Johnson City, Tennessee has a population of about 71,455. The city’s median household income is $55,429 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 41.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. There are 5 accredited engineering programs within 100 miles of Johnson City. In the Johnson City, TN metro area, the top-earning engineering-related role is Architectural and Engineering Manager at a median $126,840 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).
The five accredited institutions below are the closest options indexed in our directory that offer engineering programs. Distances are calculated from Johnson City city center.
| School | City | Distance | Tuition | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Elizabethton | Elizabethton, TN | 6.0 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Northeast State Community College | Blountville, TN | 12.8 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Virginia Highlands Community College | Abingdon, VA | 32.3 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Mayland Community College | Spruce Pine, NC | 34.4 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Appalachian State University | Boone, NC | 40.1 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Tennessee schools on the Tennessee engineering page.
Johnson City is part of the Johnson City, TN metro area (BLS area code 27740). 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civil Engineer | $91,340 | Johnson City, TN | $103,914 |
| Electrical Engineer | $97,320 | Johnson City, TN | $110,717 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $92,130 | Johnson City, TN | $104,812 |
| Chemical Engineer | $110,150 | TN statewide | $125,313 |
| Aerospace Engineer | $122,430 | TN statewide | $139,283 |
| Biomedical Engineer | $103,020 | TN statewide | $117,201 |
| Environmental Engineer | $87,920 | TN statewide | $100,023 |
| Architectural and Engineering Manager | $126,840 | Johnson City, TN | $144,300 |
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 | 71,455 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $55,429 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 41.8% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 87.9 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Engineering-related employment in Washington County | 203 workers, 61 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Our directory lists 5 engineering programs within 100 miles of Johnson City. The closest is Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Elizabethton in Elizabethton, TN (6.0 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is Appalachian State University (40.1 miles). 0 of these programs are offered fully online.
Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying engineering-related roles near Johnson City are: Architectural and Engineering Manager ($126,840), Aerospace Engineer ($122,430), Chemical Engineer ($110,150). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Tennessee statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Kingsport, TN is 15.5 miles from Johnson City and has its own set of local engineering programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
Johnson City’s median household income of $55,429 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Johnson City 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.
Return to Best Online Engineering Programs in Tennessee (2026)