Southwest Tennessee Community College

737 Union Avenue
Memphis, TN 38103
Top Ranked (2024): View Rankings
  • Southwest has an outstanding and highly dedicated faculty and staff who are committed to your success. Our mission is to anticipate and respond to the educational needs of students, employers, and communities within our service area. We strive to provide an effective teaching and learning environment designed to raise educational levels, enhance economic development, and enrich personal lives. As a comprehensive, open-access, culturally diverse, public two-year college, Southwest is committed to meeting the educational needs of individual students, communities, and employers through credit and non-credit instruction using both distance learning technology and traditional campus-based classes. Southwest promotes student success in a supportive teaching and learning environment designed to raise educational levels, promote work readiness skills, enhance career advancement, prepare for university transfer, and enrich personal lives.

School Highlights

Southwest Tennessee Community College serves 7,371 students (44% of students are full-time).
The college's student:teacher ratio of 9:1 is lower than the state community college average of 12:1.
Minority enrollment is 65% of the student body (majority Black), which is more than the state average of 27%.

Quick Stats (2024)

  • Enrollment: 7,371 students
  • In-state tuition: $3,843
  • Out-state tuition: $14,907
  • Acceptance Rate: 100%
  • Student:teacher ratio: 9:1
  • Minority enrollment: 65%
  • Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

Top Rankings

Southwest Tennessee Community College ranks among the top 20% of public schools in Tennessee for:

School Overview

The teacher population of 788 teachers has stayed relatively flat over five years.
Southwest Tennessee Community College
(TN) Community College Avg.
Carnegie Classification
Associates Colleges
Associates Colleges
Institution Level
At least 2 but less than 4 years
At least 2 but less than 4 years
Institution Control
Public
Private, for profit
Total Faculty
788 staff
152 staff
This chart display total faculty of Southwest Tennessee Community College and community college average number of faculty in TN by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.

Student Body

The student population of Southwest Tennessee Community College has declined by 21% over five years.
The student:teacher ratio of 9:1 has decreased from 12:1 over five years.
The Southwest Tennessee Community College diversity score of 0.59 is more than the state average of 0.44. The school's diversity has grown by 11% over five years.
Total Enrollment
7,371 students
2,876 students
This chart display the total enrollment of Southwest Tennessee Community College and community college average number of enrollment of TN by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Student : Teacher Ratio
9:1
12:1
This chart display the student staff ratio of Southwest Tennessee Community College and community college average student staff ratio of TN by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
# Full-Time Students
3,243 students
1,129 students
This chart display the total number of Full-time students enrollment of Southwest Tennessee Community College and average number of community college Full-time students enrollment of TN by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
# Part-Time Students
4,128 students
1,747 students
This chart display the total number of Part-time students enrollment of Southwest Tennessee Community College and average number of community college Part-time students enrollment of TN by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
This chart display the Full-time students and Part-time students enrollment breakdown of Southwest Tennessee Community College.
This chart display community college average Full-Time students and Part-Time students enrollment breakdown of TN.
# Enrollment Undergraduate
613 students
403 students
# Full-Time Undergraduate Students
3,243 students
1,129 students
This chart display the total number of Full-time undergraduate students enrollment of Southwest Tennessee Community College and average number of community college Full-time undergraduate  students enrollment of TN by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
# Full-Time Graduate Students
n/a
8 students
# Part-Time Undergraduate Students
4,128 students
2,251 students
# Part-Time Graduate Students
n/a
12 students
Total Dormitory Capacity
n/a
195 students
% Asian
2%
2%
This chart display the percentage of Asian students in Southwest Tennessee Community College and the percentage of Asian community college students in TN by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Hispanic
6%
5%
This chart display the percentage of Hispanic students in Southwest Tennessee Community College and the percentage of Hispanic community college students in TN by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Black
53%
15%
This chart display the percentage of Black students in Southwest Tennessee Community College and the percentage of Black community college students in TN by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% White
35%
73%
This chart display the percentage of White students in Southwest Tennessee Community College and the percentage of White community college students in TN by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Two or more races
2%
3%
This chart display the percentage of Two or more races students in Southwest Tennessee Community College and the percentage of Two or more races community college students in TN by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Non Resident races
1%
n/a
This chart display the percentage of Non Resident students in Southwest Tennessee Community College and the percentage of Non Resident community college students in TN by year, with the latest 2012-13 school year data.
% Unknown races
n/a
2%
This chart display the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in Southwest Tennessee Community College.
This chart display the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in TN.
Diversity Score
0.59
0.44
This chart display the diversity score of Southwest Tennessee Community College and the community college average diversity score of TN by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in less than 4 years)
12%
30%
This chart display completion rates for First-Time of Full-time students of Southwest Tennessee Community College and community college average completion rates for First-Time of Full-time students of TN by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in 4 years or more than 4 years)
n/a
0.59%
Average Graduate Earnings (10 Years)
$28,300
$29,000
This chart display average graduate earnings (10 Years) of Southwest Tennessee Community College and community college average graduate earnings (10 Years) of TN by year, disaggregated by student subgroups with the latest 2012-13 school year data.

Tuition and Acceptance Rate

The public in-state tuition of $3,843 is less than the state average of $5,146. The in-state tuition has declined by 7% over four years.
The public out-state tuition of $14,907 is less than the state average of $15,687. The out-state tuition has declined by 7% over four years.
In-State Tuition Fees
$3,843
$5,146
This chart display tuition fees for an in-state student of Southwest Tennessee Community College and the public community college average tuition fees for an in-state student of TN by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Out-State Tuition Fees
$14,907
$15,687
This chart display tuition fees for an out-of-state student of Southwest Tennessee Community College and the public community college average tuition fees for an out-of-state student of TN by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Students Receiving Some Financial Aid
95%
97%
This chart display the percent of students who is receiving some financial aid in Southwest Tennessee Community College and the percent of community college students who is receiving some financial aid in TN by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Median Debt for Graduates
n/a
$11,059
Median Debt for Dropouts
n/a
$5,000
Acceptance Rate
100%
83%
This chart display the percent admitted of Southwest Tennessee Community College and the community college average percent admitted of TN by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
SAT Total Avg.
417
455
SAT Reading (Year 2012)
430
455
SAT Math
417
455
This chart display the SAT Math score of Southwest Tennessee Community College and the community college average SAT Math score of TN by year, with the latest 2012-13 school year data.
SAT Writing
n/a
469
ACT Total Avg.
48
58
ACT Composite
16
20
This chart display the ACT Composite score of Southwest Tennessee Community College and the community college average ACT Composite score of TN by year, with the latest 2012-13 school year data.
ACT English
16
19
This chart display the ACT English score of Southwest Tennessee Community College and the community college average ACT English score of TN by year, with the latest 2012-13 school year data.
ACT Math
16
19
This chart display the ACT Math score of Southwest Tennessee Community College and the community college average ACT Math score of TN by year, with the latest 2012-13 school year data.
Source: 2021 (or latest year available) Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

School Notes

  • Southwest Tennessee Community College has a number of Campuses, Centers, and Sites to make getting your degree more convenient. The Macon Cove Campus at 5983 Macon Cove, Memphis, TN, 38134, is right off the I-40 and I-240 expressways in the eastern part of the city. Southwest's intensive technology programs are based at Macon Cove. Through multiple partnerships, alliances, licensing and certification programs, service grants, and extensive computer training facilities, Southwest has forged strong, mutually supportive ties to business and industry in the metropolitan area. Macon's 100-acre campus offers a suburban ambiance, enhanced by a quiet lake that provides year-round habitat to flocks of ducks and other waterfowl. The College Offers Associate of Applied Science, Associate of Arts, and Associate of Science degrees, academic and technical certificate programs, and courses that prepare students for transfer, employment, and career advancement in areas that include allied health sciences, nursing, business, computer technologies, criminal justice, education, and engineering and related technologies, while continually developing new programs in emerging fields. Southwest is accredited to award associate degrees by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Southwest Tennessee Community College cost?
Southwest Tennessee Community College's tuition is approximately $3,843 for In-State students and $14,907 for Out-State students.
What is the acceptance rate of Southwest Tennessee Community College?
The acceptance rate of Southwest Tennessee Community College is 100%, which is higher than the state average of 83%.
What is Southwest Tennessee Community College's ranking?
Southwest Tennessee Community College ranks among the top 20% of community college in Tennessee for: Diversity in US community colleges, Average community college minority breakdown and Largest student body.

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Quick Stats (2024)

  • Enrollment: 7,371 students
  • In-state tuition: $3,843
  • Out-state tuition: $14,907
  • Acceptance Rate: 100%
  • Student:teacher ratio: 9:1
  • Minority enrollment: 65%
  • Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

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Did You Know?

Shelby County, TN community colleges have a diversity score of 0.53, which is lower than the national average of 0.70. The most diverse community college in Shelby County, TN is William R Moore College of Technology. Read more about community college diversity statistics in the USA.

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