Best General Studies Schools Near Cleveland, TN (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Cleveland, Tennessee has 5 accredited schools offering general studies programs, with tuition ranging from $4,762 to $31,270 per year for indexed programs. Cleveland has a population of about 48,185. Median household income is $55,904 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 31.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Cleveland, TN metro area, the top-earning general studies-related role is General and Operations Managers at a median $92,800 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest General Studies Schools to Cleveland

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer general studies programs near Cleveland, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Cleveland 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 Cleveland. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

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

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#1

Lee University

Cleveland, TN 1.1 miles from Cleveland
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
48.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,222
Avg net price $18,878/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 91

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Cleveland State Community College

Cleveland, TN 1.4 miles from Cleveland
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
45.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 33%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,671
Avg net price $6,384/yr
Tuition
In‑state$4,762
Out‑of‑state$17,746
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 23

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

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

General Studies Wages Near Cleveland

Cleveland is part of the Cleveland, TN metro area (BLS area code 17420). 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)
General and Operations Managers $92,800 Cleveland, TN $105,335
Management Analysts $83,990 Cleveland, TN $95,335
Human Resources Specialists $60,560 Cleveland, TN $68,740
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $61,580 Cleveland, TN $69,898
Writers and Authors $58,870 TN statewide $66,822
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $63,380 Cleveland, TN $71,941
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers $59,190 Cleveland, TN $67,185
Social and Community Service Managers $88,240 TN statewide $100,159

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.

Cleveland at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 48,185 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $55,904 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 31.1% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 88.1 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Cleveland-Area Cities With General Studies Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited general studies schools are near Cleveland, TN?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering general studies programs near Cleveland. The closest is Lee University in Cleveland, TN (1.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Bryan College-Dayton (23.0 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying general studies roles near Cleveland?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying general studies-related roles near Cleveland are: General and Operations Managers ($92,800), Social and Community Service Managers ($88,240), Management Analysts ($83,990). 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 Chattanooga instead of Cleveland?

Chattanooga, TN is 22.8 miles from Cleveland and has its own set of local general studies programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Cleveland an affordable place to study general studies?

Cleveland’s median household income of $55,904 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Cleveland 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 General Studies Programs

Other Programs Available in Cleveland

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

Data verified: September 5, 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.

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