State cost ranking · DOE College Scorecard

Cheapest Colleges in Tennessee

According to U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard data, 124 Tennessee colleges ranked by average net price, what students actually paid after grant and scholarship aid, not the published sticker price.

Aid covers full cost
Cheapest net price
$15,269
Tennessee median
124
Schools ranked

Data updated June 2026 · IPEDS 2022–23 vintage

The list in one line

Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Crump has the lowest average net price in Tennessee at Aid covers full cost, and the state's median net price is 11% below the $17,083 national median across 4,942 schools.

Aid covers full cost
cheapest ranked net price
$15,269
Tennessee median net price
45 public / 79 private
schools in this ranking
$14,195
avg net price, <$30K income families

Average net price is the institution-reported average amount students actually paid after all grant and scholarship aid, not counting loans that must be repaid. A very low figure at a specialty or religious institution can reflect a narrow enrollment mix rather than typical affordability, check the sector label and enrollment before comparing.

Sticker tuition and real net price diverge most at Vanderbilt University, where in-state published tuition of $67,498 falls to an average net price of $15,846 after aid, a $51,652 gap. This is the widest sticker-to-net-price gap among ranked Tennessee schools, and a reminder that published tuition alone is a poor guide to what most admitted students actually pay.

Across all 124 ranked Tennessee schools, 45 are public institutions and 79 are private (nonprofit or for-profit). Sector is shown next to every school below because a low sticker-adjacent price at a small religious, seminary, or specialty school can reflect an unusual enrollment mix rather than broad affordability, check enrollment and sector before drawing conclusions from rank alone.

Average net price also blends every income bracket into one figure, so a family's own bracket can land well above or below the number shown here. Federal reporting requires an institution to have enough surveyed aid recipients in a bracket before that bracket is published, so a very small school can show only a partial income-bracket breakdown even when its overall average net price is fully reported. Use the school's own profile page for the full income-bracket table before treating a single average as a personal cost estimate.

Tennessee's 25 cheapest colleges by real net price

# College Avg net priceNet price (<$30K income)Median debtMedian earnings, 6yrEnrollment
1 Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Crump Crump, TN · Public Aid covers full cost 102% of the leader · rank #1 Aid covers full cost - $34,740 1,412
2 Sweetwater Institute of Cosmetology Sweetwater, TN · Private for-profit $2,636 92% of the leader · rank #2 $2,208 - - 33
3 Roane State Community College Harriman, TN · Public $4,270 87% of the leader · rank #3 $3,444 $8,454 $33,926 4,822
4 Dyersburg State Community College Dyersburg, TN · Public $4,612 86% of the leader · rank #4 $4,213 $6,900 $32,595 3,143
5 Columbia State Community College Columbia, TN · Public $4,734 86% of the leader · rank #5 $4,083 $8,500 $35,400 5,115
6 Southwest Tennessee Community College Memphis, TN · Public $4,754 86% of the leader · rank #6 $4,286 - $30,317 6,980
7 Pellissippi State Community College Knoxville, TN · Public $4,983 85% of the leader · rank #7 $4,085 $8,725 $32,944 8,710
8 Chattanooga State Community College Chattanooga, TN · Public $5,283 84% of the leader · rank #8 $4,369 $10,419 $33,711 6,601
9 Walters State Community College Morristown, TN · Public $5,387 84% of the leader · rank #9 $4,826 - $31,089 5,833
10 Jackson State Community College Jackson, TN · Public $6,236 81% of the leader · rank #10 $5,847 - $32,274 3,078
11 Cleveland State Community College Cleveland, TN · Public $6,384 81% of the leader · rank #11 $5,538 $7,954 $33,359 3,254
12 Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Murfreesboro Murfreesboro, TN · Public $6,631 80% of the leader · rank #12 $1,020 - $38,220 630
13 Nashville State Community College Nashville, TN · Public $6,777 80% of the leader · rank #13 $6,326 $9,595 $33,038 6,608
14 Northeast State Community College Blountville, TN · Public $6,864 80% of the leader · rank #14 $6,472 $6,827 $29,726 5,474
15 Le Moyne-Owen College Memphis, TN · Private nonprofit $7,099 79% of the leader · rank #15 $6,393 $28,070 $25,992 646
16 Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Hartsville Hartsville, TN · Public $7,194 79% of the leader · rank #16 $5,891 - $35,990 701
17 Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Shelbyville Shelbyville, TN · Public $7,573 77% of the leader · rank #17 $7,007 - $38,916 544
18 Volunteer State Community College Gallatin, TN · Public $7,802 77% of the leader · rank #18 $6,733 $7,550 $36,045 6,605
19 Love Beauty School Inc Manchester, TN · Private for-profit $8,061 76% of the leader · rank #19 $7,281 $7,917 $16,234 64
20 Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Jackson Jackson, TN · Public $8,472 75% of the leader · rank #20 $8,439 - $32,919 2,427
21 Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Elizabethton Elizabethton, TN · Public $8,568 75% of the leader · rank #21 $8,181 - $34,592 1,093
22 American Baptist College Nashville, TN · Private nonprofit $9,216 73% of the leader · rank #22 $12,288 - $32,665 48
23 Lawrenceburg Technical College Lawrenceburg, TN · Private for-profit $9,581 72% of the leader · rank #23 $8,981 - $20,383 39
24 Tennessee College of Applied Technology Northwest Newbern, TN · Public $9,698 71% of the leader · rank #24 $9,431 - $35,765 2,302
25 Austin Peay State University Clarksville, TN · Public $9,735 71% of the leader · rank #25 $7,588 $20,547 $38,779 9,945
See all 124 ranked Tennessee schools →
# College Avg net priceNet price (<$30K income)Median debtMedian earnings, 6yrEnrollment
26 Christian Brothers University Memphis, TN · Private nonprofit $9,854 71% of the leader · rank #26 $9,466 $27,000 $48,592 2,043
27 TC Beauty Johnson City, TN · Private for-profit $9,859 71% of the leader · rank #27 $9,859 $7,917 $22,360 139
28 Austin's Beauty College Inc Clarksville, TN · Private for-profit $9,989 70% of the leader · rank #28 $9,129 $7,917 - 98
29 Tennessee School of Beauty of Knoxville Inc Knoxville, TN · Private for-profit $10,052 70% of the leader · rank #29 $7,575 $6,803 $23,086 337
30 Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Henry/Carroll Paris, TN · Public $10,060 70% of the leader · rank #30 $9,312 - $28,487 278
31 Mid-South Christian College Memphis, TN · Private nonprofit $10,172 70% of the leader · rank #31 $9,958 - - 32
32 The University of Tennessee-Martin Martin, TN · Public $10,701 68% of the leader · rank #32 $7,151 $21,024 $38,863 6,941
33 Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Crossville Crossville, TN · Public $10,865 68% of the leader · rank #33 $9,184 - $32,844 706
34 Lane College Jackson, TN · Private nonprofit $10,904 68% of the leader · rank #34 $10,904 $30,500 $24,623 822
35 Gould's Academy Memphis, TN · Private for-profit $11,001 67% of the leader · rank #35 $10,887 $7,767 $21,247 164
36 Elite College of Cosmetology Lexington, TN · Private for-profit $11,041 67% of the leader · rank #36 $11,041 $5,500 $21,197 68
37 Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Harriman Harriman, TN · Public $11,148 67% of the leader · rank #37 $11,148 - $33,786 719
38 Baptist Health Sciences University Memphis, TN · Private nonprofit $11,212 67% of the leader · rank #38 $6,354 $29,500 $59,224 755
39 Tennessee College of Applied Technology-McMinnville Mcminnville, TN · Public $11,413 66% of the leader · rank #39 $11,520 - $38,759 656
40 Strayer University-Tennessee Memphis, TN · Private for-profit $11,645 65% of the leader · rank #40 $3,078 $40,621 $36,582 2,920
41 The Salon Professional Academy-Nashville Nashville, TN · Private for-profit $12,103 64% of the leader · rank #41 $12,103 $9,833 - 34
42 Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Hohenwald Hohenwald, TN · Public $12,267 64% of the leader · rank #42 $13,226 - $34,628 1,506
43 Genesis Career College-Cookeville Cookeville, TN · Private for-profit $12,321 63% of the leader · rank #43 $11,621 $6,343 $19,435 329
44 University of Memphis Memphis, TN · Public $12,397 63% of the leader · rank #44 $10,607 $23,300 $40,921 21,736
45 Academy of Allied Health Careers Chattanooga, TN · Private for-profit $12,410 63% of the leader · rank #45 $12,410 - - 196
46 Massage Institute of Memphis Memphis, TN · Private for-profit $12,511 63% of the leader · rank #46 $12,511 - - 20
47 Bethel University Mckenzie, TN · Private nonprofit $12,595 63% of the leader · rank #47 $11,871 $27,249 $38,990 2,974
48 Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Livingston Livingston, TN · Public $12,612 62% of the leader · rank #48 $12,368 - $31,579 1,093
49 Sandra Academy of Salon Services New Tazewell, TN · Private for-profit $12,621 62% of the leader · rank #49 $12,734 $9,833 $9,418 73
50 Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Jacksboro Jacksboro, TN · Public $12,746 62% of the leader · rank #50 $10,828 - $33,918 422
51 Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Athens Athens, TN · Public $12,758 62% of the leader · rank #51 $10,299 - $39,516 365
52 The University of Tennessee Southern Pulaski, TN · Public $12,798 62% of the leader · rank #52 $9,335 $21,500 $36,151 978
53 Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro, TN · Public $13,359 60% of the leader · rank #53 $9,289 $20,000 $39,941 20,183
54 Tennessee Technological University Cookeville, TN · Public $14,246 58% of the leader · rank #54 $9,815 $15,650 $43,759 10,117
55 The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Chattanooga, TN · Public $14,265 58% of the leader · rank #55 $9,876 $19,500 $42,209 11,380
56 Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Memphis Memphis, TN · Public $14,315 57% of the leader · rank #56 $14,714 - $29,067 1,691
57 Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Dickson Dickson, TN · Public $14,780 56% of the leader · rank #57 $14,472 - $37,146 1,229
58 Empire Beauty School-Nashville Brentwood, TN · Private for-profit $14,834 56% of the leader · rank #58 $14,229 $10,667 $20,215 125
59 Tennessee Wesleyan University Athens, TN · Private nonprofit $14,836 56% of the leader · rank #59 $11,609 $20,000 $45,987 1,074
60 William R Moore College of Technology Memphis, TN · Private nonprofit $14,957 56% of the leader · rank #60 $15,026 - $38,931 461
61 Genesis Career College-Lebanon Lebanon, TN · Private for-profit $15,107 55% of the leader · rank #61 $14,303 $9,500 $20,919 98
62 Empire Beauty School-Jackson Jackson, TN · Private for-profit $15,253 55% of the leader · rank #62 $14,913 $10,667 $19,174 44
63 Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Pulaski Pulaski, TN · Public $15,269 55% of the leader · rank #63 $14,653 - $36,193 705
64 Motlow State Community College Lynchburg, TN · Public $15,742 53% of the leader · rank #64 $15,003 - $35,751 6,060
65 Empire Beauty School-E Memphis Memphis, TN · Private for-profit $15,771 53% of the leader · rank #65 $15,500 $10,667 $18,493 216
66 Tennessee State University Nashville, TN · Public $15,796 53% of the leader · rank #66 $15,005 $27,000 $34,160 8,198
67 Tennessee College of Applied Technology Nashville Nashville, TN · Public $15,816 53% of the leader · rank #67 $16,215 - $32,371 1,171
68 Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN · Private nonprofit $15,846 53% of the leader · rank #68 $3,414 $14,000 $73,909 13,456
69 Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Oneida-Huntsville Huntsville, TN · Public $15,875 53% of the leader · rank #69 $15,866 - $31,843 462
70 Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Morristown Morristown, TN · Public $15,910 53% of the leader · rank #70 $15,449 - $35,172 714
71 East Tennessee State University Johnson City, TN · Public $15,983 52% of the leader · rank #71 $12,433 $19,442 $38,704 13,586
72 Trevecca Nazarene University Nashville, TN · Private nonprofit $16,813 50% of the leader · rank #72 $14,532 $18,744 $46,065 3,196
73 Vibe Barber College Memphis, TN · Private for-profit $17,560 48% of the leader · rank #73 $17,560 $9,500 $29,095 63
74 North Central Institute Clarksville, TN · Private for-profit $17,566 48% of the leader · rank #74 $17,251 - $50,635 55
75 South College Knoxville, TN · Private for-profit $17,858 47% of the leader · rank #75 $16,820 $18,668 $37,570 8,234
76 Brillare Beauty Institute Cleveland, TN · Private nonprofit $17,894 47% of the leader · rank #76 $17,344 $7,479 $16,588 259
77 Arnolds Beauty School Milan, TN · Private for-profit $18,139 46% of the leader · rank #77 $14,134 - $19,426 63
78 Paul Mitchell the School-Memphis Memphis, TN · Private for-profit $18,186 46% of the leader · rank #78 $18,697 $9,833 $21,917 189
79 Image Maker Beauty Institute Hendersonville, TN · Private for-profit $18,352 45% of the leader · rank #79 $17,147 $9,833 - 64
80 Paul Mitchell the School-Murfreesboro Murfreesboro, TN · Private for-profit $18,716 44% of the leader · rank #80 $18,716 $7,917 $22,963 231
81 Cumberland University Lebanon, TN · Private nonprofit $18,759 44% of the leader · rank #81 $17,882 $17,952 $52,246 3,072
82 Lee University Cleveland, TN · Private nonprofit $18,878 44% of the leader · rank #82 $12,834 $25,750 $38,082 3,680
83 Mr Wayne's School of Unisex Hair Design Cookeville, TN · Private for-profit $18,948 44% of the leader · rank #83 $17,384 - - 22
84 The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Knoxville, TN · Public $18,976 44% of the leader · rank #84 $10,029 $20,500 $47,782 36,304
85 Gould's Academy Bartlett, TN · Private for-profit $19,261 43% of the leader · rank #85 $18,950 $7,767 $21,247 177
86 John A Gupton College Nashville, TN · Private nonprofit $19,334 43% of the leader · rank #86 $18,391 $12,610 $42,582 160
87 Maryville College Maryville, TN · Private nonprofit $19,360 42% of the leader · rank #87 $15,094 $25,375 $39,305 1,147
88 Ross Medical Education Center-Johnson City Johnson City, TN · Private for-profit $19,832 41% of the leader · rank #88 $19,682 $9,500 $27,286 67
89 Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Knoxville Knoxville, TN · Public $20,012 40% of the leader · rank #89 $19,783 - $31,891 1,206
90 Carson-Newman University Jefferson City, TN · Private nonprofit $20,251 40% of the leader · rank #90 $16,672 $21,500 $39,324 2,735
91 Ross Medical Education Center-Knoxville Knoxville, TN · Private for-profit $20,277 40% of the leader · rank #91 $20,208 $9,500 $27,583 75
92 Lincoln Memorial University Harrogate, TN · Private nonprofit $20,406 39% of the leader · rank #92 $15,644 $20,000 $45,242 5,805
93 Herzing University-Nashville Nashville, TN · Private nonprofit $20,537 39% of the leader · rank #93 $19,220 $21,500 $35,295 75
94 Bryan College-Dayton Dayton, TN · Private nonprofit $20,614 39% of the leader · rank #94 $19,500 $23,000 $45,559 1,548
95 Tusculum University Greeneville, TN · Private nonprofit $21,131 37% of the leader · rank #95 $20,766 $23,250 $39,925 1,200
96 Milligan University Milligan, TN · Private nonprofit $21,365 36% of the leader · rank #96 $15,118 $25,219 $43,168 1,200
97 Freed-Hardeman University Henderson, TN · Private nonprofit $21,574 36% of the leader · rank #97 $20,988 $21,500 $40,086 2,294
98 Mind Body Institute Madison, TN · Private for-profit $21,627 36% of the leader · rank #98 $20,577 - $29,696 36
99 Johnson University Knoxville, TN · Private nonprofit $22,063 34% of the leader · rank #99 $17,246 $21,500 $35,649 950
100 Franklin Hair Academy School of Cosmetology Franklin, TN · Private for-profit $22,321 34% of the leader · rank #100 $22,321 - - 75
101 King University Bristol, TN · Private nonprofit $22,347 34% of the leader · rank #101 $22,696 $22,750 $52,248 1,295
102 Paul Mitchell the School-Murfreesboro-Nashville Hendersonville, TN · Private for-profit $22,587 33% of the leader · rank #102 $22,587 $7,917 $22,963 266
103 The Hair Academy LLC Fayetteville, TN · Private for-profit $22,823 32% of the leader · rank #103 $21,268 $7,917 $15,359 79
104 Fortis Institute-Cookeville Cookeville, TN · Private for-profit $23,582 30% of the leader · rank #104 $22,635 $13,000 $33,226 301
105 Miller-Motte College-Chattanooga Chattanooga, TN · Private for-profit $23,958 29% of the leader · rank #105 $23,939 $15,917 $26,349 3,667
106 Nossi College of Art and Design Madison, TN · Private for-profit $24,044 28% of the leader · rank #106 $23,099 $33,498 $28,099 278
107 Southern Adventist University Collegedale, TN · Private nonprofit $24,345 28% of the leader · rank #107 $19,123 $24,500 $44,818 3,154
108 Concorde Career College-Memphis Memphis, TN · Private for-profit $24,563 27% of the leader · rank #108 $24,297 $9,500 $30,765 420
109 SAE Institute of Technology-Nashville Nashville, TN · Private for-profit $24,700 27% of the leader · rank #109 $23,154 $9,500 $23,932 1,800
110 Lipscomb University Nashville, TN · Private nonprofit $24,739 26% of the leader · rank #110 $20,048 $19,500 $50,454 5,047
111 Welch College Gallatin, TN · Private nonprofit $25,263 25% of the leader · rank #111 $25,590 $19,500 $34,190 389
112 Nashville Film Institute Nashville, TN · Private for-profit $25,472 24% of the leader · rank #112 $24,318 $5,500 - 33
113 Remington College-Memphis Campus Memphis, TN · Private nonprofit $26,572 21% of the leader · rank #113 $26,292 $13,271 $26,884 391
114 Union University Jackson, TN · Private nonprofit $27,171 19% of the leader · rank #114 $25,839 $20,714 $45,505 2,674
115 Galen Health Institutes-Nashville Campus Nashville, TN · Private for-profit $27,267 19% of the leader · rank #115 $26,239 $24,166 $58,951 763
116 Visible Music College Memphis, TN · Private nonprofit $27,820 17% of the leader · rank #116 $27,744 $9,500 $32,345 182
117 The University of the South Sewanee, TN · Private nonprofit $27,872 17% of the leader · rank #117 $10,485 $22,855 $53,456 1,693
118 Rhodes College Memphis, TN · Private nonprofit $28,585 15% of the leader · rank #118 $15,770 $21,761 $48,898 1,952
119 Fortis Institute-Nashville Nashville, TN · Private for-profit $29,039 14% of the leader · rank #119 $28,620 $12,346 $34,430 392
120 Remington College-Nashville Campus Nashville, TN · Private nonprofit $29,098 13% of the leader · rank #120 $28,688 $13,271 $26,884 279
121 Fisk University Nashville, TN · Private nonprofit $32,020 5% of the leader · rank #121 $27,647 $27,000 $33,604 1,005
122 Lincoln College of Technology-Nashville Nashville, TN · Private for-profit $32,544 4% of the leader · rank #122 $31,557 $11,730 $42,500 1,062
123 Belmont University Nashville, TN · Private nonprofit $33,147 4% of the leader · rank #123 $22,950 $20,500 $42,770 8,862
124 Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers Chattanooga, TN · Private for-profit $33,625 4% of the leader · rank #124 $33,561 $7,891 $28,876 311

What this means for you

Use Tennessee's ranking as a starting point, real net price depends on your specific financial-aid package.

  • Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Crump reports the lowest average net price in Tennessee, but "average" blends every income bracket, check your bracket's figure before assuming it applies to you. View Tennessee College of
  • See your specific school's in-state cost rank and nearest-price peers. My School Profile
  • Compare campus safety alongside cost before deciding. Tennessee safety

Figures reflect the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard IPEDS 2022–23 release.

Average net price = the institution-reported average amount students actually paid after all grant and scholarship aid, excluding loans. Only schools with a reported average net price in the DOE College Scorecard dataset are ranked. Schools with fewer than 10 net-price-reporting institutions in a state or territory are not given a dedicated ranking page.

Some schools on this page show "Aid covers full cost" instead of a dollar figure. This reflects real federal data: at a small number of low-cost institutions, mostly community colleges with strong state or federal grant programs, average grant and scholarship aid meets or exceeds the cost-of-attendance components used in the net-price calculation, producing a reported net price of $0 or below for the average aided student. It is not a display error.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard IPEDS 2022–23

Every figure on PlainCampus is rendered directly from federal Clery Act source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Every ranked figure on this page is queried directly from the DOE College Scorecard dataset at request time; no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice; the data describes reported on-campus activity, it is not a complete picture of safety at any campus and cannot predict any individual student's experience. See our appropriate use guidance.