College enrollment is up across Tennessee, but the biggest story might be who is showing up.¶
Tennessee’s public colleges enrolled nearly 3,000 more students this fall, with first-time freshmen and a dramatic rebound at Tennessee State University driving the statewide increase. The figures don’t include Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology or private institutions, but the data still serves as an early snapshot of the fall semester.¶
New 14th-day enrollment numbers from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) show 228,352 students at the state’s 13 public community colleges and 11 public universities, an increase of 2,933 students, or 1.3 percent, from fall 2025.¶
The increase marks the third-straight year of growth, although the pace has slowed from 2.9 percent in 2025 and 2.2 percent in 2024. The latest data shows that enrollment growth is not evenly spread across the state, though. Some campuses posted large gains, while others lost students.¶
"Increased first-time freshmen enrollment is an encouraging sign that more Tennesseans recognize the lifelong value and return on investment of higher education," THEC Executive Director Dr. Steven Gentile said in a THEC press release.¶
First-Time Freshmen Growth
The biggest enrollment growth came from students entering college for the first time, as first-time freshman enrollment rose 3.9 percent statewide, increasing from 39,771 students last fall to 41,310 this fall.¶
This continues a turnaround from fall 2024, when first-time freshman enrollment fell 2.5 percent statewide. Freshman enrollment rebounded 3.4 percent in 2025 before climbing again this year. Universities have seen a sharp shift, moving from a 4.5 percent freshman decline in 2024 to a 1.9 percent increase in 2025 and a 4.1 percent increase this fall. Community colleges also reported a 3.6 percent increase in first-time freshmen, as well as an overall enrollment increase of 1.9 percent in 2026. Full-time equivalent enrollment, which is based largely on student course loads, was also up 1.4 percent statewide.¶
A Sharp Rebound for Tennessee State
The largest increase in enrollment among public universities came from Tennessee State University (TSU), where overall enrollment jumped 17.2 percent from last fall. The university’s first-time freshman count climbed from 435 students to 1,758, an increase of more than 300 percent.¶
This drastic rise stands out after two years of steep declines at TSU. Overall enrollment dropped 23 percent in 2024 and another 15 percent in 2025. Last summer, TSU officials said the university had expanded recruiting efforts, revisited its scholarship model, and made enrollment growth a focus.¶
TSU Vice President of Enrollment Management Dr. Eric Stokes said in June that TSU president Dwayne Tucker made enrollment growth a “personal priority.”¶
“Enrollment growth required support from every corner of the university,” Stokes said. “Our academic deans, faculty, student success teams, campus partners, and enrollment staff all played critical roles.¶
Nashville Community College also posted the largest increase among community colleges at 9 percent, repeating the same percentage increase it had from 2024 to 2025, and Roane State Community College fell 11.6 percent overall for the largest decrease in the state.¶
