Tennessee Community Colleges
Business Administration Programs
Business administration courses across community colleges in this state, covering management, accounting, marketing, and economics.
12 colleges · 428 sections · 22 unique courses · Fall 2026 · Updated today
Business administration is the most-completed associate degree at Tennessee community colleges, and the most flexible — graduates step into operations and management roles at small businesses, transfer to four-year business schools, or use the degree as a foundation for an MBA. Across 12 TBR institutions, this term's 428 sections cover management, marketing, finance, accounting, and economics — the same core curriculum a four-year business school would expect in years 1 and 2.
The associate degree typically takes two years full-time and articulates cleanly to most Tennessee four-year business programs, so students can complete the first half of a BBA at community college tuition rates before transferring. Compare colleges below by award counts, online section availability, and graduate earnings to find the best fit.
Earnings & outcomes for Business Administration graduates
Federal College Scorecard data on what graduates of this program actually earn after completion. Where a school’s cohort is too small to publish, we show the national benchmark for the same field of study.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, per-program (4-digit CIP) data. CIP 5202 — Business Administration, Management and Operations. School cohorts are suppressed by the federal source when fewer than ~30 completers in the reporting cohort.
Colleges offering Business Administration
| College | Sections | Courses | Online | Awards/yr | 5-yr earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pellissippi State Community College | 52 | 8 | 1 | 138 | $39,896 |
| Nashville State Community College | 51 | 10 | — | 98 | $44,371 |
| Chattanooga State Community College | 47 | 9 | 30 | 78 | $32,830 |
| Columbia State Community College | 43 | 5 | 21 | 75 | $44,182 |
| Southwest Tennessee Community College | 38 | 14 | 7 | 69 | — |
| Motlow State Community College | 35 | 8 | 14 | 69 | — |
| Northeast State Community College | 35 | 10 | 16 | 84 | $37,995 |
| Walters State Community College | 32 | 11 | — | 113 | $33,490 |
| Dyersburg State Community College | 29 | 10 | 13 | 41 | $37,179 |
| Cleveland State Community College | 27 | 8 | 5 | 133 | $44,034 |
| Volunteer State Community College | 27 | 6 | 12 | 158 | $45,721 |
| Jackson State Community College | 12 | 4 | 8 | 42 | $23,736 |
Business Administration Availability Snapshot
How business administration sections are being offered across 12 colleges in Tennessee this term (428 sections total).
Delivery format
- in person301 (70%)
- online124 (29%)
- zoom3 (1%)
When sections meet
- Morning (before noon)127
- Afternoon (noon–5 PM)59
- Evening (5 PM and after)34
- Asynchronous / TBA208
Start dates
Sections begin on 10 distinct dates. 40 late-start more than two weeks after the term's earliest start.
Instructor diversity
Taught by 77 distinct instructors across 12 colleges.
Degree requirements by college
Expand a college to see the courses required for graduation. Data sourced from each college's official catalog.
Chattanooga State Community College12 programs
Cleveland State Community College14 programs
Columbia State Community College11 programs
Dyersburg State Community College7 programs
Jackson State Community College3 programs
Motlow State Community College1 program
GENERAL EDUCATION (41 credit hours)
41 creditsSee catalog for course list
Communications (9 credit hours)
9 creditsHumanities/Fine Arts (9 credit hours)
9 credits- ELEC XXXThree of the following:not offered
- ART 1035Introduction to Art16 sections
- ART 2000Art History Survey I4 sections
- ART 2020Art History Survey II3 sections
- ENGL 2045Introduction to Literature21 sections
- ENGL 2055African American Literature5 sections
- ENGL 2130Topics in American Literature7 sections
- ENGL 2235Topics in British Literature3 sections
- ENGL 2310Early World Literature2 sections
- ENGL 2320Modern World Literature2 sections
- ENGL 2330Topics in World Literature2 sections
- ENGL 2860Introduction to Film5 sections
- ENGL 2900Creative Writing I4 sections
- MUS 1030Introduction to Music21 sections
- MUS 1035History of Jazz2 sections
- RELS 2020Religions of the World1 section
- THEA 1030Introduction to Theatre17 sections
Social/Behavioral Sciences (6 credit hours)
6 creditsHistory (6 credit hours)
6 credits- ELEC XXXOPTION 1 Two of the following, taken in any order:not offered
- HIST 2310Early World History7 sections
- HIST 2320Modern World History3 sections
- HIST 2350The Modern Middle East1 section
- ELEC XXXOR OPTION 2 Two of the following, taken in any order:not offered
- HIST 2010Early United States History43 sections
- HIST 2020Modern United States History11 sections
- HIST 2030Tennessee History5 sections
- HIST 2060African American History1 section
Natural Science (8 credit hours)
8 creditsMathematics (3 credit hours)
3 creditsAREA OF EMPHASIS REQUIREMENTS (19 credit hours)
19 creditsSemester One (15 credit hours)
15 creditsSemester Two (15 credit hours)
15 creditsSemester Three (16 credit hours)
16 creditsSemester Four (14 credit hours)
14 creditsSemester One (6 credit hours)
6 creditsSee catalog for course list
Semester Two (9 credit hours)
9 creditsSee catalog for course list
Semester Three (6 credit hours)
6 creditsSee catalog for course list
Semester Four (9 credit hours)
9 creditsSee catalog for course list
Semester Five (7 credit hours)
7 creditsSee catalog for course list
Semester Six (9 credit hours)
9 creditsSee catalog for course list
Semester Seven (7 credit hours)
7 creditsSee catalog for course list
Semester Eight (7 credit hours)
7 creditsSee catalog for course list
Source: College catalog
Nashville State Community College17 programs
Northeast State Community College12 programs
Southwest Tennessee Community College18 programs
Volunteer State Community College12 programs
Walters State Community College18 programs
Common Business Administration courses
- ACCT 1010Principles of Accounting I(117 sections)
- ECON 2100Principles of Macroeconomics(111 sections)
- ECON 2200Principles of Microeconomics(83 sections)
- ACCT 1020Principles of Accounting II(51 sections)
- ACCT 2321Intermediate Accounting I(12 sections)
- ACCT 2331Tax Accounting(11 sections)
- ACCT 2341Cost Accounting(9 sections)
- ACCT 2382Accounting Systems Applications(9 sections)
- ACCT 2399Accounting Capstone(7 sections)
- ACCT 2301Payroll Accounting(2 sections)
- ACCT 2362Forensic Accounting - Combo of online/on-campus instruction(2 sections)
- ACCT 2392Accounting Internship(2 sections)
Career outlook for Business Administration graduates
Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data for the primary career outcome of this program (2024 OEWS release). Compare Tennessee’s typical pay to the national picture before choosing where to study.
Tennessee's typical pay for this occupation is roughly in line with the national picture.
Wage data reflects all workers in the occupation, not just recent CC graduates — entry-level pay is typically lower. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS.
Frequently asked questions
- Should I get an associate in business or transfer to a four-year school first?
- For most students, completing the associate first is cheaper — Tennessee community college tuition is a fraction of four-year tuition, and the first two years of a BBA are largely general-education and intro business courses that transfer 1:1. The exception is students aiming for elite business schools that prefer freshmen admits.
- What jobs can I get with an associate in business?
- Office manager, assistant manager, sales representative, account coordinator, bookkeeper, and administrative supervisor are common entry points. Many graduates use the degree to formalize an existing role they were promoted into — companies often cover or reimburse the associate's tuition for employees moving from hourly to salaried positions.
- Does business credit transfer to a Tennessee four-year university?
- Yes. Most TBR business associate programs are articulated to the major state university business school under a guaranteed-transfer agreement. Compare colleges below — some have stronger transfer partnerships than others, and the right college can save you a full semester at four-year tuition rates.
- How long does an associate in business take?
- Two years full-time (4 semesters of 15 credits each), or three to four years part-time. Many Tennessee programs offer evening and online sections specifically for working students completing the degree alongside a full-time job.
Compare Business Administration programs in other states
Same comparison view, different state systems. Useful if you’re considering an out-of-state community college or just want to see how Tennessee’s business administration programs stack up.
Other programs in Tennessee
Some programs may not be offered at every college — pages render only when the program meets a coverage threshold for the state.