does much of the work. Roane State Community College at 276 Patton Lane in Harriman, phone 865-354-3000, serves a multi-county region in East Tennessee. Most students reach it by car, not transit, so plan for drive time and parking.

TCATs fill gaps in smaller communities. Our listings include locations in Athens, Morristown, Shelbyville, Henderson, Lexington, Lebanon and Kingsport. These schools teach hands-on trades and health, industrial and information technology skills through certificate and diploma programs. Many can be finished in a year or two. Names and campuses have shifted over the years, so one school may appear under an older label, such as the Tennessee Technology Center at Jackson.

Private colleges add variety in small towns. Bryan College sits in Dayton, in Rhea County, and Milligan College in Elizabethton, in Carter County, is now called Milligan University. King University operates a Blountville campus at 2425 Tennessee 75 in Sullivan County, phone 423-652-4861. The same county hosts the Kingsport campus of the Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Elizabethton at 1501 University Boulevard.

Faith-based graduate schools also appear in the data. Emmanuel Christian Seminary, 1 Walker Drive, phone 423-926-1186, is listed under Johnson but sits in Washington County in the Tri-Cities area. Dallas Theological Seminary's Nashville campus is at 1210 Franklin Road in Brentwood, in Williamson County. Suburban Williamson County also holds O'More College of Design at 423 South Margin Street in Franklin, phone 615-794-4254.

Checking a Tennessee College Before You Enroll or Request Records

Before paying a deposit or sending a transcript request, spend ten minutes on these checks:

Use the county pages to compare schools near you, then visit during open hours. Bring photo ID, your Social Security number for aid forms and any prior transcripts. Most admissions and registrar offices keep weekday business hours, and many technical colleges hold information sessions before each start date.

Public colleges and universities in Tennessee offer residents access to affordable higher education, professional certifications, and workforce training. The Tennessee state legislature oversees funding and policy for public institutions, while individual governing boards manage each campus.

Colleges locations are available in 83 cities across Tennessee. They are spread across 61 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration include Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, reflecting the presence of major university campuses and community college districts serving large student populations.

Prospective students in Tennessee should research in-state tuition rates, available degree programs, and financial aid options at public institutions, as these factors vary significantly between community colleges and four-year universities.

Colleges by Counties

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Students in Tennessee applying to public colleges and universities should complete the FAFSA as early as possible to maximize eligibility for federal and state financial aid. Many Tennessee institutions also offer state-specific grant programs with additional eligibility criteria.

Browse Colleges by county across Tennessee to find the nearest location.

Practical Tips for Finding a College Across Tennessee

Geography changes how you search in Tennessee. A student in Memphis can compare a dozen schools within a short drive. Someone in Henderson or Lexington may have one technical college nearby and a second option an hour away. Start with the program you want, not the school name. Health, welding, information technology and cosmetology programs vary widely in length and cost. Ask each school for its start dates, because many technical programs enroll several times a year while universities follow fall and spring calendars.

In West Tennessee, Jackson is the main education hub for Madison County. It has Union University, Lane College, Jackson State Community College and the Tennessee Technology Center at Jackson, listed at 2468 Technology Center Drive, phone 731-424-0691. In Rutherford County, Allied Health Careers Institute at 1237 Commerce Park in Murfreesboro, phone 615-396-8733, sits near Middle Tennessee State University. In Clarksville, Daymar College is at 2691 Trenton Road, phone 931-552-7600, and Austin Peay State University is nearby. Call each school to confirm its hours and current programs before you drive out.

Questions About Colleges in Tennessee

The Tennessee Higher Education Commission handles authorization for most private postsecondary schools operating in the state, including many career colleges and out-of-state institutions with a physical presence here. Authorization is separate from accreditation. Authorization means the state has reviewed whether a school meets minimum standards to operate, while accreditation is peer review by a recognized agency. If you have a complaint, first use the school's own grievance process and put it in writing. Then contact THEC's postsecondary authorization staff. Also ask whether protections such as the state's student tuition guaranty fund apply to the school you are considering.

Both are overseen by the Tennessee Board of Regents, but they serve different goals. Community colleges such as Roane State in Harriman award associate degrees and offer courses that transfer to four-year universities. TCATs, such as the campuses in Athens, Morristown and Shelbyville, focus on short, hands-on certificate and diploma programs that prepare you to enter a trade or health occupation quickly. Both can be covered by Tennessee Promise for eligible students. If you want a bachelor's degree later, a community college is generally the better starting point because its credits transfer more easily to public universities.

Tennessee Promise is a last-dollar scholarship. It pays the tuition and mandatory fees that remain after Pell grants and other state aid. Students apply during senior year, with an early fall deadline that has historically been November 1. They also file the FAFSA, attend required meetings with a mentor, complete community service hours each term and enroll full time. Missing one step can cost you the award, so confirm the current checklist and dates with the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation or your school counselor. Adults who never earned a degree should look at Tennessee Reconnect instead.

Start with THEC, which can point you to where student records for closed authorized schools are held. ITT Technical Institute closed nationwide in 2016 and Argosy University closed in 2019, so the former campuses in Chattanooga, Cordova and Nashville no longer enroll students. If you borrowed federal loans and could not finish because of a closure, the U.S. Department of Education has a closed school loan discharge process. Ask your loan servicer about it. Also check whether another college took over the programs under a teach-out agreement, and keep any old enrollment agreements or financial aid letters.

Yes. Tennessee's public community colleges and universities use the Tennessee Transfer Pathways, which map out courses in a given major that are designed to transfer toward a bachelor's degree at the state's public universities. The University of Tennessee campuses, Middle Tennessee State in Murfreesboro and Austin Peay in Clarksville are common destinations. Meet an advisor in your first semester, choose the pathway that matches your intended major and keep your grades up, since receiving universities can set minimum grade standards. Credits from TCAT programs usually transfer less directly, so ask the receiving school before you assume anything.

In-state classification generally depends on domicile in Tennessee, and public institutions commonly look for about twelve months of continuous residence before the term starts. Evidence may include a Tennessee driver license, voter registration, a lease or property records and state tax filings. Exceptions exist for active-duty military members and their families stationed in Tennessee. Dependent students are usually classified by their parents' residence. Rules differ by school and situation, so submit residency paperwork to the admissions or registrar's office before the deadline. Reclassification after the term begins is often difficult.