2024 Top Online Colleges in Tennessee

Earning an online degree in Tennessee is a solid move. The state has plenty to offer in terms of programs and individual courses. In fact, there’s so much to take in that you might feel overwhelmed. Where should you look first? How can you get the best rate? How do you know whether the school is any good?

To save you money and time, we’ve assembled a concise guide to selecting an online program in Tennessee. We’ll cover everything from grants to course catalogs to accreditation databases, before listing our top colleges and universities. At the end, we’ll recap distance learning resources you should check out next.

Online Degrees in Tennessee: What to Know

1. Find Online Degrees in Tennessee Through TN eCampus

TNeCampus.org is a searchable database of all online degree programs and course offerings from Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) schools —  six state universities, 13 community colleges and 27 colleges of applied technology. It doesn’t include the University of Tennessee system, but it still boasts over 500 online degree programs. Search for everything from undergraduate certificates to doctorates to continuing education, and feel free to filter by college and/or delivery method. You can do the same with courses, plus limit your results to accelerated courses.

2. You Can Take Online Courses at Other State Schools

Don’t confuse TNeCampus.org with TNeCampus.info. Whereas the former website compiles all the online programs and courses at individual schools, the latter is a cooperative of online programs and courses that Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) schools have developed collaboratively. When you see a school’s website talking about eCampus (formerly called the Regent Online Degree Program), this is what they’re typically referring to.

More important than the handful of full degree programs available is the eCampus course catalog. It allows students at any TBR school to easily register across the the TBR system for courses their home schools don’t offer.

As you get further into your research, keep in mind that eCampus programs and courses come with different rates than online programs and courses run by the schools themselves, which can make student balance sheets messy.

3. Expand Your Search to All of the South

The Volunteer State is stocked with high-quality online degree programs, and many of them are available through the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Electronic Campus. The Electronic Campus’s online program and course catalog extends well beyond Tennessee. You can actually search for any degree program or a specific course in 15 Southern states. If the program is marked “E,” you’ll be charged the Electronic Rate for tuition, which is the same for in-state and out-of-state enrollees.

Are you looking out of state because Tennessee doesn’t have what you need? The SREB’s Academic Common Market-Electronic Campus (ACM-EC) lets students who can’t find specific degrees in their home state pay in-state tuition at another SREB state’s schools. The program must be ACM-EC eligible. Apply through the institution running the program.

If you’re not a Tennessean, keep in mind that both SREB initiatives mentioned above represent a way not just for Tennessee students to study elsewhere at an affordable rate, but also for out-of-staters to get a Tennessee degree at a low cost.

4. Use the TN Transfer Pathway to Lock in 4-Year Admission

Interested in getting the first two years of college tuition-free? That’s the Tennessee Promise to all Tennessee high schoolers who enroll in a state community college or technical college. The Tennessee Transfer Pathway builds upon this promise by guaranteeing that associate degree-seekers who complete a prescribed list of courses will be admitted to a state-run school (and even many private ones) of their choice (except UT Knoxville).

There are multiple pathways, depending on your starting school, target school and academic field. Tennessee Transfer Pathway will map a route for you. Plus, TN eCampus provides two completely online pathways to a baccalaureate — an Associate of Arts in General Studies and an Associate of Science in General Studies. So, to recap: You can get the first two years of college tuition-free by enrolling in a community college or technical college, then get admitted to just about any school you choose. Not bad.

5. The Tennessee Dual Enrollment Grant

Every year, the state lottery distributes money to colleges and universities to fund the Dual Enrollment Grant Program. High school students who qualify for course enrollment from an eligible school receive up to $2,400 over their junior and senior years to take up to eight courses. If they pass, they’ll emerge with both high school and college credit.

Affordable Online Schools in Tennessee

Now that we’ve given the lay of the land, let’s get to some of the major players. Each of the schools below meets our tough criteria for both quality and affordability, meaning they provide great value for your investment. We also advise a quick look at College Scorecard. The site allows you to filter schools by graduation rate, net costs and average earnings of graduates.

• Bryan College-Dayton

  Bryan College is a good destination for those looking for courses “taught from a Christian worldview.” The school places its online offerings in the category of Adult Degree Programs, which it offers at the associate through master’s level. The prime advantage of Bryan’s undergraduate degrees is their accelerated format. Courses take only six weeks to complete, so you can earn a degree quicker. The bachelor’s degrees also accept credit for life experience, which can further hasten your graduation date. You’ll need to click on the program you’re interested in to get specifics on format, credit requirements and cost. One thing that’s consistent across programs: financial aid is available.

  Bryan College also runs a dual enrollment program for high school upperclassmen, with the option for online enrollment. By applying the state’s Dual Enrollment Grant, most students can take at least the first few courses for free.

• Freed-Hardeman University

  Freed-Hardeman doesn’t maintain a webpage detailing its distance learning activities, but you’ll find the online degrees clearly labeled in the Graduate Studies section of the website. Plus, some programs that aren’t fully online do have online courses on offer. To find those, however, you’ll just have to click on the program, scan to the bottom of the page and look for “Online Courses” in the menu.

  Like many other Tennessee colleges, FHU runs a dual enrollment program for students from participating high schools. Courses are taught completely online, and students can apply the Tennessee Dual Enrollment Grant toward their tuition.

• Tennessee Technological University

  Tennessee Tech’s webpage provides a quick list of online programs, but your true starting point is probably the College of Interdisciplinary Studies, which houses most of the university’s nontraditional programs, including the Adult Learning Community, which, of course, is aimed at adults looking to go back to school. You can enroll in the BS in Interdisciplinary Studies (designed for easy transfer from a community college) or BS in Professional Studies online or at any of six satellite campuses across the state. Before doing so, however, you’ll have the opportunity to get credit for work experience or competencies.

  The pricing is a bit convoluted, with some online students charged out-of-state tuition and others assessed an e-rate. However, through the university’s Eagle’s Reach initiative, all nonresidents enrolled exclusively online qualify for reduced tuition…except for the ones who don’t. You’re best off talking to the Bursar’s Office or requesting information from an admissions counselor. Of course, you’ll also want to talk with the Office of Financial Aid.

  Lifelong learning is also available, thanks to Tennessee Tech’s partnership with ed2go. Take an instructor-led class for certification in just six weeks or work at your own pace. Full career training programs in everything from art to IT are available as well. Each program/course is individually priced.

• The University of Tennessee

  Visit Vols Online for a list of online UT graduate programs (and one undergraduate RN to BSN program) or a directory of online undergraduate courses. If anything catches your eye, visit the One Stop Express Students Services office to get the scoop on both school costs and financial aid.

  U.S. News & World Report rates the school’s graduate engineering programs highly, so many Southerners outside of Tennessee will be glad to know that multiple engineering programs are listed on the Academic Common Market/Electronic Campus, allowing eligible students to pay in-state tuition for UT programs.

Online Schools in Tennessee with Accreditation & Quality Concerns

The Tennessee Higher Education Commission is responsible for overseeing the state’s postsecondary institutions and keeps a list of authorized institutions as well as exempt institutions (mainly longstanding private nonprofit universities). Authorization provides legal permission to operate, but accreditation is something else. It not only indicates that a school meets certain standards of quality but also renders enrollees eligible for federal financial aid.

• The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), also known as SACS, accredits Tennessee’s public colleges and universities, as well as most of its private nonprofits. Just visit the homepage to search for accredited institutions in the Volunteer State.
• Scan the list of SACS schools in Tennessee for public sanctions. A “warning” signals there’s something you should know, although it may not be too serious. “Probation” means a school hasn’t yet corrected the problem that led to the warning.
• If your school isn’t on this list, it might be nationally accredited. You can still receive financial aid, but you may have trouble transferring credits to a regionally accredited school. Visit the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) Database to see a full list of both regionally and nationally accredited institutions.

Tennessee hosts a few schools whose accreditation status is less than ideal:

• Bethel University

  SACS placed Bethel University on warning in 2014 for failing to show compliance with SACS standards. In December 2015 it continued the warning, stating that the relevant standards expect schools to “(1) have competent and experienced administrative/academic officers; (2) identify expected outcomes, assess student achievement, and provide evidence of improvement in the area of educational programs and student learning; (3) evaluate success with respect to student achievement consistent with mission; and (4) have policies for determining credit hours awarded for courses that conform to common practices in higher education.”

• Hiwassee College

  As of September 2016, the U.S. Department of Education was keeping Hiwassee on something called “heightened cash monitoring 2” because of severe findings in a program review. The upshot is that the school is currently not allowed to offer financial aid in the usual manner and instead must be reimbursed by the government after distributing federal aid to students, putting further strain on its finances.

• Tennessee Bible College

  Although Tennessee Bible College is authorized to operate by the state, it is unaccredited. Therefore, it’s not listed in the CHEA database or on College Scorecard.

Tennessee Online Education Resources

Accreditation

• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC): SACS is the regional accrediting body for Tennessee’s colleges and universities. All of Tennessee’s public colleges hold SACS accreditation, as do most of its private ones.

Distance Learning Resources

• Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC): THEC runs multiple initiatives for nontraditional learners, including Tennessee Reconnect, which helps adults capitalize on flexible course delivery options to return to school; Tennessee Promise, the state’s free community college and technical college plan; and Timewise TN Prior Learning Assessment, which grants credit for skills gained through life and work experience.
• Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC): TSAC administers the Tennessee Dual Enrollment Grant, which many online colleges accept. Learn how much money you’re entitled to and how you can apply it toward college coursework.
• Tennessee’s Community Colleges: Learn how the state’s community colleges have made it easy to hop from an associate to a bachelor’s degree with the Tennessee Transfer Pathway.

Online Degree & Course Catalogs

• Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Electronic Campus: Use SREB to search for online degree programs or courses offered by participating institutions throughout the South. The website also delves into credit transfers and financial aid.
• TN eCampus: Search for any online program or course from nearly 50 Tennessee public colleges and universities.
• TN eCampus Collaborative: Learn how to take courses at another Tennessee state institution while remaining enrolled in your home college, or peruse the degree programs collectively run by multiple state schools.
• University of Tennessee System: Quickly jump to the online offerings at UT Chattanooga, UT Knoxville or UT Martin.