Cheapest Colleges & Universities in Tennessee by In State Tuition

Cheapest Colleges in Tennessee by In State Tuition

If you're looking for an affordable university and you are a resident of Tennessee these are the least expensive in state colleges to consider.

Affordable doesn't simply mean finding a school with a low published in state tuition. It's important to research the typical financial aid package offered by a school, the average net price actually paid and most importantly the quality of education you receive for your tuition dollar. Sometimes a school which appears cheap based on list price can be a poor relative value if it can't award competitive financial aid or doesn't offer a quality education. The list below is a ranking on published in state tuition with no consideration of actual average price paid or academic quality of the school. Please see the CollegeCalc best value colleges in Tennessee list for a ranking which considers school quality and average net price.

The most affordable four year colleges in Tennessee are listed by one year's in state tuition list price for the 2020/2021 school year.

What is the cheapest college in Tennessee? Leading the colleges list is Austin Peay State University in Clarksville with an in state tuition of $6,720.

Academic Rating is a CollegeCalc rating of a college's overall academics and effectiveness. The score ranges from zero to one hundred, with fifty being the median for all eligible colleges. Dollar value is a measure of a school's academic rating compared with the average price paid by students. Colleges which are ranked "n/a" didn't report sufficient data to formulate a score. Learn more about our rating methodology.

All price data are reprinted from the U.S. Department of Education's 2020/2021 IPEDS Survey and reflect reported costs for the 2020/2021 academic year.

Tennessee's Cheapest Colleges by In State Tuition
College	In State Tuition	Rating	Value
#1 Austin Peay State University Clarksville, Public Not For Profit	$6,720	33	11
#2 Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro, Public Not For Profit	$7,200	43	40
#3 East Tennessee State University Johnson City, Public Not For Profit	$7,340	51	54
#4 The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Chattanooga, Public Not For Profit	$7,836	41	33
#5 Tennessee State University Nashville, Public Not For Profit	$7,854	NA	NA
#6 University of Memphis Memphis, Public Not For Profit	$8,208	39	43
#7 The University of Tennessee Martin Martin, Public Not For Profit	$8,214	45	69
#8 Tennessee Technological University Cookeville, Public Not For Profit	$8,358	52	43
#9 Victory University Memphis, Private For Profit	$8,640	NA	NA
#10 Lane College Jackson, Private Not For Profit	$9,270	NA	NA
#11 University of Phoenix Nashville Campus Nashville, Private For Profit	$9,462	NA	NA
#12 University of Phoenix Knoxville Knoxville, Private For Profit	$9,480	NA	NA
#13 University of Phoenix Memphis Campus Cordova, Private For Profit	$10,080	NA	NA
#14 University of Phoenix Chattanooga Campus Chattanooga, Private For Profit	$10,080	NA	NA
#15 Le Moyne Owen College Memphis, Private Not For Profit	$10,776	NA	NA
#16 Baptist Memorial College of Health Sciences Memphis, Private Not For Profit	$11,112	57	95
#17 American Baptist College Nashville, Private Not For Profit	$11,160	NA	NA
#18 The University of Tennessee Knoxville, Public Not For Profit	$11,332	68	62
#19 Tennessee Temple University Chattanooga, Private Not For Profit	$11,590	NA	NA
#20 Williamson Christian College Franklin, Private Not For Profit	$13,500	NA	NA
#21 Virginia College School of Business and Health Chattanooga, Private For Profit	$13,986	NA	NA
#22 Fountainhead College of Technology Knoxville, Private For Profit	$14,550	NA	NA
#23 Bethel University McKenzie, Private Not For Profit	$15,750	31	27
#24 DeVry University Tennessee Memphis, Private For Profit	$15,835	NA	NA
#25 Johnson University Knoxville, Private Not For Profit	$16,400	52	37
#26 South College Knoxville, Private For Profit	$16,450	NA	NA
#27 Bryan College Dayton, Private Not For Profit	$16,900	NA	NA
#28 Hiwassee College Madisonville, Private Not For Profit	$18,484	NA	NA
#29 Lee University Cleveland, Private Not For Profit	$18,840	36	25
#30 Nossi College of Art Madison, Private For Profit	$18,900	NA	NA
#31 Free Will Baptist Bible College Nashville, Private Not For Profit	$19,582	NA	NA
#32 Daymar College Clarksville Clarksville, Private For Profit	$19,884	NA	NA
#33 Visible Music College Memphis, Private Not For Profit	$20,000	26	NA
#34 Fisk University Nashville, Private Not For Profit	$20,220	39	14
#35 Daymar College Nashville Nashville, Private For Profit	$20,724	NA	NA
#36 Daymar College Murfreesboro Murfreesboro, Private For Profit	$21,004	NA	NA
#37 Aquinas College Nashville, Private Not For Profit	$21,350	69	74
#38 Southern Adventist University Collegedale, Private Not For Profit	$22,060	53	33
#39 Watkins College of Art Design & Film Nashville, Private Not For Profit	$22,800	NA	NA
#40 Freed Hardeman University Henderson, Private Not For Profit	$22,950	45	60
#41 Lincoln Memorial University Harrogate, Private Not For Profit	$23,040	53	46
#42 Martin Methodist College Pulaski, Private Not For Profit	$23,650	33	22
#43 Cumberland University Lebanon, Private Not For Profit	$24,336	NA	NA
#44 Tennessee Wesleyan College Athens, Private Not For Profit	$24,600	50	83
#45 Tusculum College Greeneville, Private Not For Profit	$25,350	28	16
#46 Trevecca Nazarene University Nashville, Private Not For Profit	$25,998	58	81
#47 Milligan College Milligan College, Private Not For Profit	$27,700	NA	NA
#48 Carson Newman College Jefferson City, Private Not For Profit	$28,200	38	34
#49 O'More College of Design Franklin, Private Not For Profit	$29,880	32	2
#50 King College Bristol, Private Not For Profit	$30,106	50	48
#51 Lipscomb University Nashville, Private Not For Profit	$32,080	67	74
#52 Memphis College of Art Memphis, Private Not For Profit	$32,400	NA	NA
#53 Union University Jackson, Private Not For Profit	$33,480	71	89
#54 Christian Brothers University Memphis, Private Not For Profit	$33,900	52	78
#55 Belmont University Nashville, Private Not For Profit	$35,310	64	39
#56 Maryville College Maryville, Private Not For Profit	$35,448	49	71
#57 Sewanee The University of the South Sewanee, Private Not For Profit	$47,708	81	78
#58 Rhodes College Memphis, Private Not For Profit	$50,600	79	91
#59 Vanderbilt University Nashville, Private Not For Profit	$52,781	96	98

Tennessee In State Tuition Ranking

Cheapest Colleges in Tennessee by In State Tuition