Nashville is known to the rest of the U.S. as the Country Music Capital of the World, but it also has a lot to offer college students. It’s a very active city, with (unsurprisingly) countless bars and live music venues. Southern hospitality is in full swing in Nashville, as is the southern cooking.
As far as colleges, there is a fair amount of options for a city whose population is nearly 700,000 people, with the largest being a private college, the fairly well-known Vanderbilt University. There is quite a myriad of colleges in Nashville, and here is a closer look.
Universities in Nashville, TN – 4-Year Colleges and Online
There are a whopping 12 colleges in Nashville that offer 4-year degrees, including Vanderbilt, mentioned above. Here are the rest, with any sort of special focus mentioned in parentheses:
- American Baptist College (religious affiliate)
- Belmont University (music)
- DeVry Tennessee
- Fisk University
- Hussian College-Daymar College Nashville
- Lipscomb University
- Nossi College of Art
- SAE Institute of Technology
- Tennessee State University
- Trevecca Nazarene University
- Watkins College of Art Design & Film
Community Colleges in Nashville, TN
Similar to 4-year universities, there are several options for 2-year degrees and certifications in Nashville. The Lincoln College of Technology and Nashville State Community College are the main choices for a traditional community college feel, but students can also check out certification programs at many hyper-focused schools such as the Mind Body Institute and the Nashville Film Institute.
Get to Know Nashville, TN
If you don’t like live music and bright lights, you might not want to venture downtown too often, as Nashville has live music everywhere, all the time, and it’s not just country. Rock music has heavy roots in Nashville, and several high-grossing rap artists have also gotten their start in the bars and venues around “Cashville.”
For the outdoors types, the rolling mountains surrounding Nashville offer a chance for a full escape from the lights and music, just a short drive outside of the city. Like most southern cities, the weather is pretty mild, though winters occasionally see some freezing temperatures, and summers can get very humid… luckily there is also a lot of water nearby to have a quick dip between classes.
| Institution Name | City | State | Website | Degree Levels Offered | Modality | Profit Status (CNTLAFFI) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Baptist College | Nashville | TN | www.abcnash.edu | Associates Bachelors |
Campus | No |
| Belmont University | Nashville | TN | www.belmont.edu | Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| DeVry University-Tennessee | Nashville | TN | www.devry.edu | Associates Bachelors Masters |
Campus | No |
| Fisk University | Nashville | TN | www.fisk.edu | Bachelors Masters |
Campus | No |
| Fortis Institute-Nashville | Nashville | TN | www.fortis.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Hussian College-Daymar College Nashville | Nashville | TN | www.daymarcollege.edu | Certificates Associates Bachelors |
Campus | No |
| John A Gupton College | Nashville | TN | www.guptoncollege.edu | Certificates Associates |
Online | No |
| Lincoln College of Technology-Nashville | Nashville | TN | www.lincolntech.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Lipscomb University | Nashville | TN | www.lipscomb.edu | Certificates Associates Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| Meharry Medical College | Nashville | TN | www.mmc.edu | Masters Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| Meridian Institute of Surgical Assisting | Nashville | TN | www.meridian-institute.edu | Certificates Associates |
Online | No |
| Mind Body Institute | Nashville | TN | mindbody.edu | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Nashville Film Institute | Nashville | TN | nfi.edu | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Nashville State Community College | Nashville | TN | www.nscc.edu | Certificates Associates |
Hybrid | No |
| Nossi College of Art | Nashville | TN | www.nossi.edu | Associates Bachelors |
Campus | No |
| Remington College-Nashville Campus | Nashville | TN | www.remingtoncollege.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| SAE Institute of Technology-Nashville | Nashville | TN | www.nashville.sae.edu | Certificates Associates Bachelors |
Campus | No |
| Shear Perfection Academy of Cosmetology | Nashville | TN | shearperfectionacademy.com | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Tennessee Board of Regents | Nashville | TN | www.tbr.edu | Certificates Associates |
No | |
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology Nashville | Nashville | TN | www.tcatnashville.edu | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Tennessee State University | Nashville | TN | www.tnstate.edu | Associates Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Hybrid | No |
| The Salon Professional Academy-Nashville | Nashville | TN | www.NashvilleBeautySchool.com | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Trevecca Nazarene University | Nashville | TN | www.trevecca.edu | Certificates Associates Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| Vanderbilt University | Nashville | TN | www.vanderbilt.edu | Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| Watkins College of Art Design & Film | Nashville | TN | www.watkins.edu | Bachelors Masters |
Campus | No |