Best Photography Schools Near Chattanooga, TN (2026)

Updated August 25, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Chattanooga, Tennessee has 4 accredited schools offering photography 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 photography-related role is Graphic Designer at a median $55,250 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Photography Schools to Chattanooga

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer photography 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.

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

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#1

Southern Adventist University

Collegedale, TN 11.3 miles from Chattanooga
  • 4 year
45.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,723
Avg net price $24,345/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Middle Tennessee State University

Murfreesboro, TN 82.7 miles from Chattanooga
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 26

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Pellissippi State Community College

Knoxville, TN 104.8 miles from Chattanooga
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
54.3 BOC Score
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: 29

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Belmont University

Nashville, TN 114.1 miles from Chattanooga
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • 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: 18

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

#5

Nashville State Community College

Nashville, TN 116.7 miles from Chattanooga
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
39.5 BOC Score
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: 28

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Carson-Newman University

Jefferson City, TN 122.9 miles from Chattanooga
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
48.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 90%
Graduation rate 50%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,382
Avg net price $20,251/yr
Tuition
In‑state$34,700
Out‑of‑state$34,700
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 12

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

#7

Freed-Hardeman University

Henderson, TN 192.9 miles from Chattanooga
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
55.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,485
Avg net price $21,574/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 10

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Photography 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)
Photographer$33,600Chattanooga, TN-GA$36,721
Graphic Designer$55,250Chattanooga, TN-GA$60,383

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

Other Chattanooga-Area Cities With Photography Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited photography schools are near Chattanooga, TN?

Our directory has 4 accredited schools offering photography programs near Chattanooga. The closest is Southern Adventist University in Collegedale, TN (11.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Lanier Technical College (97.9 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying photography roles near Chattanooga?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying photography-related roles near Chattanooga are: Graphic Designer ($55,250), Photographer ($33,600). 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 photography 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 photography?

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 Photography Programs

Other Programs Available in Chattanooga

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

Data verified: August 25, 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 Photography Schools in Tennessee: Online Programs (2026)