Oak Ridge, Tennessee has a population of about 32,088. The city’s median household income is $71,000 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 39.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Our directory has 30 accredited schools offering education programs near Oak Ridge, with tuition ranging from $4,576 to $36,828 per year for indexed programs. In the Knoxville, TN metro area, the top-earning education-related role is Education Administrator, K-12 at a median $97,420 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).
The 10 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 30 schools in our directory that offer education programs near Oak Ridge. Distances are calculated from Oak Ridge city center.
| School | City | Distance | Tuition | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pellissippi State Community College | Knoxville, TN | 7.2 mi | $4,576 - $17,776 | – |
| South College | Knoxville, TN | 17.9 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Roane State Community College | Harriman, TN | 19.1 mi | $4,762 - $18,622 | – |
| The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | Knoxville, TN | 20.6 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Maryville College | Maryville, TN | 23.6 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Johnson University | Knoxville, TN | 30.5 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Tennessee Wesleyan University | Athens, TN | 39.5 mi | $29,264 - $36,828 | – |
| Carson-Newman University | Jefferson City, TN | 46.1 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Bryan College-Dayton | Dayton, TN | 51.1 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| University of the Cumberlands | Williamsburg, KY | 53.9 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Tennessee schools on the Tennessee education page.
Oak Ridge is part of the Knoxville, TN metro area (BLS area code 28940). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Tennessee statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Secondary School Teacher | $60,800 | Knoxville, TN | $65,659 |
| Elementary School Teacher | $60,370 | Knoxville, TN | $65,194 |
| Middle School Teacher | $61,060 | Knoxville, TN | $65,940 |
| Education Teacher, Postsecondary | $73,700 | Knoxville, TN | $79,590 |
| Education Administrator, K-12 | $97,420 | Knoxville, TN | $105,205 |
| Education Administrator, Postsecondary | $85,720 | Knoxville, TN | $92,570 |
| Tutor | $40,540 | Knoxville, TN | $43,780 |
| Educational and Career Counselor | $53,140 | Knoxville, TN | $57,387 |
Source: BLS, May 2024 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.
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 32,088 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $71,000 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 39.4% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 92.6 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Education-related employment in Anderson County | 39 workers, 9 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Our directory has 30 accredited schools offering education programs near Oak Ridge. The closest is Pellissippi State Community College in Knoxville, TN (7.2 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is University of the Cumberlands (53.9 miles). 0 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying education-related roles near Oak Ridge are: Education Administrator, K-12 ($97,420), Education Administrator, Postsecondary ($85,720), Education Teacher, Postsecondary ($73,700). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Tennessee statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Farragut, TN is 8.9 miles from Oak Ridge and has its own set of local education programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
Oak Ridge’s median household income of $71,000 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Oak Ridge while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Tennessee public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.
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.
Data verified: May 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2024; 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.
Return to Best Online Education Programs in Tennessee (2026)