Community colleges in Tennessee are part of a 40-school system overseen by the Tennessee Board of Regents. The system includes 13 community colleges as well as 27 colleges of applied technology that focus on technical workforce and career development programs.
If you are interested in attending one of the best community colleges in the entire states and wants to take your career to the next level. Then take a look at our list of the Best Community Colleges in Tennessee to get the most out of your experience at one.
Start the search for your future education right away! Through our list, keep reading to discover the best colleges in Tennessee which offer affordable education for students. All the best!!!
Table of Contents
Dyersburg State Community College
Dyersburg State Community College focuses on student learning and offers high-quality academic programs that allow you to complete your first two years of college coursework at about one-half the cost of attending a public four-year institution. Dyersburg State Community College (DSCC) serves seven counties adjacent to or near the Mississippi River in West Tennessee. It offers Associate of Science, Associate of Arts, and Associate of Applied Science degrees as well as technical and academic certificates. DSCC also offers career programs that provide the training you need to enter the job market or upgrade your current skills. It provides several certificate programs which prepare students for specific, high-demand occupations.
Founded In: 1969
Ranking: 1st
Tuition & Fees Approximately: In-state 3,947 USD, Out-of-state 15,347 USD
Finance and Admission Office Contact: 731-286-3200
Apply Now: http://www.dscc.edu/
Chattanooga State Community College
Chattanooga State is the only community college in Tennessee that has a Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) as an integral part of its organization. Chattanooga State offers a variety of programs and degrees including 50 career programs; three university parallel degrees with areas of emphasis in the arts, humanities, mathematics, and natural sciences; 20 technical certificate programs; corporate training; continuing education; adult education, including GED preparation; Collegiate High at Chattanooga State, Early College, and community service programs.
Founded In: 1965
Ranking: 2nd
Tuition & Fees Approximately: In-state 3,973 USD, Out-of-state 15,373 USD
Finance and Admission Office Contact: 423.697.4400
Apply Now: https://www.chattanoogastate.edu/
Southwest Tennessee Community College
Southwest Tennessee Community College is a comprehensive, multicultural, public, open-access College. Academic focus areas provide undecided students guidance into general areas of interest. Guided pathways of courses for each focus area provides the student an introduction to or of that general area while allowing the student to explore specific career options and associated majors. Technical Certificates are shorter programs with duration from one semester to one year long. They are designed to help you to get a job or to improve your current skills to become a more attractive job candidate.
Founded In: 2000
Ranking: 3rd
Tuition & Fees Approximately: In-state 3,963 USD, Out-of-state 15,363 USD
Finance and Admission Office Contact: 901-333-5000
Apply Now: http://www.southwest.tn.edu/
Walters State Community College
Walters State is learning-centered, comprehensive community college established in 1970 to provide affordable and quality higher education opportunities for the residents of East Tennessee. Walters State offers over 100 programs of study. They offer two-year associate degrees that prepare students to transfer to four-year colleges or universities. They also offer associate of applied science degrees and technical certificates that prepare students to succeed in in-demand jobs.
Founded In: 1970
Ranking: 4th
Tuition & Fees Approximately: In-state 3,936 USD, Out-of-state 15,336 USD
Finance and Admission Office Contact: 800.225.4770
Apply Now: https://ws.edu/home/
Roane State Community College
Roane State Community College is a two-year college located in eastern Tennessee. Roane State offers career-preparation programs and transfer programs. The college’s associate of applied science programs (A.A.S) and certificate programs are designed for students who wish to enter the workforce after graduating. The college also offers transfer programs for students who wish to start at Roane State and then transfer to a four-year institution after two years.
Founded In: 1969
Ranking: 5th
Tuition & Fees Approximately: In-state 3,906 USD, Out-of-state 15,180 USD
Finance and Admission Office Contact: 866-462-7722
Apply Now: http://www.roanestate.edu/
Nashville State Community College
Nashville State is an open-entry postsecondary institution offering almost 50 majors of study toward an AA, AS, AST and AAS degree and 12 certificate programs. Nashville State offers continuing education courses ranging from technical skills to management training and programs providing training in such areas as computer-aided drafting and office technology. Nashville State offers a wide array of programs and degrees including degree and certificate studies, university parallel transfer programs, continuing education, adult education, MNPS’s Middle College High School, Dual Enrollment and community service programs.
Founded In: 1970
Ranking: 6th
Tuition & Fees Approximately: In-state 3,873 USD, Out-of-state 15,273 USD
Finance and Admission Office Contact: 615-353-3333
Apply Now: https://www.nscc.edu/
Volunteer State Community College
Volunteer State Community College, as it is popularly known, serves the suburban Nashville community. The college offers numerous courses at the Highland Crest higher education facility in Springfield and the Cookeville Higher Education Center. Vol State also offers some third and fourth-year level college courses through arrangements with other institutions. Vol State offers classes in traditional, online and hybrid formats. Vol State has a degree-granting center in Livingston, Tennessee.
Founded In: 1971
Ranking: 7th
Tuition & Fees Approximately: In-state 3,925 USD, Out-of-state 15,325 USD
Finance and Admission Office Contact: (615) 452-8600
Apply Now: https://www.volstate.edu/
Columbia State Community College
Founded in 1966, Columbia State Community College serves nine counties in southern Middle Tennessee through five campuses. Columbia State grants Associate of Art, Associate of Science, Associate of Science in Teaching, Associate of Fine Arts in Music, and Associate of Applied Science degrees, and technical certificates. The college offers more than 50 programs of study. The college is organized into the following academic divisions: Health Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Science, Technology & Mathematics.
Founded In: 1966
Ranking: 8th
Tuition & Fees Approximately: Local tuition: 3,367 USD, Domestic tuition: 12,991 USD
Finance and Admission Office Contact: +1 931-676-6966
Apply Now: http://www.columbiastate.edu/
Cleveland State Community College
Cleveland State Community College is an accredited public community college serving approximately 3,500 credit students and 1,500 non-credit students. It offers some third- and fourth-year college-level courses as well, through arrangements with other institutions. Like most community colleges, the emphasis is on associate’s degree-level classes. Cleveland State offers classes throughout the service area in southeast Tennessee, which includes Bradley, Meigs, McMinn, Monroe, and Polk counties. There are over 200 employees at the college including more than 70 full-time faculty members.
Founded In: 1967
Ranking: 9th
Tuition & Fees Approximately: In-state 3,947 USD, Out-of-state 15,347 USD
Finance and Admission Office Contact: +1 423-472-7141
Apply Now: http://www.clevelandstatecc.edu/
Northeast State Community College
Northeast State offers associate degrees in more than 130 programs of study, which can be transferred to a number of local and regional four-year colleges and universities. The school also offers associate of applied science degrees in more than 30 programs of study, such as business management, nursing, computer science, criminal justice, and office administration technology that prepare students for immediate entry into the workplace. In addition, Northeast State offers academic and technical certificates in more than a dozen areas of study. Northeast State also offers a large program in continuing education and professional development courses. These programs help students update and hone work skills and aid companies with workforce development.
Founded In: 1966
Ranking: 10th
Tuition & Fees Approximately: In-state 3,936 USD, Out-of-state 15,336 USD
Finance and Admission Office Contact: 800.836.7822
Apply Now: http://www.northeaststate.edu/
