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Columbia, TN · Knoxville, TN
| Columbia State Community College | Pellissippi State Community College | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $4,734/yr | $4,983/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $4,083/yr | $4,085/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $8,500 | $8,725 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $4,125/yr | $4,194/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $5,995/yr | $6,369/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $5,706/yr | $7,966/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $6,252/yr | $9,114/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $90/mo | $92/mo |
| Room & board (off campus) | $14,200/yr | $9,370/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $1,200/yr | $1,300/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $13,179/yr | $13,431/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $5,296/yr | $4,786/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $18,112/yr | $17,770/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 30% | 24% |
| Students taking federal loans | 5.2% | 2.7% |
| Getting in | ||
| SAT/ACT policy | Open admission (everyone qualified gets in) | Open admission (everyone qualified gets in) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 30% | 31% |
| Freshmen who come back | 55% | 58% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $40,256/yr | $38,440/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $22,723–$59,308 | $20,815–$57,443 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 31% | 33% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $35,400/yr | $32,944/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 57% | 53% |
| Graduate on time | 18% | 15% |
| First-gen students who finish | 22% | 24% |
| Low-income students who finish | 19% | 22% |
| Students who transfer out | 17% | 22% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $38,174/yr | $35,471/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Liberal Arts & General Studies 56% · Health Professions 27% · Business, Management & Marketing 4% | Liberal Arts & General Studies 45% · Engineering Technologies 15% · Business, Management & Marketing 10% |
| Most popular program | Liberal Arts & General Studies — 56% of degrees | Liberal Arts & General Studies — 45% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Health Professions — 27% of degrees | Engineering Technologies — 15% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 4% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 10% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Education — 3% of degrees | Communications Technologies — 8% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Engineering Technologies — 3% of degrees | Health Professions — 6% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $65,077/yr | Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General — $77,072/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 4.9% | 21% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 3,897 | 6,715 |
| Students per professor | 19 : 1 | 19 : 1 |
| Average professor pay | $6,556/mo | $7,673/mo |
| Full-time professors | 100% | 43% |
| 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 | $26,796 | $25,254 |
| Setting | Town (fringe) | Suburb (large) |
| Location | Columbia, TN | Knoxville, TN |
| Region | Southeast | Southeast |
| Founded | 1966 | 1974 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Associate degrees | Associate degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Associate's Colleges: High Transfer-High Traditional | Associate's Colleges: High Transfer-High Traditional |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 0.7% | 1.2% |
| Men | 37% | 49% |
| Women | 63% | 51% |
| White students | 70% | 72% |
| Black students | 8.2% | 7.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 12% | 10% |
| Asian students | 2.1% | 2.2% |
| Two or more races | 4.3% | 4.4% |
| Other / not reported | 1.7% | 1.8% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 44% | 43% |
| Part-time students | 32% | 35% |
| Students age 25+ | 17% | 19% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $7,330/yr | $8,009/yr |
| Endowment | $15.5M | $17.5M |
| 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 | No | No |
| Weekend & evening classes | No | No |
| Teacher certification | No | No |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | No | Yes |
| On-campus day care | No | No |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | No | Yes |
| Credit for military training | Yes | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | No | Yes |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | Yes |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NJCAA Division I | NJCAA Division I |
| Football team | No | No |
| Varsity teams | 5 | 10 |
| Student athletes | 95 | 177 |
| Athletic scholarships | $362,195 | $217,706 |
| Athletics budget | $1.2M | $1.5M |
| Athletics revenue | $1.2M | $1.5M |
| Recruiting spend | $1,862 | $0 |
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.