The Tennessee Board of Regents approved a 2.45 percent tuition increase for the state's 13 community colleges, 27 colleges of applied technology and the online TN eCampus serving more than 110,000 students.
The increase is the lowest since 1991 for the community colleges, which include Pellissippi State and Roane State. It's the third consecutive year that the tuition increase was less than three percent.
The Tennessee Board of Regents does not manage the University of Tennessee system, which approved a 2 to 2.5 percent increase for the next academic year.
The tuition increase will go into effect for the upcoming fall semester.
For an academic year (two semesters at community colleges, three trimesters at TCATs), tuition and mandatory fees for full time in-state students will range from $4,504 to $4,588 at the community colleges – a $109 increase – and $3,937 at the TCATs – a $94 increase.
Many students do attend free of tuition and mandatory fees through the Tennessee Promise and Tennessee Reconnect programs and other state and federal financial assistance.