There are 162 colleges in Tennessee - 50 public and 112 private schools. At Tennessee colleges, college Cost of Attendance (COA), which factors in tuition, fees, books, housing, meals, and personal expenses, has risen steadily in the past ten years, reflecting the growing price of higher education.
Tennessee Colleges Key COA Trends (2016-2025)
The total Cost of Attendance has increased substantially at Tennessee colleges:
- On-Campus: The COA has risen by -1.13%.
- Off-Campus: The COA has risen by 1.73%.
- 2024-2025 Total COA: the average total COA is $36,548 when living on campus and $38,057 when living off campus.
Tennessee Colleges Tuition & Fees Changes
Tuition and fees saw dramatic increases across institution types:
| Institution Type |
10-Year Increase (2016-2025) |
2025 Average Tuition & Fees |
| Public, In-State |
27.31% (from $8,488 to $10,806) |
$10,806 |
| Public, Out-of-State |
-16.16% (from $23,680 to $19,853) |
$19,853 |
| Private Colleges |
26.50% (from $20,505 to $25,939) |
$25,939 |
Note on Degrees: Undergraduate tuition & fees increased by -16.16%, while graduate program tuition & fees increased by -11.46% over the same period.
Living and Other Costs
Living Costs (Room & Board, Other Expenses):
- At Tennessee colleges, living costs increased by 28.81% for on-campus and 36.33% for off-campus.
- The average living cost for 2024-2025 is $15,429 (on-campus) and $16,938 (off-campus).
Books & Supplies:
- Books and supplies costs have remained relatively stable (-3.14%), with the average cost for 2024-2025 being $1,266.
COA (Cost of Attendance) Trends
Over the past 10 years, the COA has increased 1.73% when living off campus at Tennessee Colleges.
In private Tennessee Colleges, the COA has increase by 26.17% (on-campus) and 28.94% (off-camus). The COA includes tuition, fees, books & supplies, room & board, and other personal expenses.
For the academic year 2024-2025, the total cost of attendance is $36,548 when a student lives on campus and $38,057 when living off campus at Tennessee Colleges. The following table and chart illustrate the changes of COA for Tennessee Colleges over the past 10 years.
COA (Cost of Attendance) Trends of Tennessee Colleges
| Year | Living On Campus | Living Off Campus |
|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools | In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools |
|---|
| 2015-16 |
$21,773 | $36,965 | $33,790 | $22,219 | $37,411 | $34,236 |
|---|
| 2016-17 |
$22,791
4.68% | $37,485
1.41% | $34,934
3.39% | $23,135
4.12% | $37,829
1.12% | $35,278
3.04% |
|---|
| 2017-18 |
$23,288
2.18% | $38,396
2.43% | $35,803
2.49% | $23,685
2.38% | $38,793
2.55% | $36,200
2.61% |
|---|
| 2018-19 |
$23,881
2.55% | $39,062
1.73% | $36,178
1.05% | $24,314
2.66% | $39,495
1.81% | $36,611
1.14% |
|---|
| 2019-20 |
$24,517
2.66% | $37,533
-3.91% | $37,212
2.86% | $24,784
1.93% | $37,800
-4.29% | $37,479
2.37% |
|---|
| 2020-21 |
$24,735
0.89% | $36,805
-1.94% | $37,602
1.05% | $25,049
1.07% | $37,119
-1.80% | $37,916
1.17% |
|---|
| 2021-22 |
$25,157
1.71% | $35,955
-2.31% | $37,899
0.79% | $25,485
1.74% | $36,283
-2.25% | $38,227
0.82% |
|---|
| 2022-23 |
$26,847
6.72% | $37,736
4.95% | $38,486
1.55% | $27,588
8.25% | $38,477
6.05% | $39,227
2.62% |
|---|
| 2023-24 |
$27,488
2.39% | $37,019
-1.90% | $40,495
5.22% | $28,946
4.92% | $38,477 | $41,953
6.95% |
|---|
| 2024-25 |
$27,501
0.05% | $36,548
-1.27% | $42,634
5.28% | $29,010
0.22% | $38,057
-1.09% | $44,143
5.22% |
|---|
Tuition & Fees Changes
For the current year (2025), the average tuition & fees for Tennessee Colleges is $12,697 for Tennessee residents and $21,778 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average tuition & fees is $27,239.
For graduate programs, the 2025 average graduate tuition & fees is $13,757 for Tennessee residents and $22,634 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average graduate program tuition & fees is $18,590.
The following table and chart illustrate the changes of tuition & fees by tuition rates and degrees.
Tuition & Fees Changes for Tennessee Colleges
| Year | Undergraduate | Graduate |
|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools | In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools |
|---|
| 2015-16 |
$8,488 | $23,680 | $20,505 | $9,860 | $23,671 | $17,152 |
|---|
| 2016-17 |
$9,003
6.07% | $23,697
0.07% | $21,146
3.13% | $10,593
7.43% | $23,813
0.60% | $16,743
-2.38% |
|---|
| 2017-18 |
$9,205
2.24% | $24,313
2.60% | $21,720
2.71% | $10,894
2.84% | $24,165
1.48% | $17,942
7.16% |
|---|
| 2018-19 |
$9,486
3.05% | $24,667
1.46% | $21,783
0.29% | $11,090
1.80% | $23,693
-1.95% | $17,657
-1.59% |
|---|
| 2019-20 |
$9,805
3.36% | $22,821
-7.48% | $22,500
3.29% | $11,292
1.82% | $22,409
-5.42% | $18,713
5.98% |
|---|
| 2020-21 |
$9,875
0.71% | $21,945
-3.84% | $22,742
1.08% | $11,173
-1.05% | $21,329
-4.82% | $16,726
-10.62% |
|---|
| 2021-22 |
$9,894
0.19% | $20,692
-5.71% | $22,636
-0.47% | $11,498
2.91% | $22,049
3.38% | $16,904
1.06% |
|---|
| 2022-23 |
$11,280
14.01% | $22,169
7.14% | $22,919
1.25% | $11,408
-0.78% | $21,506
-2.46% | $15,934
-5.74% |
|---|
| 2023-24 |
$11,558
2.46% | $21,089
-4.87% | $24,565
7.18% | $11,687
2.45% | $20,706
-3.72% | $18,402
15.49% |
|---|
| 2024-25 |
$10,806
-6.51% | $19,853
-5.86% | $25,939
5.59% | $12,118
3.69% | $20,959
1.22% | $17,627
-4.21% |
|---|
Books & Supplies Costs Changes
For the current year (2025), the average book & supplies costs is $1,266 for Tennessee Colleges. The following table shows the changes of book & supplies costs from year 2016 to 2025.
Books & Supplies Costs Changes for Tennessee Colleges
| Year | Books & Supplies |
|---|
| 2015-16 | $1,307 |
|---|
| 2016-17 | $1,361
4.13% |
|---|
| 2017-18 | $1,404
3.16% |
|---|
| 2018-19 | $1,374
-2.14% |
|---|
| 2019-20 | $1,398
1.75% |
|---|
| 2020-21 | $1,357
-2.93% |
|---|
| 2021-22 | $1,316
-3.02% |
|---|
| 2022-23 | $1,231
-6.46% |
|---|
| 2023-24 | $1,193
-3.09% |
|---|
| 2024-25 | $1,266
6.12% |
|---|
Living Costs Changes
For Tennessee Colleges, the living have increased 23.76% when a student lives on campus facilities and 31.66% when living off campus from year 2016 to 2025. The living costs includes costs for room & board, and other living expenses.
Living Costs Changes for Tennessee Colleges
| Year | Living On Campus | Living Off Campus |
|---|
| 2015-16 | $11,978 | $12,412 |
|---|
| 2016-17 | $12,427
4.13% | $12,794
3.69% |
|---|
| 2017-18 | $12,679
2.24% | $13,134
1.83% |
|---|
| 2018-19 | $13,021
3.00% | $13,427
4.01% |
|---|
| 2019-20 | $13,314
2.09% | $13,553
2.09% |
|---|
| 2020-21 | $13,503
1.66% | $13,905
0.37% |
|---|
| 2021-22 | $13,947
2.53% | $14,270
3.58% |
|---|
| 2022-23 | $14,336
4.53% | $14,744
8.00% |
|---|
| 2023-24 | $14,737
4.63% | $15,039
12.56% |
|---|
| 2024-25 | $15,429
7.07% | $15,815
6.07% |
|---|