Best Community Colleges in Tennessee by Salary Potential

The possibility of a more fulfilling career is at your fingertips. Check out Tennessee’s best community colleges by graduate salary.

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RankSchool NameSchool SectorEarly Career Pay
Mid-Career Pay
% High Meaning
% STEM Degrees
Rank:1School Name:Tennessee State UniversitySchool Sector:PublicEarly Career Pay:$56,600Mid-Career Pay:$80,000% High Meaning:68%% STEM Degrees:14%
Rank:2School Name:Lincoln Memorial UniversitySchool Sector:Private not-for-profitEarly Career Pay:$55,700Mid-Career Pay:$78,100% High Meaning:92%% STEM Degrees:7%
Rank:3School Name:Southern Adventist UniversitySchool Sector:Private not-for-profitEarly Career Pay:$51,900Mid-Career Pay:$74,400% High Meaning:76%% STEM Degrees:12%
Rank:4School Name:Nashville State Community CollegeSchool Sector:PublicEarly Career Pay:$46,600Mid-Career Pay:$69,900% High Meaning:64%% STEM Degrees:6%
Rank:5School Name:Volunteer State Community CollegeSchool Sector:PublicEarly Career Pay:$46,400Mid-Career Pay:$69,800% High Meaning:65%% STEM Degrees:5%
Rank:6School Name:Chattanooga State Community CollegeSchool Sector:PublicEarly Career Pay:$46,600Mid-Career Pay:$69,300% High Meaning:61%% STEM Degrees:3%
Rank:7School Name:Dyersburg State Community CollegeSchool Sector:PublicEarly Career Pay:$49,400Mid-Career Pay:$69,200% High Meaning:69%% STEM Degrees:2%
Rank:8School Name:Columbia State Community CollegeSchool Sector:PublicEarly Career Pay:$46,200Mid-Career Pay:$69,100% High Meaning:62%% STEM Degrees:3%
Rank:9School Name:Southwest Tennessee Community CollegeSchool Sector:PublicEarly Career Pay:$46,800Mid-Career Pay:$68,400% High Meaning:59%% STEM Degrees:3%
Rank:10School Name:Cleveland State Community CollegeSchool Sector:PublicEarly Career Pay:$46,000Mid-Career Pay:$67,900% High Meaning:63%% STEM Degrees:3%
Rank:11School Name:Pellissippi State Community CollegeSchool Sector:PublicEarly Career Pay:$44,100Mid-Career Pay:$67,200% High Meaning:52%% STEM Degrees:8%
Rank:12School Name:Roane State Community CollegeSchool Sector:PublicEarly Career Pay:$45,400Mid-Career Pay:$66,900% High Meaning:64%% STEM Degrees:1%
Rank:12School Name:Motlow State Community CollegeSchool Sector:PublicEarly Career Pay:$44,400Mid-Career Pay:$66,900% High Meaning:54%% STEM Degrees:1%
Rank:14School Name:Austin Peay State UniversitySchool Sector:PublicEarly Career Pay:$45,600Mid-Career Pay:$65,300% High Meaning:58%% STEM Degrees:8%
Rank:15School Name:Jackson State Community CollegeSchool Sector:PublicEarly Career Pay:$45,900Mid-Career Pay:$64,800% High Meaning:60%% STEM Degrees:6%
Rank:16School Name:John A Gupton CollegeSchool Sector:Private not-for-profitEarly Career Pay:$43,100Mid-Career Pay:$64,600% High Meaning:-% STEM Degrees:0%
Rank:17School Name:Walters State Community CollegeSchool Sector:PublicEarly Career Pay:$43,600Mid-Career Pay:$64,200% High Meaning:61%% STEM Degrees:1%
Rank:18School Name:Northeast State Community CollegeSchool Sector:PublicEarly Career Pay:$38,800Mid-Career Pay:$59,900% High Meaning:49%% STEM Degrees:4%
Rank:19School Name:Remington College-Memphis CampusSchool Sector:Private not-for-profitEarly Career Pay:$38,400Mid-Career Pay:$56,600% High Meaning:-% STEM Degrees:0%

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College Student

There are a handful of two-year colleges in Tennessee included in Payscale’s College Salary Report. These colleges include Walters State Community College, National College of Business & Technology and Jackson State Community College (JSCC). The goal of this report is to give you an informative look at not only what schools best fit your academic needs, but can provide you with a vocational return that leaves you happy and in a financially more stable position.

There are a total of 29 community colleges in Tennessee, and many of these graduates go on to work in industries such as Automotive Manufacturing; Energy; Film Production; Health Care; Manufacturing; Plastics and Chemicals; and Transportation and Logistics.