The average graduation rate of Tennessee colleges is 58.79%. It means that 58.79% of students have completed their studies within 150% of program length.

For the bachelor's degree (BS) in 4-year Tennessee colleges, the average graduation rate is 53.42%, which means 53.42% of students earned BS degree in 6 years after enrolling first year.

In Tennessee 2-year institutions (i.e. community colleges), the average graduation rate is 56.72%.

For Tennessee colleges, Vanderbilt University has the highest graduation rate of 92.77% among 4-year colleges. For Tennessee community colleges, Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Murfreesboro has the highest graduation rate of 100.00%.

Graduation Rate By School Level and Completion Time for Tennessee Colleges

The following table compares graduation rates between Tennessee colleges. For 4-year colleges, the rates are based on the time it takes to earn a bachelor's degree, which typically requires 4 years of study. Therefore, 100% normal time means 4-year, 125% normal time means 5-years, and the 150% normal time means 6 years.

For community colleges (2-4 year schools) and trade schools, the completion time to measure graduation rates vary depending on the length of the program. For example, 150% normal time for 1-year certificate programs is 18 months and 3 years for 2-years associate degree.

Graduation Rate Comparison between Tennessee Colleges
SchoolGraduation Rate
(Completers)
Transfer-out RateRetention Rate
In 100% Normal TimeIn 125% Normal TimeIn 150% Normal Time
American Baptist College4-Year College, private13.04%17.39%21.74%33%83%
Arnolds Beauty SchoolTrade School11.36%-75.00%23%91%
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-AthensCommunity College69.32%-69.32%--
Austin Peay State University4-Year College, public27.30%38.91%42.26%--
Baptist Health Sciences University4-Year College, private41.54%52.31%56.92%24%63%
Belmont University4-Year College, private64.87%71.61%72.47%--
Bethel University4-Year College, private2.05%3.23%28.74%--
Bryan College-Dayton4-Year College, private45.41%50.27%50.81%--
Carson-Newman University4-Year College, private49.89%56.35%56.57%30%68%
Chattanooga State Community CollegeCommunity College21.64%-21.64%23%53%
Christian Brothers University4-Year College, private44.35%57.44%59.82%19%71%
Pentecostal Theological Seminary4-Year College, private-----
Austin's Beauty College IncTrade School45.45%-54.55%--
Cleveland State Community CollegeCommunity College21.58%-29.22%10%57%
Columbia State Community CollegeCommunity College17.32%-27.47%14%48%
Concorde Career College-MemphisCommunity College12.00%-46.95%--
Cumberland University4-Year College, private30.23%40.93%41.86%28%59%
Lipscomb University4-Year College, private45.57%56.49%69.30%--
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-DicksonCommunity College69.31%-75.25%--
Dyersburg State Community CollegeCommunity College14.60%-26.06%10%54%
East Tennessee State University4-Year College, public39.45%52.03%55.14%23%72%
Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical CareersCommunity College98.95%-98.95%--
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-ElizabethtonCommunity College82.84%-86.39%--
The Hair Academy LLCTrade School7.69%-92.31%8%91%
Fisk University4-Year College, private51.22%54.47%56.10%--
Welch College4-Year College, private47.06%49.02%50.98%--
Freed-Hardeman University4-Year College, private58.02%68.21%69.75%--
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-HarrimanCommunity College57.89%-59.21%--
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-HartsvilleCommunity College74.68%-81.01%--
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-HohenwaldCommunity College67.03%-68.13%--
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-JacksboroCommunity College73.44%-73.44%--
Jackson State Community CollegeCommunity College23.11%-23.11%11%44%
John A Gupton CollegeCommunity College27.27%-45.45%--
Johnson University4-Year College, private50.38%60.31%61.83%17%77%
Paul Mitchell the School-MurfreesboroTrade School6.67%-66.67%--
King University4-Year College, private41.52%46.78%46.78%33%68%
South College4-Year College, private26.67%31.67%33.33%20%59%
Lane College4-Year College, private12.59%16.37%17.88%30%61%
Le Moyne-Owen College4-Year College, private8.19%16.96%19.88%--
Lee University4-Year College, private49.38%61.27%62.85%22%79%
Lincoln Memorial University4-Year College, private39.77%48.48%50.38%--
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-LivingstonCommunity College70.10%-70.10%--
The University of Tennessee Southern4-Year College, public22.71%28.69%29.48%37%66%
Maryville College4-Year College, private46.42%53.27%53.27%32%66%
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-McKenzieCommunity College66.20%-83.10%--
Genesis Career College-CookevilleTrade School15.87%-43.65%--
Meharry Medical College4-Year College, private-----
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-MemphisCommunity College37.83%-41.95%--
University of Memphis4-Year College, public28.33%43.76%48.26%15%75%
Memphis Theological Seminary4-Year College, private-----
Middle Tennessee State University4-Year College, public35.16%51.10%54.59%8%76%
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-MorristownCommunity College71.81%-71.81%--
Motlow State Community CollegeCommunity College21.79%-32.13%8%52%
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-MurfreesboroCommunity College82.32%-100.00%--
Lincoln College of Technology-NashvilleCommunity College41.24%-54.69%--
Nashville State Community CollegeCommunity College9.80%-16.36%10%42%
Tennessee College of Applied Technology NorthwestCommunity College76.36%-81.82%--
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Henry/CarrollCommunity College76.92%-76.92%--
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-PulaskiCommunity College62.37%-62.37%--
Rhodes College4-Year College, private82.25%84.81%85.01%13%91%
Roane State Community CollegeCommunity College21.35%-32.57%10%56%
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-CrumpCommunity College52.38%-63.49%--
Southwest Tennessee Community CollegeCommunity College5.59%-14.54%9%48%
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-ShelbyvilleCommunity College82.47%-83.51%--
The University of the South4-Year College, private74.27%80.51%81.48%15%89%
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Oneida-HuntsvilleCommunity College83.33%-83.33%--
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-CrossvilleCommunity College76.23%-82.79%--
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-McMinnvilleCommunity College68.63%-74.51%--
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-JacksonCommunity College64.29%-75.00%--
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-KnoxvilleCommunity College64.35%-65.28%--
Pellissippi State Community CollegeCommunity College14.66%-26.64%16%50%
Southern Adventist University4-Year College, private36.13%55.24%61.52%4%85%
Tennessee Wesleyan University4-Year College, private31.25%48.96%50.00%38%75%
The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga4-Year College, public36.02%49.68%52.35%--
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville4-Year College, public53.78%70.04%72.58%20%89%
The University of Tennessee-Martin4-Year College, public37.83%50.80%52.63%21%71%
Tennessee School of Beauty of Knoxville IncTrade School16.15%-66.46%1%89%
Tennessee State University4-Year College, public21.11%30.32%33.10%29%62%
Tennessee Technological University4-Year College, public39.53%56.94%60.15%19%78%
Trevecca Nazarene University4-Year College, private48.61%59.17%61.39%--
Northeast State Community CollegeCommunity College17.27%-28.13%6%56%
Tusculum University4-Year College, private26.85%31.17%33.95%2%55%
Union University4-Year College, private58.21%65.97%66.57%11%84%
Vanderbilt University4-Year College, private88.62%91.89%92.77%--
Volunteer State Community CollegeCommunity College13.40%-22.68%9%49%
Walters State Community CollegeCommunity College19.61%-32.11%10%53%
William R Moore College of TechnologyCommunity College58.06%-74.19%--
Paul Mitchell the School-KnoxvilleTrade School6.67%-26.67%--
Tennessee College of Applied Technology NashvilleCommunity College74.42%-74.42%--
Nossi College of Art and Design4-Year College, private41.18%-41.18%39%84%
Mr Wayne's School of Unisex Hair DesignTrade School62.50%-87.50%--
Queen City CollegeTrade School3.70%-55.56%--
Genesis Career College-LebanonTrade School52.73%-58.18%--
Brillare Beauty InstituteTrade School13.85%-53.85%--
Remington College-Memphis CampusCommunity College71.43%----
North Central InstituteCommunity College56.00%-72.00%--
Richmont Graduate University4-Year College, private-----
Williamson Christian College4-Year College, private33.33%-33.33%66%100%
Miller-Motte College-Chattanooga4-Year College, private-----
Strayer University-Tennessee4-Year College, private-----
Lawrenceburg Technical CollegeTrade School100.00%-100.00%--
Remington College-Nashville CampusCommunity College26.92%-60.38%--
SAE Institute of Technology-Nashville4-Year College, private-----
Visible Music College4-Year College, private24.00%-24.00%12%83%
Elite College of CosmetologyTrade School7.14%-82.14%--
TC BeautyTrade School12.50%-59.38%--
Fortis Institute-NashvilleCommunity College26.63%-49.11%--
Paul Mitchell the School-MemphisTrade School--26.67%--
Love Beauty School IncTrade School10.26%-76.92%--
Empire Beauty School-E MemphisTrade School3.57%-46.43%--
Empire Beauty School-NashvilleTrade School--69.44%--
Empire Beauty School-JacksonTrade School--32.14%--
Omega Graduate School4-Year College, private-----
Meridian Institute of Surgical AssistingCommunity College-----
Mid-South Christian College4-Year College, private-----
The Salon Professional Academy-NashvilleTrade School90.48%-90.48%--
Franklin Hair Academy School of CosmetologyTrade School14.29%-57.14%--
Vibe Barber CollegeTrade School12.50%-75.00%--
Mind Body InstituteTrade School40.00%-60.00%--
Ross Medical Education Center-Johnson CityTrade School19.12%-51.47%--
Sandra Academy of Salon ServicesTrade School-----
Gould's AcademyTrade School40.54%-75.68%--
Ross Medical Education Center-KnoxvilleTrade School15.15%-62.12%--
Milligan University4-Year College, private57.73%62.89%63.40%26%72%
The University of Tennessee Health Science Center4-Year College, public-----
Image Maker Beauty InstituteTrade School55.56%-88.89%--
Nashville Film InstituteCommunity College-----
Allied Health Careers InstituteTrade School66.67%-68.63%--
Master's Barber & Styling CollegeTrade School--50.00%--
EduMed PartnersTrade School26.67%-80.00%--
Massage Institute of MemphisTrade School--75.00%--
Gould's AcademyTrade School5.41%-94.59%--
Jersey College - ClevelandCommunity College-----
Health-Tech Institute of MemphisTrade School100.00%-100.00%--
Fortis Institute-CookevilleCommunity College26.47%-46.08%--
Paul Mitchell the School-Murfreesboro-NashvilleTrade School8.33%-83.33%--
Jersey College - KnoxvilleCommunity College-----
Harding School of Theology4-Year College, private-----
Casa Loma College - Nashville4-Year College, private-----
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-JacksboroTrade School-----
South College-Nashville4-Year College, private-----
Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary- YMCA Outdoor Center4-Year College, private-----
Strayer University-Nashville Campus4-Year College, private-----
Strayer University-Shelby Oaks Campus4-Year College, private-----
Strayer University-Knoxville Campus4-Year College, private-----
Galen Health Institutes-Nashville Campus4-Year College, private-----
Academy of Allied Health CareersTrade School-----
Sweetwater Institute of CosmetologyTrade School76.92%-76.92%--
Studio 75 Hair AcademyTrade School76.92%-92.31%--
Relay Graduate School of Education - Memphis4-Year College, private-----
Relay Graduate School of Education - Nashville4-Year College, private-----