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Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Murfreesboro

Public Certificate Excellent 86/100

Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Murfreesboro

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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Murfreesboro, Tennessee

About Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Murfreesboro

Thinking about Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Murfreesboro, a college in Tennessee where more students graduate in Mechanics & Repair than anything else? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.

Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Murfreesboro is a public institution offering certificate degrees based in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. It enrolls 709 students (a small, tight-knit student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.

Official website: tcatmurfreesboro.edu

Acceptance: Open
Graduation: 71.8%
Net Price: $6,631
Median Earnings (10yr): $40,869
Enrollment: 709
Student : Faculty: 20:1

Accreditor Council on Occupational Education

Academic Calendar Continuous

How It Measures Up

These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (2-Year), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.

Excellent

86/100

UCD Score · 2-Year

Outcomes 87

Value 77

Affordability 71

Selectivity —

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

As a two-year college, Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Murfreesboro admits essentially everyone who qualifies, so plan around cost and completion instead of your odds of getting in.

Acceptance Rate

Open

SAT Range (25th–75th)

—

Not reported

ACT Range (25th–75th)

—

Not reported

Cost & Financial Aid

Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $6,631 a year on average, it sits well below what public colleges charge nationally. At that level cost is rarely the reason to rule a college out. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.

The average hides a wide spread by household income, so it is worth estimating what a family at your income would actually pay before treating this as the price.

Average Net Price

$6,631

Per year, after typical aid

Receive Pell Grants

49%

Need-based federal aid

Receive Federal Loans

Borrowing to attend

Net Price by Family Income

Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.

Under $30,000

$1,020
$30,001 – $48,000

$2,270
$48,001 – $75,000

$8,579

What this means: Aid reaches a meaningful share of the student body: 49% of students receive Pell grants. If your family qualifies for Pell, the real cost to you could be substantially lower than the average.

Graduation Rate & Retention

72% of students who start here finish within six years, and 81% come back after first year. Roughly half finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.

6-Year Graduation Rate

72%

Of students who graduate within six years

First-Year Retention

81%

Returning for their second year

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $40,869 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)

$40,869

Earning > $25K

70%

10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

Earnings by Demographic

Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.

By Gender

Female graduates

$28,600

Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.

Male graduates

$34,700

Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $6,100, about 18% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.

What this means: Strong return on investment. Every dollar of net annual cost is matched by ~$6.2 of median earnings 10 years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 709 students, a small, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 52% are the first in their family to go to college.

Total Enrolled

709

Part-Time

25%

First-Generation

52%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents

White 55.2% 391

Hispanic 16.9% 120

Black 15.2% 108

Asian 4.9% 35

Other 4.4% 31

International 1.3% 9

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Murfreesboro. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting

Midsize City Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Housing

Commuter campus No on-campus housing

Adult Learners

30% of students are 25 or older

Academic Calendar

Continuous scheduling structure

What You Can Study

After that comes the national picture for Personal Services graduates, which shows what the field pays across every college rather than just this one.

Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Murfreesboro offers a varied set of programs: 11 distinct programs across 8 majors. Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings. Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.

3 Programs

Mechanics & Repair

1 Program

Personal Services

Cosmetology

1 Program

Precision Production

Precision Metal Working

2 Programs

Health

Practical Nursing $39K ($22K–$72K)
Allied Health Diagnostic $71K ($51K–$96K)

1 Program

Construction

Building/Construction Finishing $91K ($72K–$106K)

1 Program

Visual & Performing Arts

Design $51K ($33K–$71K)

1 Program

Computer Science

IT Administration $85K ($59K–$118K)

1 Program

Engineering Tech

Drafting/Design Engineering Tech $72K ($57K–$86K)

View all majors View all programs

Faculty & Resources

There are 20 students for every instructor here: on the higher side, so larger classes are common.

Student : Faculty

20:1

Students per instructional faculty member

Instruction / Student

$12,207

Annual instructional spending per enrolled student

Pros & Cons of Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Murfreesboro

No college is right for everyone. Here is where Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Murfreesboro is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.

Read against a single profile these cut both ways, which is why it helps to put two colleges side by side on the same measures rather than judging one in isolation.

PROS

Very affordable net price after aid
Open admissions
Tight-knit, close community feel
Above-average graduation rate
Wide reach of need-based federal aid
First-gen-friendly student body

CONS

Larger class sizes than typical
Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side

Best for: Based on the data, Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Murfreesboro is a fit for students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; families focused on keeping net cost low; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.

Frequently Asked Questions about Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Murfreesboro

The questions families ask most about Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Murfreesboro, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.

Is Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Murfreesboro hard to get into?

Not especially. Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Murfreesboro admits most qualified applicants, and reports no competitive acceptance rate. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.

What is the acceptance rate at Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Murfreesboro?

No acceptance rate is reported, which for a college like this normally means admission is open to anyone meeting the basic requirements. Confirm with the admissions office rather than assuming it.

How much does Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Murfreesboro cost?

Budget around $6,631 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Is Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Murfreesboro worth it?

On the numbers, yes: strong return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $40,869 a year against a net price of $6,631, about 6.2 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

What is Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Murfreesboro known for?

Mostly Vehicle Maintenance, Cosmetology, Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

What do Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Murfreesboro graduates earn?

About $40,869 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Is Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Murfreesboro accredited?

Yes. Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Murfreesboro is accredited by the Council on Occupational Education.

How many students attend Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Murfreesboro?

709 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

What is the graduation rate at Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Murfreesboro?

72% finish within six years. That leaves a meaningful share who do not finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

Is Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Murfreesboro a public or private college?

It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.

Where is Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Murfreesboro located?

Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Murfreesboro is located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

What programs does Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Murfreesboro offer?

11 different programs, most commonly Vehicle Maintenance, Cosmetology, Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.

What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Murfreesboro?

20 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.