| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Public community college in the Tennessee Board of Regents system, with a technical college (TCAT Chattanooga) inside it; day, evening, online and hybrid credit classes |
| Name | Chattanooga State Community College, now branded ChattState |
| Locations | Main campus in Chattanooga; sites in Kimball and Dayton; a truck driving range in Soddy-Daisy and the Construction Career Center in Chattanooga for single TCAT programs. All in Tennessee |
| Credentials | Associate degrees (AAS, plus AA/AS transfer pathways), credit certificates, and TCAT clock-hour diplomas and certificates |
| Typical length | 7.5 weeks (truck driving) to two and a half years (night nursing AAS); most TCAT diplomas 1,290 hours, about a year |
| Tuition 2026-27 | $197 per credit hour for Tennessee residents, $342 out of state; TCAT $1,591 per full semester with fees |
| Accreditation | The Commission on Colleges and Universities (named SACSCOC until 1 Sep 2026), for associate degrees |
| Federal aid | Yes (Title IV); Tennessee Promise and Tennessee Reconnect accepted, including at the TCAT |
| Admission | Open door; health programs have selective admission with their own deadlines |
| Students | About 8,600 in fall 2023, including about 1,470 at the TCAT (college fact book) |
| Founded | 1965, as Chattanooga State Technical Institute |
| Facts checked | October 2026 |
Chattanooga’s public college, with a technical college inside it
Chattanooga State Community College opened on 20 September 1965 as Chattanooga State Technical Institute, which sources describe as Tennessee’s first technical college and Southeast Tennessee’s first public institution of higher education. It became Chattanooga State Technical Community College in 1973 and took its current name in 2009, and it now calls itself ChattState. It is part of the Tennessee Board of Regents system.
Two things set it apart for career students. First, Tennessee College of Applied Technology Chattanooga is a division of the college rather than a separate school; Wikipedia describes it as the only TCAT that is part of a community college. Second, it runs a long list of accredited health programs, from nursing and radiography to dental hygiene and veterinary technology, most of them on the main campus.
How TCAT Chattanooga works
TCAT Chattanooga began in 1969 as Chattanooga Area Vocational Technical School, joined Chattanooga State in 1981 and has had its current name since 1 July 2013. Its programs differ from the college’s credit programs in several ways:
- Clock hours, not credits. A semester is 450 hours in fall and spring and 390 in summer. Most diplomas are 1,290 hours, three semesters or about a calendar year, and each semester completed earns an embedded certificate.
- Full-time only. Most programs meet Monday to Friday for 30 hours a week, by day (roughly 7:45 am to 2:30 pm) or evening (roughly 4:00 to 10:45 pm). There is no part-time option.
- Fixed start dates. New students enroll only in the first week of a semester, and some programs start only in fall.
- A flat semester rate. For Fall 2026 to Spring 2027 a full semester (341 to 450 hours) costs $1,446 in tuition, $1,591 with fees; welding adds $100. The college’s tuition table shows no separate out-of-state TCAT rate.
The TCAT’s overview page reports 77% completion, 86% placement and a 96% licensure pass rate across its programs, without a cohort year.
Career programs and where they are taught
The tables cover the main career programs. TCAT totals come from the college’s TCAT Program Costs table (updated 11 June 2026), include books and tools, and are calculated at $1,537 a semester, which appears to be the 2025-26 rate; at the 2026-27 rate of $1,591 they will be slightly higher. Credit-program totals are as printed on each program page, which does not always give a year. Many program pages list all three college sites in a standard footer; the sites below are those the college’s site pages and cost table confirm.
TCAT Chattanooga diplomas and certificates
| Program | Credential | Length and schedule | Where | Prepares for | Total cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Practical Nursing | Diploma | 1,296 hours, 3 semesters, day | Main | NCLEX-PN | $6,911 |
| Medical Assisting | Diploma | 1,290 hours, day | Main, Kimball | CMA, RMA or CCMA (CAAHEP-accredited) | $6,711 |
| Welding Technology | Diploma | 1,290 hours, day or evening | Main, Kimball, Dayton | Welding jobs (SMAW, GMAW, FCAW, GTAW) | $6,911 |
| Residential/Commercial Electricity | Diploma | 1,290 hours, day or evening | Main, Kimball, Dayton | Electrical wiring and systems (NCCER-accredited) | $6,011 |
| Industrial Automation and Robotics | Diploma | 1,939 hours (cost table; the program page says 2,130) | Main, Kimball, Dayton | Maintenance and automation technician | $6,661 |
| Computer Support Technician | Diploma | 1,290 hours, day | Main, Dayton | CompTIA A+, Network+, Security+ | $6,000 |
| HVAC/R Technician | Diploma | 1,290 hours (cost table), day or evening | Main | EPA 608; HVAC Excellence | $8,061 |
| Machine Tool Technology / CNC | Diploma / certificate | 1,290 / 450 hours | Main | Machinist (NIMS-accredited) | $6,461 / $1,537 |
| Building Construction Technology | Diploma | 1,290 hours, day | Construction Career Center | NCCER Core, OSHA 10 | $5,711 |
| Automotive, Collision, Diesel | Diplomas | 1,290 hours each in the cost table, day | Main | ASE tests; EPA 609 (automotive) | $5,361 to $8,111 |
| Motorcycle and Marine Services | Diploma | 1,290 hours, day | Main | NC3 multimeter and torque | $8,011 |
| Commercial Truck Driving | Certificate | 222 hours, about 7.5 weeks, day or evening | Soddy-Daisy | Class A CDL | $1,942 |
| Cosmetology / Barbering | Diplomas | 1,500 hours each, day or evening | Main | Tennessee cosmetology or barber license | $8,237 / $8,536 |
| Aesthetics | Certificate | 750 hours, day or evening | Main | Tennessee aesthetician license | $4,643 |
| Massage Therapy | Certificate | 650 hours, Tue to Fri by day | Main | MBLEx | $3,826 |
The TCAT also teaches Landscape and Turf Management, Business Office Specialist, R-BEST (a sponsored road-building equipment program with two paid dealership internships), Drone Technology, Mental Health Technician and instructor certificates in cosmetology and barbering.
Credit health programs
| Program | Credential | Length | Where | Prepares for / accreditation | Published cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing (RN) | AAS | 2 years by day, 2.5 at night; Transition track for LPNs and paramedics | Main, Kimball | NCLEX-RN (ACEN) | $11,938 in state (day) |
| Radiologic Technology | AAS | About 2 years | Main | ARRT radiography (JRCERT) | – |
| Physical Therapist Assistant | AAS | – | Main | NPTE for PTAs (CAPTE) | – |
| Dental Hygiene / Dental Assisting | AAS / certificate (3 semesters) | – | Main | Dental hygiene boards / CODA-accredited assisting | Assisting $10,613 in state |
| Respiratory Care | AAS | 69 credits, 5 semesters | Main | CoARC-accredited | – |
| Surgical Technology | AAS | 5 semesters | Main | CST (CAAHEP) | – |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonography | Certificate | 48 credits, 12 months; prior degree required | Main | CAAHEP-accredited | – |
| Veterinary Technology | AAS | 66 credits, 5 semesters | Main | AVMA CVTEA-accredited | – |
| Pharmacy Technology | Certificates | 16 + 14 credits | Main | PTCB (ASHP/ACPE) | – |
| EMT / Paramedic | Certificate / AAS | EMT 16 credits, 1 semester | EMT: Main, Kimball, Dayton; Paramedic: Main | National Registry (paramedic CAAHEP/CoAEMSP) | EMT $3,880 first semester in state |
| Medical Coding and Billing | AAS | 60 credits, 4 semesters; on campus at least a day a week | Main | CPC (exam fee included) | $11,980 in state |
| Medical Laboratory Technology | AAS | 5 semesters | Main | Seeking NAACLS accreditation | – |
Other credit career degrees, all on the main campus, include Engineering Technology (with concentrations from construction and drafting to nuclear power, non-destructive testing and welding engineering technology), Mechatronics Technology, Computer Information Technology (Cyber Defense, Networking, Programming), Digital Media Design and Production, Business, Hospitality and Tourism Management (including Culinary Arts), Paralegal Studies, Criminal Justice and the NAEYC-accredited Early Childhood Education AAS. Computer science, psychology, theater, finance, marketing, accounting and mass communication are offered only as transfer pathways (A.A., A.S. or A.F.A.), not as career credentials.
What the main programs cover
Nursing AAS (RN)
The RN program has two tracks. The Traditional track takes two years by day or two and a half years at night, and is taught at the main campus and the Kimball Instructional Site. The Transition track is for licensed practical nurses and paramedics: it starts in summer and then takes one to one and a half years. Both are accredited by ACEN and approved by the Tennessee Board of Nursing. Admission is selective, using the TEAS and a point system, and applications are due 1 March.
Practical Nursing (TCAT)
The LPN diploma is 1,296 clock hours over three semesters, by day from 8:00 am to 3:20 pm on the main campus, and ends in the NCLEX-PN. It is cohort-based, with application deadlines of 1 December, 1 April and 1 July. Applicants need a high school diploma or GED and placement scores on ACCUPLACER or the ACT: college-level reading and level 4 math. Like all TCAT programs it is full-time, so plan on about a year of weekday classes.
Welding Technology (TCAT)
The welding diploma is 1,290 clock hours in three semesters, with day and evening sections at the main campus and classes at the Kimball site and the Dayton Welding Lab. Students work through oxy-fuel cutting and the four main arc processes: shielded metal arc (SMAW), gas metal arc (GMAW), flux-cored (FCAW) and gas tungsten arc (GTAW). The program page does not name AWS certification. Each semester in 2026-27 carries a $100 welding fee on top of the standard TCAT rate.
HVAC/R Technician (TCAT)
The HVAC/R diploma builds in stages: the first semester earns a Mechanic Helper certificate, the second a Residential Unit Repairer certificate, and the third the diploma. Along the way students take the federal EPA 608 refrigerant exam and HVAC Excellence tests in air conditioning, gas heat, heat pumps and electrical. Day and evening sections run on the main campus. The college reports 72% placement, lower than most TCAT trade programs on its pages.
Industrial Automation and Robotics (TCAT)
This diploma, called Industrial Maintenance Mechatronics Technician at the Kimball site, trains maintenance technicians for automated plants. Coursework covers programmable logic controllers, human-machine interfaces, industrial robotics and hydraulic and pneumatic systems, with a FANUC robotics pathway. It is one of the longest TCAT programs: 1,939 hours over five semesters in the cost table, 2,130 on the program page. It runs day or evening on the main campus and by day at Kimball and Dayton.
Commercial Truck Driving (TCAT)
The truck driving certificate is 222 clock hours over about 7.5 weeks at the Soddy-Daisy range, on a day (8 am to 3 pm) or evening (3:30 to 10:30 pm) schedule, and prepares students for the Class A CDL. Entry rules are strict: applicants must be 18, already hold a Class A learner’s permit, have no more than three violations or accidents in three years and no alcohol or drug convictions in five, and pass a DOT drug screen and physical.
Cost and paying for it
Credit tuition for Fall 2026 to Spring 2027, from the college’s tuition and fees table:
| Per credit hour | Full-time semester (12 credits), with fees | |
|---|---|---|
| Tennessee resident | $197 | $2,549 |
| Out of state | $342 | $4,289 |
The semester figures include a $50 program services fee and a $135 technology fee. In fall and spring, tuition stops rising after 12 credits; in summer it does not. Online TN eCampus courses add about $78 a credit (as summarized from the college’s fee page). TCAT programs are priced by the semester instead ($1,591 with fees for a full semester in 2026-27), and the college publishes program totals including books and tools, from $1,537 for the one-semester CNC certificate to $8,536 for barbering.
Many Tennessee students can pay less through two state programs, both of which ChattState and TCAT Chattanooga accept:
- Tennessee Promise is for graduating Tennessee high school seniors. It is a last-dollar award that covers tuition and mandatory fees left after other grants, but not books or online fees. The Class of 2027 must apply by 2 November 2026, file the FAFSA, attend required meetings, do 8 hours of community service before each term, enroll full-time and keep a 2.0 GPA.
- Tennessee Reconnect is for adult Tennessee residents with no associate or bachelor’s degree who are independent on the FAFSA or 23 or older by 1 January of the academic year. At the college students must keep a 2.0 GPA and take at least 6 credits each fall and spring; the TCAT version requires full-time enrollment in a certificate or diploma.
Federal student aid is available. For veterans the college names Chapter 31 (Veteran Readiness and Employment) and Chapter 33 (Post-9/11 GI Bill) benefits, holds Tennessee VETS Campus certification (the TCAT was certified in August 2022) and gives credit for prior military learning. Niche, using federal data, puts the average net price at $5,908 a year.
Admission, start dates and schedules
ChattState has open-door admission, but most health programs choose students using the TEAS and a point system and take applications once a year: dental hygiene by the first Monday in February, nursing by 1 March, physical therapist assistant by the first Monday in March, radiologic technology by 1 May, sonography in mid-May, dental assisting by 15 May and surgical technology by 15 November. Credit classes run day, evening, online and hybrid. TCAT students start in the first week of a semester and attend full-time; R-BEST and practical nursing run as cohorts, and CNC needs machine-tool training or experience first.
Accreditation and results
ChattState is accredited by The Commission on Colleges and Universities to award the associate degree, and may also award certificates and diplomas. The college’s accreditation page still uses the agency’s former name, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), which it dropped on 1 September 2026. Many health programs hold their own accreditation: ACEN for nursing, CAPTE for the PTA program, JRCERT for radiologic technology, CODA for dental assisting, CoARC for respiratory care, CAAHEP for surgical technology, sonography, medical assisting and paramedic, AVMA CVTEA for veterinary technology and ASHP/ACPE for pharmacy technology. Medical laboratory technology is seeking NAACLS accreditation and does not yet have it.
Published licensing and certification results, as each program page gives them:
| Program | Measure | Result | Cohort | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing AAS (RN) | NCLEX-RN first-time pass | 98.54% | 2024 | Nursing program page |
| Radiologic Technology | ARRT first-attempt pass | 100% (122 of 122) | 5-year average | Program page |
| Physical Therapist Assistant | NPTE ultimate pass | 91.3% | 2024-25 two-year average | Program page |
| Dental Hygiene | National and clinical boards | 100% and 100% | 2025 | Program page |
| Surgical Technology | CST pass | 70% (93% in 2023) | 2024 | Program page |
| Medical Assisting (TCAT) | Certification exam pass | 87.5% | 2023 | Program page |
| Pharmacy Technology | PTCB pass | 100% | Class of 2022 | Program page |
| Massage Therapy (TCAT) | MBLEx pass | 93% | Not dated | Program page |
| EMT | National Registry written exam | 33% to 71.1% by cohort | Not dated | Program page |
The practical nursing program page does not publish an NCLEX-PN pass rate. College-wide, Niche (using federal data; checked October 2026) shows a 30% graduation rate and median earnings of $45,322 five years after graduation.
Before you enroll
- TCAT programs are full-time only. You attend about 30 hours a week and can start only in the first week of a semester, which is hard to fit around a full-time job.
- The smaller sites teach only a few programs. Many program pages list Main, Kimball and Dayton in a standard footer, but Kimball’s and Dayton’s own pages name only a handful of programs each. Ask where every course in your program meets before you choose a site.
- Check the newest and weakest results. Medical laboratory technology is not yet accredited and has no published results (the college gives 2026 for its first class); surgical technology’s CST pass rate fell to 70% in 2024; EMT written-exam pass rates range from 33% to 71.1% by cohort.
- Some health programs are not entry points. Sonography requires a prior degree, mammography is for registered radiographers, and the online Health Sciences AAS is for people who already hold a health credential and want to move into supervision.
- Out-of-state students pay much more for credit programs ($342 a credit hour against $197), and the medical coding AAS lists $39,700 for non-residents against $11,980 for Tennessee residents.
Five places to study
- Main campus, 4501 Amnicola Highway, Chattanooga: almost every program, including all credit health programs and most of the TCAT.
- Kimball site, 2100 Main Street, Kimball (Marion County): nursing (RN), medical assisting, welding, electricity, mechatronics, EMT and chemical operator training.
- Dayton site, 815 Delaware Avenue, in the Rhea County Higher Education Center, which opened in spring 2026 and replaced the Dayton Skills Center on 4th Avenue: welding, automation and robotics, electricity, computer support and EMT.
- Truck driving range, 9090 Dayton Pike, Soddy-Daisy: commercial truck driving only.
- Construction Career Center, 2225 Roanoke Avenue, Chattanooga, in a Hamilton County Schools building: building construction only.
The Volkswagen Academy at VW’s Chattanooga plant trains the company’s own apprentices and is not open enrollment, and the Polytech and Early College academies are dual-enrollment partnerships for high school students, so none of them is listed as a campus.
Employer ties and career help
Several programs have named employer links. R-BEST students are sponsored by equipment dealerships and complete two paid dealership internships; Automotive Technology includes Ford ACE, Subaru and Toyota factory training; and the Computer Information Technology program lists CHATECH, EPB and BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee as partners. The medical assisting practicum is a 40-hour-a-week placement in the final semester.
What students say
On Niche, ChattState has a 3.87 out of 5 average from 609 reviews (checked 6 October 2026), with an overall Niche grade of B. Reviewers most often praise caring, knowledgeable instructors and small classes, the low cost with Tennessee Promise or Reconnect, and practical, job-focused TCAT programs. The most common complaints are slow or unclear answers from the financial aid and admissions offices, some outdated facilities, and online courses that reviewers felt were designed for the classroom; a few mention the lack of campus activities.
Most ratings are 4 stars (243) or 3 stars (178), with only 27 at 1 or 2 stars, and recent reviews are mostly positive. We could not see enough review dates to check for bursts of reviews, and we did not use Google reviews, which we cannot read or count directly.
Sources
Checked October 2026: Our Campus · TCAT overview · TCAT program costs (June 2026) · Tuition and fees, 2026-27 · Accreditations · Nursing AAS · Tennessee Promise at ChattState · Niche reviews
Programs & Courses
Nursing
- Nursing AAS (RN), Traditional track: day or night
- Nursing AAS, Transition track for LPNs and paramedics
- Practical Nursing diploma (TCAT, LPN)
Imaging and therapy
- Radiologic Technology AAS
- Mammography certificate (for registered radiographers)
- MRI
- Nuclear Medicine Technology AAS and certificate
- Radiation Therapy Technology
- Diagnostic Medical Sonography certificate
- Cardiovascular Sonography certificate
- Physical Therapist Assistant AAS
- Respiratory Care AAS
Dental, lab, pharmacy and other health
- Dental Hygiene AAS
- Dental Assisting certificate and AAS
- Surgical Technology AAS
- Medical Laboratory Technology AAS (seeking NAACLS accreditation)
- Pharmacy Technology certificates (Entry Level and Advanced)
- Medical Assisting diploma (TCAT)
- Medical Coding and Billing AAS
- Veterinary Technology AAS
- Mental Health Technician certificate (TCAT)
- Health Sciences AAS (online, for already-credentialed health workers moving into supervision)
Emergency medical services
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) technical certificate
- Advanced EMT (AEMT) technical certificate
- Paramedic AAS with embedded technical certificate
TCAT trades and transportation
- Welding Technology diploma
- Residential/Commercial Electricity diploma
- HVAC/R Technician diploma
- Industrial Automation and Robotics diploma (Industrial Maintenance Mechatronics Technician at Kimball)
- Machine Tool Technology diploma
- Computer Numeric Control (CNC) certificate
- Building Construction Technology diploma
- Automotive Technology diploma
- Collision Repair Technology diploma
- Diesel Equipment Technology diploma
- Road Building Equipment Service Technician (R-BEST) diploma
- Motorcycle and Marine Services diploma
- Landscape and Turf Management diploma
- Commercial Truck Driving certificate (Class A CDL)
- Drone Technology certificate
TCAT beauty, massage and office
- Cosmetology diploma
- Barbering diploma
- Aesthetics certificate
- Cosmetology Instructor and Barbering Instructor certificates
- Massage Therapy certificate
- Business Office Specialist diploma
- Computer Support Technician diploma
Engineering technology and manufacturing
- Engineering Technology AAS (concentrations include Construction, Design/Drafting, Mechanical, Civil, Chemical, Industrial, Nuclear Power, Radiation Protection, Solar Energy, QA/QC, Non-Destructive Testing, Welding Engineering Technology and Motorsports)
- Mechatronics Technology AAS
- Electrical Engineering Technology AAS
- Electric Vehicle Engineering Technology AAS
- Engineering Systems Technology AAS
- CAD Technology certificate
- Welding certificates: Visual Inspection, Automation, Advanced GMAW/GTAW/SMAW
- Non-Destructive Testing certificates (Surface, Volumetric)
- Automated Manufacturing, Automotive Production Technology and Lean Practitioner certificates
- Chemical Operator Technology certificate (Kimball)
Computers, web and media
- Computer Information Technology AAS: Cyber Defense, Networking, Programming
- Web Programming technical certificate
- Web Design technical certificate
- Digital Media Design and Production AAS: Graphic Arts Technology, Media Technologies
- Digital Media and Professional Film and Television Training certificates
Business, hospitality, law and education
- Business AAS: Management, Entrepreneurship, Administrative Professional Technology
- Office Systems Specialist certificate
- Hospitality and Tourism Management AAS: Culinary Arts, Food and Beverage Management, Hotel Management, Tourism
- Paralegal Studies AAS and technical certificate
- Criminal Justice AAS
- Early Childhood Education AAS and technical certificates
Campus Locations
Chattanooga, TN (Main Campus) 4501 Amnicola Highway, Chattanooga, TN 37406
Chattanooga (Kimball), TN 2100 Main Street, Kimball, TN 37347
Dayton, TN 815 Delaware Avenue, Dayton, TN 37321
Chattanooga (Soddy-Daisy), TN 9090 Dayton Pike, Soddy-Daisy, TN 37379
Chattanooga, TN (Construction Career Center) 2225 Roanoke Ave, Chattanooga, TN 37406