Best Military-Friendly Online Colleges Near Shelbyville, TN

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Key takeaway: 10 accredited institutions within 100 miles of Shelbyville offer fully online programs and report both credit for military training and a dedicated point of contact for veterans, servicemembers, and their families (IPEDS IC 2024); 8 report all four services the federal survey tracks. The nearest installation recorded by the Census Bureau is Arnold AFB, about 22 miles away, and 6 installations sit within 100 miles (1 Air Force, 2 National Guard, 3 Other). 1 of the 10 schools has a campus within 30 miles; the closest is Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, TN, about 25 miles from city center. The highest-ranked by BOC Score is University of Alabama in Huntsville. Shelbyville has a population of about 24,125 and a median household income of $52,290; 11.6 percent of adults hold a bachelor’s degree or higher (Census ACS 5-year estimates).

Military-friendly online colleges near Shelbyville

Schools based in Tennessee that report credit for military training and a dedicated military contact, ordered by distance from Shelbyville city center, with BOC Score on each card. The tags on each card are the school’s own IPEDS answers for the four military services. The distance table further down covers the nearest qualifying schools regardless of state line.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Shelbyville. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score β€” U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Middle Tennessee State University

Murfreesboro, TN 24.6 miles from Shelbyville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Credit for military training
  • Dedicated military contact
  • DoD MOU member
  • Student veteran org
56.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,541
Avg net price $13,359/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 106

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

The University of Tennessee Southern

Pulaski, TN 38.8 miles from Shelbyville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Credit for military training
  • Dedicated military contact
38.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 37%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,924
Avg net price $12,798/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 20

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Lipscomb University

Nashville, TN 46.3 miles from Shelbyville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Credit for military training
  • Dedicated military contact
  • DoD MOU member
  • Student veteran org
62.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,541
Avg net price $24,739/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 107

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Herzing University-Nashville

Nashville, TN 46.4 miles from Shelbyville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Credit for military training
  • Dedicated military contact
  • DoD MOU member
61.1 BOC Score
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,909
Avg net price $20,537/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 4

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Trevecca Nazarene University

Nashville, TN 47.5 miles from Shelbyville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Credit for military training
  • Dedicated military contact
  • DoD MOU member
  • Student veteran org
52.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,378
Avg net price $16,813/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 66

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Belmont University

Nashville, TN 48.0 miles from Shelbyville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
  • Credit for military training
  • Dedicated military contact
  • DoD MOU member
  • Student veteran org
61.1 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 95%
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,930
Avg net price $33,147/yr
Tuition
In‑state$42,540
Out‑of‑state$42,540
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 103

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Tennessee State University

Nashville, TN 50.7 miles from Shelbyville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Credit for military training
  • Dedicated military contact
  • DoD MOU member
  • Student veteran org
34.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,730
Avg net price $15,796/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 52%
  • Programs offered: 55

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Welch College

Gallatin, TN 60.2 miles from Shelbyville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Credit for military training
  • Dedicated military contact
  • DoD MOU member
34.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,198
Avg net price $25,263/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 63%
  • Programs offered: 23

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#9

Tennessee Technological University

Cookeville, TN 70.7 miles from Shelbyville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Credit for military training
  • Dedicated military contact
  • DoD MOU member
  • Student veteran org
61.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,501
Avg net price $14,246/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 65

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#10

The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga

Chattanooga, TN 72.1 miles from Shelbyville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Credit for military training
  • Dedicated military contact
  • DoD MOU member
  • Student veteran org
54.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,151
Avg net price $14,265/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 62

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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Nearest qualifying schools within 100 miles (any state)

SchoolLocationCredit for military trainingDedicated military contactDoD MOU memberStudent veteran orgBOC ScoreDistance
University of Alabama in HuntsvilleHuntsville, ALYesYesYesYes65.055 mi
Lipscomb UniversityNashville, TNYesYesYesYes62.546 mi
Tennessee Technological UniversityCookeville, TNYesYesYesYes61.871 mi
Belmont UniversityNashville, TNYesYesYesYes61.148 mi
Herzing University-NashvilleNashville, TNYesYesYesNo61.146 mi
Academy of Allied Health CareersChattanooga, TNYesYesNoNo59.778 mi
Middle Tennessee State UniversityMurfreesboro, TNYesYesYesYes56.425 mi
The University of Tennessee-ChattanoogaChattanooga, TNYesYesYesYes54.472 mi
University of North AlabamaFlorence, ALYesYesYesYes53.684 mi
Trevecca Nazarene UniversityNashville, TNYesYesYesYes52.347 mi

Tennessee has 42 military-friendly online colleges by this definition; the Tennessee page lists them all.

Military installations near Shelbyville

Installation (as recorded by the Census Bureau)Branch (from the name)Distance from Shelbyville
Arnold AFBAir Force22 mi
National Guard Vts SmyrnaNational Guard36 mi
Nashville IapOther44 mi
National Guard NashvilleNational Guard45 mi
Redstone ArsenalOther61 mi
Volunteer Training Site CatoosaOther88 mi

Common post-service careers near Shelbyville

Median wages for occupations that veterans commonly move into after an online degree (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS).

OccupationMedian annual wageScope
Information Security Analysts$115,430TN statewide
Logisticians$71,280TN statewide
Emergency Management Directors$81,800TN statewide
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers$59,280TN statewide
Medical and Health Services Managers$107,120TN statewide
Project Management Specialists$85,890TN statewide
Network and Computer Systems Administrators$88,100TN statewide
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$100,740TN statewide

BLS publishes wages for metro areas and states, not individual cities; these are statewide medians.

Campuses within 30 miles of Shelbyville

  • Middle Tennessee State University (Murfreesboro, TN), 25 mi, 4 of 4 services reported

Nearby cities

Benefit eligibility is determined by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and your service’s education office. Nothing on this page guarantees education benefits, credit transfer, admission, or a particular cost. Confirm every detail with the school’s military or veteran services office before you enroll.

Sources: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (IC 2024): veteran and military services indicators (VET2 through VET5), distance-education program flag (DISTPGS); BOC Score from College Scorecard and IPEDS outcome data; U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 Military Installations layer (installation names as recorded there); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics; U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities; Census ACS 5-year estimates. Directory counts as of the September 2026 refresh.