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Chattanooga, TN · Columbia, TN
| Chattanooga State Community College | Columbia State Community College | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $5,283/yr | $4,734/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $4,369/yr | $4,083/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $10,419 | $8,500 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $4,920/yr | $4,125/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $6,708/yr | $5,995/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $8,002/yr | $5,706/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $7,201/yr | $6,252/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $110/mo | $90/mo |
| Room & board (off campus) | $7,200/yr | $14,200/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $1,500/yr | $1,200/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $13,348/yr | $13,179/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $4,772/yr | $5,296/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $17,756/yr | $18,112/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 36% | 30% |
| Students taking federal loans | 13% | 5.2% |
| Getting in | ||
| SAT/ACT policy | Open admission (everyone qualified gets in) | Open admission (everyone qualified gets in) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 26% | 30% |
| Freshmen who come back | 57% | 55% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $37,598/yr | $40,256/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $19,870–$56,331 | $22,723–$59,308 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 29% | 31% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $33,711/yr | $35,400/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 53% | 57% |
| Graduate on time | 15% | 18% |
| First-gen students who finish | 25% | 22% |
| Low-income students who finish | 23% | 19% |
| Students who transfer out | 14% | 17% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $36,185/yr | $38,174/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Liberal Arts & General Studies 33% · Health Professions 32% · Engineering Technologies 11% | Liberal Arts & General Studies 56% · Health Professions 27% · Business, Management & Marketing 4% |
| Most popular program | Liberal Arts & General Studies — 33% of degrees | Liberal Arts & General Studies — 56% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Health Professions — 32% of degrees | Health Professions — 27% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Engineering Technologies — 11% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 4% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 8% of degrees | Education — 3% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Visual & Performing Arts — 4% of degrees | Engineering Technologies — 3% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $64,950/yr | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $65,077/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 16% | 4.9% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 5,284 | 3,897 |
| Students per professor | 15 : 1 | 19 : 1 |
| Average professor pay | $6,519/mo | $6,556/mo |
| Full-time professors | 48% | 100% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges |
| Median family income | $23,324 | $26,796 |
| Setting | City (midsize) | Town (fringe) |
| Location | Chattanooga, TN | Columbia, TN |
| Region | Southeast | Southeast |
| Founded | 1963 | 1966 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Associate degrees | Associate degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Associate's Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Career & Technical-High Traditional | Associate's Colleges: High Transfer-High Traditional |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 0.5% | 0.7% |
| Men | 36% | 37% |
| Women | 64% | 63% |
| White students | 64% | 70% |
| Black students | 16% | 8.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 11% | 12% |
| Asian students | 1.6% | 2.1% |
| Two or more races | 5.7% | 4.3% |
| Other / not reported | 1% | 1.7% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 46% | 44% |
| Part-time students | 43% | 32% |
| Students age 25+ | 24% | 17% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $7,401/yr | $7,330/yr |
| Endowment | $7.3M | $15.5M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | No — no campus housing | No — no campus housing |
| Meal plan offered | No | No |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Federal designation | None | None |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | No | No |
| ROTC | No | No |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | Yes | Yes |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | Yes | No |
| Weekend & evening classes | Yes | No |
| Teacher certification | Yes | No |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | No |
| On-campus day care | Yes | No |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | No | No |
| Credit for military training | Yes | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | No |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NJCAA Division I | NJCAA Division I |
| Football team | No | No |
| Varsity teams | 5 | 5 |
| Student athletes | 101 | 95 |
| Athletic scholarships | $449,157 | $362,195 |
| Athletics budget | $1.4M | $1.2M |
| Athletics revenue | $1.4M | $1.2M |
| Recruiting spend | $3,267 | $1,862 |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.