Online Engineering Schools in Tennessee

Aspiring engineers in Tennessee not only enjoy a relatively bright career outlook with promising job growth and salary prospects, but they also enjoy other benefits. For one, Tennessee residents living in Nashville are close to Vanderbilt University, which retains some of the most well-known engineering programs in the country.

In addition to traditional undergraduate and graduate programs, Vanderbilt also provides other educational and networking opportunities in the field. Furthermore, job opportunities in the state abound; by illustration, Indeed (Nov. 2024)—one of the most popular job post websites—yields over 1,000 engineering openings in Tennessee.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024) reported that job opportunities for architecture and engineering occupations are expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations between 2023 and 2033. About 195,000 openings are projected each year, on average, in these occupations.

That said, some specializations are expected to be in demand around the country more than others. Here are a few of the fastest-growing engineering subfields listed with their expected growth:

Industrial engineering – 12 percent increase (40,900 new jobs)
Mechanical engineering – 11 percent increase (32,100 new jobs)
Chemical engineering – 10 percent increase (2,100 new jobs)
Electrical and electronics engineering – 9 percent increase (26,200 new jobs)
Agricultural engineering – 8 percent increase (100 new jobs)
Computer hardware engineering – 7 percent increase (6,100 new jobs)
Environmental engineering – 7 percent increase (2,900 new jobs)
Materials engineering – 7 percent increase (1,800 new jobs)
Bioengineers and Biomedical engineering – 7 percent increase (1,500 new jobs)
Civil Engineering – 6 percent increase (22,100 new jobs)

It’s worth noting that all of these percentages are higher than the average growth expected across all U.S. occupations during that same decade (4 percent).

In Tennessee (TN) specifically, the expected percentages were even higher. According to Projections Central (2024), the top-growing subfields of engineering between 2022 and 2032 included:

Sales Engineers – 40.7 percent increase (370 new jobs)
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators – 25.3 percent increase (2,230 new jobs)
Industrial Engineers – 24.6 percent increase (1,600 new jobs)
Electronics Engineers, Except Computer – 23.9 percent increase (220 new jobs)
Environmental Engineers – 22.5 percent increase (270 new jobs)
Electrical Engineers – 18.4 percent increase (360 new jobs)
Mechanical Engineers – 16.7 percent increase (400 new jobs)
Biomedical Engineers – 15.4 percent increase (20 new jobs)
Materials Engineers – 14 percent increase (60 new jobs)
Chemical Engineers – 13.8 percent increase (80 new jobs)

For working engineers or for those just entering the industry, there’s another lure: the competitive compensation in engineering. To elaborate, while the average annual salary for all jobs in Tennessee was $56,030 (BLS, May 2023), the average compensation for all engineers was $83,670. Of course, the average annual wage for some types of engineers was actually much higher; for example, aerospace engineers earned $120,170 per year on average, and nuclear engineers made $133,780 in Tennessee.

Annual mean wages for some of the most popular fields of engineering in the state include:

Nuclear Engineers – $133,780 annual average salary
Aerospace Engineers – $120,170
Chemical Engineers – $115,440
Health and Safety Engineers – $109,240
Materials Engineers – $104,460

So how does a person enter this high-growth and well-paying career field in Tennessee? Not surprisingly, engineering occupations require technical skills and knowledge, and a majority of these professionals have at least a bachelor’s degree prior to seeking employment. While on-campus engineering programs are more traditional, aspiring engineers in Tennessee may consider distance-based programs, as well. Online engineering programs may be relatively new, yet they are hosted by renowned institutions and can provide a high-quality, more flexible education.

This guide explores the online engineering programs in Tennessee, including information about typical coursework, admission requirements, and accreditation information.

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Online Bachelor’s Degrees in Engineering in Tennessee

As mentioned above, to enter most fields of engineering in Tennessee, job candidates typically need at least a bachelor’s degree. Here are two distance-based bachelor’s degrees related to the field. Please note that a majority of online programs and the greatest variety of subfields exist at the graduate degree level.

Austin Peay State University

At Austin Peay State University of Clarksville, aspiring software engineers are able to pursue an online BS degree in computer information systems or computer information technology with concentrations available in networking; general information systems; web and database systems; and cybersecurity.

This program is offered entirely online and requires 120 credits. The core curriculum of the computer information systems program includes courses such as cloud computing; requirements and project management; systems analysis and design; technical and report writing; and discrete structures.

Core courses in the computer information technology program include introduction to information technology; discrete structures; mobile software development; client-side web development; and systems analysis and design.

Location: Clarksville, TN
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
Expected Time to Completion: Four years

Middle Tennessee State University

Aspiring computer engineers looking for a flexible degree program may be interested in pursuing an online BS in professional studies at the Middle Tennessee State University of Murfreesboro, which allows for a concentration in information technology. Helping students prepare for management positions in the fields of healthcare administration, business communications, or information technology, this online bachelor’s is particularly ideal for working adults.

This 120-credit professional studies major consists of foundation courses in statistics, communications, organizational systems, supervision, international context, and organizational relations. The information technology concentration centers on application development, information systems, security, web development, and data analytics. This specific program has been approved for the Academic Common Market, meaning that some out-of-state students will still receive in-state tuition.

Location: Murfreesboro, TN
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
Expected Time to Completion: Four years

Online Master’s Degrees in Engineering in Tennessee

While a master’s degree may not be required to work in most subfields of engineering, it can enhance one’s earning prospects, opportunities to work in leadership, and specialized knowledge.

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

College of Engineering and Computer Science

At the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, current bachelor’s degree holders have the opportunity to enhance their education by pursuing an MS degree in engineering management online. Addressing important topics such as quality control and management, engineering economics and finance, project management and scheduling, reliability, leadership and entrepreneurship, decision-making and optimization, value management, strategic management, and product development and marketing, this online program has optional concentration options in construction management and power.

This 33-credit program covers courses in engineering management, reliability engineering, product development, and quality management systems, among others. It is split between elective and core classes. This program can be completed entirely online, although students can choose to take up to 20 percent of their courses face-to-face.

Location: Chattanooga, TN
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
Expected Time to Completion: Two years

Tennessee Tech University

For engineers who want to pursue management roles, Tennessee Tech University offers an online master of science in engineering management. Geared towards early career professionals, this degree prepares graduates to manage technology-oriented projects, people, and organizations. Through a series of targeted courses, students will learn the necessary business and engineering skills to add value to their organization. This degree is offered entirely online, so students will never have to set foot on campus.

Offered collaboratively by the College of Business and the College of Engineering, this online program requires applicants to possess a bachelor’s degree from an accredited program in engineering, science, or related areas with a minimum GPA of 3.0 before seeking admission.

This 33-credit program includes courses such as statistical inference for engineers; introduction to engineering management; project management; decision analysis; accounting information for management decisions; financial management; strategic marketing; and organizational leadership.

Location: Cookeville, TN
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
Expected Time to Completion: Two-and-a-half years

Other Online Engineering Programs in Tennessee

Bachelor’s and master’s degrees aren’t the only options available for those interested in pursuing a distance-based education in the field of engineering. Here are two graduate certificates from TN-based institutions, which can also be completed online.

University of Memphis

The University of Memphis offers current or aspiring engineers the opportunity to enhance their education and leadership prospects by pursuing an online graduate certificate in applied lean leadership.

This program helps students develop a better understanding of lean principles and practices and is designed for students who are interested in or currently working full-time in the production industry. Students take more than 160 hours of classroom instruction during the course of this program.

This 12-credit program includes courses in project planning and scheduling, lean fundamentals, advanced quality control, production processes, and material handling.

Notably, for students who wish to know what an electrical or computer engineer does, The University of Memphis also offers an online graduate certificate in electrical and computer engineering – imaging and signal processing. This 12-credit program includes courses such as linear optical systems; image processing; digital signal processing; and random signals & noise.

Location: Memphis, TN
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
Expected Time to Completion: One year or less

University of Tennessee at Knoxville

At the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, students can pursue an online graduate certificate in reliability and maintainability engineering. This four-course program includes two required courses and two elective courses, which are intended to introduce the student to the fundamentals of maintenance engineering and reliability engineering, as well as to provide exposure to other fields of engineering. This program generally takes nine months to complete.

The program also has concentration options in computer engineering; chemical engineering; electrical engineering; materials science & engineering; industrial engineering; and nuclear engineering.

Courses include introduction to reliability engineering; introduction to maintenance engineering; statistical methods in industrial engineering; reliability of lean systems; equipment & system prognostics; and process system reliability & safety.

Location: Knoxville, TN
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
Expected Time to Completion: Nine months

Online Engineering Programs – What to Consider

Prior to enrolling in a distance-based engineering school, prospective students are encouraged to perform thorough research on the programs in which they are interested. Here are a few of the most important considerations:

How long does the program last? Can it be completed on a part-time basis?
What is the total cost of the program, including fees and other associated costs?
Do students need to visit the campus throughout the duration of the program?
Will students be required to travel for practical experience credits? Or can they perform these in their own home communities?
What are the student outcomes (e.g., employment rates) of program graduates?
What kind of distance-based student support services does the program offer?

In addition to these queries, aspiring engineering students should ensure that their school holds appropriate accreditation and state authorization status.

Accreditation

To achieve accreditation, a program must meet various requirements in regard to the education offered, the management of funds, the availability of student services, and other factors. This voluntary process is a proxy for program quality, but not all accreditation bodies are created equal.

When searching for a program, prospective students are encouraged to seek out schools with accreditation from an organization approved by the U.S. Department of Education’s Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

Furthermore, prospective students should note that accreditation can be offered on a national, regional, or programmatic level. Here are some established accreditation entities for engineering programs in Tennessee:

National accreditation

Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC)
Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET)
Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC)

Regional accreditation

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)

Programmatic accreditation

Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET)
Association of Technology, Management, and Applied Engineering (ATMAE)

State Authorization

In addition to accreditation, prospective students in Tennessee must ensure that they only apply to programs that are authorized to operate in the state. Of course, in many cases, this will not lead to any issues, particularly if they live in the same state as their program. Most schools with online programs display this information on their websites (e.g., TNeCampus), and for those that don’t, students should contact program administrators to ensure eligibility.

Admissions Requirements for Online Engineering Programs

While the admissions requirements for all online programs are not identical, the application process will be fairly similar across institutions for both on-campus and distance-based options. Here’s a brief overview of common application requirements for online engineering programs of varying degree levels:

Online Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering Requirements

Completed application and fee
Official transcripts with proof of prerequisite coursework (e.g., physics, chemistry, geometry, calculus, algebra, etc.), along with at least a 2.5 or 3.0 GPA
Letters of recommendation
Standardized test scores (e.g., SAT or ACT)
A personal essay or statement of purpose

Online Master’s Degree in Engineering Requirements

Completed application(s) and fee (NOTE: Some schools require separate applications to the graduate school and engineering department)
Official transcripts from an accredited bachelor’s degree program in engineering or a related field
Proof of prerequisite coursework (varies by specialty), along with at least a 3.0 GPA
Standardized test scores (e.g., GRE)
Two or more letters of recommendation
Personal essay or statement of purpose

Online Graduate or Professional Certificate Requirements

Completed application and fee
An engineering bachelor’s degree (or a related concentration)
Resume or CV
Letters of recommendation
A personal essay

Jocelyn Blore

After graduating from UC Berkeley, Jocelyn traveled the world for five years as an English teacher and freelance writer. After stints in England, Japan, and Brazil, she settled in San Francisco and worked as a managing editor for a tech company. She’s recently become interested in the underrepr...