Best General Studies Schools Near Shelbyville, TN (2026)

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

Shelbyville, Tennessee has 5 accredited schools offering general studies programs, with tuition ranging from $5,296 to $18,112 per year for indexed programs. Shelbyville has a population of about 24,125. Median household income is $52,290 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 11.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Tennessee, the top-earning general studies-related role is General and Operations Managers at a median $106,970 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest General Studies Schools to Shelbyville

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer general studies programs near Shelbyville, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Shelbyville 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 Shelbyville. 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

Middle Tennessee State University

Murfreesboro, TN 24.6 miles from Shelbyville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,541
Avg net price $13,359/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 106

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

The University of the South

Sewanee, TN 36.2 miles from Shelbyville
  • 4 year
63.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 81%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $64,911
Avg net price $27,872/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 89%
  • Programs offered: 37

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

The University of Tennessee Southern

Pulaski, TN 38.8 miles from Shelbyville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
38.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 37%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,924
Avg net price $12,798/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 20

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Lipscomb University

Nashville, TN 46.3 miles from Shelbyville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
62.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,541
Avg net price $24,739/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 107

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Herzing University-Nashville

Nashville, TN 46.4 miles from Shelbyville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
61.1 BOC Score
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,909
Avg net price $20,537/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 4

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Trevecca Nazarene University

Nashville, TN 47.5 miles from Shelbyville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
52.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,378
Avg net price $16,813/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 66

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Belmont University

Nashville, TN 48.0 miles from Shelbyville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
61.1 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 95%
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,930
Avg net price $33,147/yr
Tuition
In‑state$42,540
Out‑of‑state$42,540
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 103

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

#8

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN 48.9 miles from Shelbyville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
91.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $91,565
Avg net price $15,846/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 96%
  • Programs offered: 157

Source:IPEDSCollege 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 Shelbyville

Occupation Median Annual Wage (Tennessee, statewide)
General and Operations Managers $106,970
Management Analysts $99,260
Human Resources Specialists $67,370
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $69,790
Writers and Authors $58,870
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $61,860
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers $66,390
Social and Community Service Managers $88,240

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.

Shelbyville at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 24,125 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $52,290 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 11.6% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Shelbyville-Area Cities With General Studies Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering general studies programs near Shelbyville. The closest is Motlow State Community College in Tullahoma, TN (12.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is The University of Tennessee Southern (38.8 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying general studies roles in Tennessee?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying general studies-related roles in Tennessee are: General and Operations Managers ($106,970), Management Analysts ($99,260), Social and Community Service Managers ($88,240). Wages for Shelbyville workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Murfreesboro instead of Shelbyville?

Murfreesboro, TN is 24.4 miles from Shelbyville 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 Shelbyville an affordable place to study general studies?

Shelbyville’s median household income of $52,290 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Shelbyville 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 Shelbyville

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

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.

Back to Best General Studies Schools in Tennessee (2026)