Tennessee Technological University

Public · Moderately Selective · TN

Photo: Brian Stansberry (CC BY 2.5)

School data & stats

TypePublic

LocationTN · South

SettingRural

Undergrads8,698

Student:faculty16:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate41.1%

6-yr grad rate57.7%

Drop-out rate21.8%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$11k

Out-of-state tuition$16k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity20.4%

Gender diversity44.7%

International1.8%

Identity—

Overview

Tennessee Tech, on the Cumberland Plateau in Cookeville, is the state's dedicated public technological university, distinct from the state's larger comprehensive flagship in Knoxville. It has a practical, career-focused identity built around engineering, and a reputation for delivering strong job outcomes relative to its modest cost, drawing students from across Middle Tennessee and beyond who want a technically focused education without flagship-scale tuition.

Academics

Engineering is the clear flagship program, with hands-on labs and close ties to regional industry employers who recruit directly from campus. Computer science, nursing, and education are also solid programs, and the overall academic culture leans applied and vocational rather than theoretical, with faculty who emphasize practical skills and industry-relevant coursework over abstract research.

Campus & student life

Cookeville is a small city, giving Tennessee Tech a self-contained, community-oriented campus feel without a large surrounding metro area competing for students' time or attention. Traditions and school spirit run through a modest but genuine athletics culture, and the compact campus keeps student life fairly centered on the immediate area around it.

Getting in

Admissions at Tennessee Tech is less selective and less essay-driven than at flagship publics, with academic record and coursework rigor as the main factors. It functions as an accessible option for Tennessee students who want a serious engineering or technical education without the size or cost of a larger university.

After graduation

Engineering graduates have well-established regional employer pipelines, particularly with manufacturing and industrial firms across Middle Tennessee, and the university's reputation for practical training supports strong job placement relative to its size. The alumni network is regionally concentrated rather than nationally prominent.

Worth knowing

The engineering program's reputation for hands-on training and regional employer relationships makes co-op and internship placement a normal part of the student experience rather than an exception, and many students have a job lined up well before graduation through these employer ties.

tntech.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate76.1%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 1048–1310 · ACT 20–27

Test policyoptional

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

AdmissionRolling

Applying