Best Online Accounting Programs in Chattanooga, TN (2026)

Chattanooga, Tennessee has 5 accredited schools offering accounting programs, with tuition ranging from $3,252 to $12,295 per year for indexed programs. Chattanooga has a population of about 182,832. Median household income is $61,028 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 35.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Chattanooga, TN-GA metro area, the top-earning accounting-related role is Financial Manager at a median $151,530 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Accounting Schools to Chattanooga

The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer accounting programs near Chattanooga. Distances are calculated from Chattanooga city center.

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 Chattanooga. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Georgia Northwestern Technical College

Rome, GA 58.3 miles from Chattanooga BOC Score53.6
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#2

Snead State Community College

Boaz, AL 79.4 miles from Chattanooga BOC Score53.0
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#3

Gadsden State Community College

Gadsden, AL 85.1 miles from Chattanooga BOC Score47.7
Published tuition$4,032 - $10,687
Online programsYes

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#4

Chattahoochee Technical College

Marietta, GA 87.9 miles from Chattanooga BOC Score52.1
Published tuition$3,252 - $12,295
Online programsYes

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#5

South College

Knoxville, TN 92.3 miles from Chattanooga BOC Score45.9
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

Visit website

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Tennessee schools on the Tennessee accounting page.


Accounting Wages Near Chattanooga

Chattanooga is part of the Chattanooga, TN-GA metro area (BLS area code 16860). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Tennessee statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Accountant and Auditor$76,680Chattanooga, TN-GA$83,803
Financial Manager$151,530Chattanooga, TN-GA$165,607
Financial Analyst$90,320Chattanooga, TN-GA$98,710
Budget Analyst$81,880Chattanooga, TN-GA$89,486
Tax Preparer$44,560Chattanooga, TN-GA$48,699
Tax Examiner and Collector$68,190Chattanooga, TN-GA$74,525
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerk$46,920Chattanooga, TN-GA$51,279

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


Chattanooga at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population182,832Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$61,028Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+35.5%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)91.5 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Accounting-related employment in Hamilton County1,211 workers, 243 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Chattanooga-Area Cities With Accounting Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited accounting schools are near Chattanooga, TN?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering accounting programs near Chattanooga. The closest is Georgia Northwestern Technical College in Rome, GA (58.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is South College (92.3 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying accounting roles near Chattanooga?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying accounting-related roles near Chattanooga are: Financial Manager ($151,530), Financial Analyst ($90,320), Budget Analyst ($81,880). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Tennessee statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in East Ridge instead of Chattanooga?

East Ridge, TN is 4.9 miles from Chattanooga and has its own set of local accounting programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Chattanooga an affordable place to study accounting?

Chattanooga’s median household income of $61,028 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Chattanooga while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Tennessee public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.


Learn More About Accounting Programs

Other Programs Available in Chattanooga

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Chattanooga:

Data verified: June 11, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.