Tennessee: Colleges & Universities

A comprehensive guide to Tennessee's public universities, community colleges, technical colleges, special-purpose institutions, and private higher-education institutions.

Tennessee has one of the most diverse higher-education systems in the United States. Students can choose from public universities, community colleges, technical colleges, specialized public institutions, and a large number of private colleges and universities.

This guide brings together major higher-education institutions in Tennessee in one convenient reference, including their location and official website. It is designed for students, parents, educators, career researchers, and anyone exploring college and university opportunities in Tennessee.

Tennessee Higher Education at a Glance

9

Public Universities

2

Special-Purpose Institutes

13

Community Colleges

24

Technical Colleges

22

Private Institutions*

*The private-institution count represents the 22 Tennessee independent/private institutions reflected in the cited higher-education data source. Tennessee has additional authorized proprietary, professional, theological, and career institutions that are not included in this private-college count.

Public Universities — 9

#	Institution	Location	Official Website
1	Austin Peay State University	Clarksville, Tennessee	apsu.edu
2	East Tennessee State University	Johnson City, Tennessee	etsu.edu
3	Middle Tennessee State University	Murfreesboro, Tennessee	mtsu.edu
4	Tennessee State University	Nashville, Tennessee	tnstate.edu
5	Tennessee Technological University	Cookeville, Tennessee	tntech.edu
6	University of Memphis	Memphis, Tennessee	memphis.edu
7	University of Tennessee, Knoxville	Knoxville, Tennessee	utk.edu
8	University of Tennessee at Chattanooga	Chattanooga, Tennessee	utc.edu
9	University of Tennessee at Martin	Martin, Tennessee	utm.edu

Special-Purpose Public Institutions — 2

#	Institution	Location	Official Website
1	University of Tennessee Health Science Center	Memphis, Tennessee	uthsc.edu
2	University of Tennessee Southern	Pulaski, Tennessee	utsouthern.edu

Community Colleges — 13

#	Institution	Location	Official Website
1	Chattanooga State Community College	Chattanooga, Tennessee	chattanoogastate.edu
2	Cleveland State Community College	Cleveland, Tennessee	clevelandstatecc.edu
3	Columbia State Community College	Columbia, Tennessee	columbiastate.edu
4	Dyersburg State Community College	Dyersburg, Tennessee	dscc.edu
5	Jackson State Community College	Jackson, Tennessee	jscc.edu
6	Motlow State Community College	Tullahoma, Tennessee	motlow.edu
7	Nashville State Community College	Nashville, Tennessee	nscc.edu
8	Northeast State Community College	Blountville, Tennessee	northeaststate.edu
9	Pellissippi State Community College	Knoxville, Tennessee	pstcc.edu
10	Roane State Community College	Harriman, Tennessee	roanestate.edu
11	Southwest Tennessee Community College	Memphis, Tennessee	southwest.tn.edu
12	Volunteer State Community College	Gallatin, Tennessee	volstate.edu
13	Walters State Community College	Morristown, Tennessee	ws.edu

Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology (TCAT) — 24

#	Institution	Location	Official Website
1	TCAT Athens	Athens, Tennessee	tcatathens.edu
2	TCAT Chattanooga	Chattanooga, Tennessee	chattanoogastate.edu
3	TCAT Crump	Crump, Tennessee	tcatcrump.edu
4	TCAT Dickson	Dickson, Tennessee	tcatdickson.edu
5	TCAT Elizabethton	Elizabethton, Tennessee	tcatelizabethton.edu
6	TCAT Harriman	Harriman, Tennessee	tcatharriman.edu
7	TCAT Hartsville	Hartsville, Tennessee	tcathartsville.edu
8	TCAT Henry/Carroll	Paris, Tennessee	tcathenrycarroll.edu
9	TCAT Hohenwald	Hohenwald, Tennessee	tcathohenwald.edu
10	TCAT Jacksboro	Jacksboro, Tennessee	tcatjacksboro.edu
11	TCAT Jackson	Jackson, Tennessee	tcatjackson.edu
12	TCAT Knoxville	Knoxville, Tennessee	tcatknoxville.edu
13	TCAT McMinnville	McMinnville, Tennessee	tcatmcminnville.edu
14	TCAT Memphis	Memphis, Tennessee	tcatmemphis.edu
15	TCAT Morristown	Morristown, Tennessee	tcatmorristown.edu
16	TCAT Murfreesboro	Murfreesboro, Tennessee	tcatmurfreesboro.edu
17	TCAT Nashville	Nashville, Tennessee	tcatnashville.edu
18	TCAT Northwest	Newbern, Tennessee	tcatnorthwest.edu
19	TCAT Oneida/Huntsville	Oneida, Tennessee	tcatoneida.edu
20	TCAT Pulaski	Pulaski, Tennessee	tcatpulaski.edu
21	TCAT Shelbyville	Shelbyville, Tennessee	tcatshelbyville.edu
22	TCAT Upper Cumberland	Crossville, Tennessee	tcatuppercumberland.edu
23	TCAT Livingston	Livingston, Tennessee	tcatlivingston.edu
24	TCAT McKenzie	McKenzie, Tennessee	tcatmckenzie.edu

Private & Independent Institutions — 22

#	Institution	Location	Official Website
1	Aquinas College	Nashville, Tennessee	aquinascollege.edu
2	Baptist Health Sciences University	Memphis, Tennessee	baptistu.edu
3	Bethel University	McKenzie, Tennessee	bethelu.edu
4	Carson-Newman University	Jefferson City, Tennessee	cn.edu
5	Christian Brothers University	Memphis, Tennessee	cbu.edu
6	Cumberland University	Lebanon, Tennessee	cumberland.edu
7	Fisk University	Nashville, Tennessee	fisk.edu
8	Freed-Hardeman University	Henderson, Tennessee	fhu.edu
9	Johnson University	Knoxville, Tennessee	johnsonu.edu
10	King University	Bristol, Tennessee	king.edu
11	Lane College	Jackson, Tennessee	lanecollege.edu
12	Lee University	Cleveland, Tennessee	leeuniversity.edu
13	LeMoyne-Owen College	Memphis, Tennessee	loc.edu
14	Maryville College	Maryville, Tennessee	maryvillecollege.edu
15	Milligan University	Milligan, Tennessee	milligan.edu
16	Rhodes College	Memphis, Tennessee	rhodes.edu
17	Tennessee Wesleyan University	Athens, Tennessee	tnwesleyan.edu
18	Trevecca Nazarene University	Nashville, Tennessee	trevecca.edu
19	Tusculum University	Greeneville, Tennessee	tusculum.edu
20	Union University	Jackson, Tennessee	uu.edu
21	Vanderbilt University	Nashville, Tennessee	vanderbilt.edu
22	Welch College	Nashville, Tennessee	welch.edu

Important Note About Tennessee's Higher-Education Count

Tennessee's official higher-education structure is broader than the institutions displayed in a typical college-and-university list. The Tennessee Higher Education Commission currently identifies 9 public universities, 2 special-purpose institutes, 13 community colleges, and 27 colleges of applied technology.

The Tennessee Board of Regents' current TCAT directory identifies 24 Colleges of Applied Technology on its institutional page. Because the two official sources use different institutional classifications and current directory structures, this page uses the current TBR institutional directory for the TCAT table and does not mix the two counts.

Sources & References

1. Tennessee Higher Education Commission — Tennessee's Colleges and Universities
https://www.tn.gov/thec/students-families/college-univ.html

2. Tennessee Higher Education Commission — About THEC
https://www.tn.gov/thec/about-thec-tsac.html

3. Tennessee Board of Regents — Community Colleges
https://www.tbr.edu/institutions/community-colleges

4. Tennessee Board of Regents — Colleges of Applied Technology
https://www.tbr.edu/tcat/institutions

5. Tennessee Higher Education Commission — Participating Institutions
https://www.tn.gov/thec/for-institutions/tn-sara/participating-institutions.html

6. Tennessee Higher Education Commission — Exempt Authorized Institutions
https://www.tn.gov/thec/for-institutions/postsecondary-state-authorization/exempt-authorized-institutions.html

7. Tennessee Higher Education Fact Book
Tennessee Higher Education Fact Book

Suggested Blog Page URL:
https://alleducators.blogspot.com/2026/08/tennessee-colleges-universities.html

Last reviewed: August 2026

Tennessee Colleges & Universities — Public, Community, Technical & Private Institutions