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 accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer accounting programs near Chattanooga, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Chattanooga city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

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

South College

Knoxville, TN 92.3 miles from Chattanooga BOC Score 45.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 44%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,642
Avg net price $17,858/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 57%
  • Programs offered: 56

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Pellissippi State Community College

Knoxville, TN 104.8 miles from Chattanooga BOC Score 54.3
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 33%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,440
Avg net price $4,983/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 32

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Nashville State Community College

Nashville, TN 116.7 miles from Chattanooga BOC Score 39.5
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 24%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,519
Avg net price $6,777/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 31

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Northeast State Community College

Blountville, TN 191.4 miles from Chattanooga BOC Score 50.5
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 37%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $34,553
Avg net price $6,864/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 32

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Southwest Tennessee Community College

Memphis, TN 260.9 miles from Chattanooga BOC Score 35.0
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 19%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $34,071
Avg net price $4,754/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 40

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Strayer University-Tennessee

Memphis, TN 263.0 miles from Chattanooga BOC Score 31.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 14%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,092
Avg net price $11,645/yr
Tuition
In‑state$13,920
Out‑of‑state$13,920
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 36%
  • Programs offered: 17

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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?

Accredited schools offering accounting programs near Chattanooga are listed on this page, ranked by BOC Score and distance from the city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data on every site update, so it stays current as programs open and close.

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: July 23, 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.