Tennessee has 23 ranked associate's HR programs, with public community colleges charging $4,224/year ([IPEDS 2023](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/)). The state's 10 Fortune 500 companies (2025), no state income tax, and ongoing corporate relocations to Nashville create steady demand for entry-level HR staff. HR managers in Tennessee earn a median of $112,890 ([BLS OES 2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/)).
Why Tennessee for an Associate's in HR
Tennessee offers a rare combination for aspiring HR professionals: a deep corporate employer base, low cost of living, and no state income tax on wages or salaries. The state's 10 Fortune 500 companies (2025 Fortune list) span healthcare (HCA Healthcare, #61), logistics (FedEx, #49), retail (Dollar General, #112), and manufacturing (Eastman Chemical). Nashville's healthcare management cluster and Memphis's global logistics hub each provide distinct HR career tracks.
Community college tuition runs $4,224/year at most Tennessee Board of Regents institutions (IPEDS 2023). The state's Tennessee Reconnect program provides last-dollar tuition-free community college for adults without a degree, making an associate's in HR accessible to career changers. Programs at Volunteer State (Gallatin), Nashville State, and Pellissippi State (Knoxville) all maintain transfer agreements with four-year Tennessee universities.
Entry-level HR roles in Tennessee pay $36,800 to $41,400 (BLS OES 2024). While lower than coastal states, the absence of state income tax means take-home pay is proportionally higher. Nashville HR assistants at HCA Healthcare and Community Health Systems start at the upper end of that range due to healthcare industry premiums.
Regional HR Markets: Nashville vs Memphis vs Knoxville vs Chattanooga
Tennessee Employer Landscape for Entry-Level HR
HCA Healthcare (#61 Fortune 500, Nashville) operates roughly 200 hospitals nationwide and employs 271,000 people. Community Health Systems (Franklin) operates 70+ hospitals. HR assistants at these organizations manage high-volume onboarding for clinical staff, process credentialing paperwork, and coordinate shift-based scheduling. Nashville's concentration of healthcare management firms creates the state's densest HR labor market.
FedEx (#49 Fortune 500, Memphis) employs 422,000+ people globally. AutoZone (#227, Memphis) operates 7,000+ stores. HR coordinators in logistics manage seasonal hiring surges, distribution center onboarding, and DOT compliance documentation. Memphis's logistics cluster produces steady demand for payroll coordinators who can handle shift differentials and overtime calculations.
Dollar General (#112, Goodlettsville) operates 20,000+ stores and is one of the fastest-growing retailers in the U.S. Tractor Supply (Brentwood) operates 2,200+ stores. Both companies hire HR assistants for corporate offices and regional operations centers, with roles focused on mass hiring, turnover analytics, and benefits administration for large hourly workforces.
No Income Tax: What It Means for HR Careers
Tennessee has no state income tax on wages, salaries, or earned personal income. Amendment 3 to the Tennessee Constitution (2014) permanently prohibits state and local governments from taxing payroll or earned income. For HR professionals earning $39,000 to $42,000 at the entry level, this means approximately $1,500 to $2,000 more in annual take-home pay compared to a state with a 4-5% income tax.
The tax environment also drives corporate relocations. Companies like Nissan, Bridgestone, Dell, and Medtronic have established or expanded operations in Tennessee, creating onboarding, culture integration, and workforce planning workload for HR departments. Each relocation generates demand for HR assistants and payroll coordinators who can process new-hire paperwork, set up benefits enrollment, and orient transferring employees.
Lincoln Memorial University
Ranked #1 in Tennessee for associate's HR programs with a score of 51.9/100, based on program output, curriculum quality, student success, and institutional resources (IPEDS 2023).
Program Highlights
- Score: 51.9/100
- Private university
Bryan College-Dayton
Ranked #2 in Tennessee with a score of 48.8/100. Small private college with personalized instruction.
Program Highlights
- Score: 48.8/100
- Small class sizes
Johnson University
Ranked #3 with a score of 48.4/100. Online delivery with flexible scheduling for working adults in the Knoxville metro area.
Program Highlights
- Score: 48.4/100
- Online delivery
- Knoxville metro access
Program
- 60 credits
| 1 | Lincoln Memorial University | Harrogate, TN | Private | $25,680 | — | 2 | 51.9 |
| 2 | Bryan College-Dayton | Dayton, TN | Private | $18,300 | — | 2 | 48.8 |
| 3 | Johnson University | Knoxville, TN | Private | $18,428 | — | 3 | 48.4 |
| 4 | Trevecca Nazarene University | Nashville, TN | Private | $28,590 | — | 8 | 44.9 |
| 5 | Southern Adventist University | Collegedale, TN | Private | $24,350 | — | 1 | 44.3 |
| 6 | Volunteer State Community College | Gallatin, TN | Public | $4,224 | — | 81 | 41.4 |
| 7 | Williamson Christian College | Franklin, TN | Private | $13,560 | — | 1 | 40 |
| 8 | Pellissippi State Community College | Knoxville, TN | Public | $4,224 | — | 61 | 39.1 |
| 9 | Austin Peay State University | Clarksville, TN | Public | $7,008 | — | 4 | 38.6 |
| 10 | Welch College | Gallatin, TN | Private | $20,796 | — | 2 | 38.6 |
| 11 | Walters State Community College | Morristown, TN | Public | $4,224 | — | 56 | 38.5 |
| 12 | Cleveland State Community College | Cleveland, TN | Public | $4,224 | — | 55 | 38.4 |
| 13 | Nashville State Community College | Nashville, TN | Public | $4,224 | — | 51 | 37.9 |
| 14 | Northeast State Community College | Blountville, TN | Public | $4,224 | — | 51 | 37.9 |
| 15 | Motlow State Community College | Tullahoma, TN | Public | $4,224 | — | 42 | 36.6 |
| 16 | Columbia State Community College | Columbia, TN | Public | $4,564 | — | 38 | 36.1 |
| 17 | Chattanooga State Community College | Chattanooga, TN | Public | $4,224 | — | 36 | 35.7 |
| 18 | Remington College-Nashville Campus | Nashville, TN | Private | $21,230 | — | 3 | 35.4 |
| 19 | Southwest Tennessee Community College | Memphis, TN | Public | $4,224 | — | 32 | 35.1 |
| 20 | Roane State Community College | Harriman, TN | Public | $4,452 | — | 28 | 34.4 |
| 21 | Jackson State Community College | Jackson, TN | Public | $4,224 | — | 25 | 33.9 |
| 22 | Miller-Motte College-Chattanooga | Chattanooga, TN | For-Profit | $0 | — | 41 | 32.4 |
| 23 | Dyersburg State Community College | Dyersburg, TN | Public | $4,224 | — | 12 | 31 |
Tennessee HR Salary by Experience Level
Associate's graduates in Tennessee start at $36,800 to $42,000, with Nashville healthcare employers paying the highest entry-level wages. Within 3 to 5 years, professionals who earn an aPHR or complete a bachelor's degree advance to HR specialist roles paying $50,000 to $59,430. The no-income-tax advantage means these salaries stretch further than comparable positions in Georgia, North Carolina, or Kentucky.
Career Paths
Processes onboarding for clinical staff at HCA Healthcare, manages employee records at distribution centers, and coordinates orientation for corporate relocations.
Calculates overtime and shift differentials for FedEx distribution workers, processes payroll for Dollar General's 20,000+ store operations.
Screens applicants for seasonal distribution hiring at FedEx and AutoZone, coordinates healthcare staffing at HCA and Community Health Systems.
Administers health insurance enrollment for large hourly workforces, processes COBRA paperwork, and manages open enrollment periods.
Tennessee HR Associate's Programs FAQ
Associate's in HR Programs in Nearby States
IPEDS 2023, SHRM Academic Alignment, AACSB, ACBSP
HR degree completions from IPEDS 2023
SHRM alignment (+15 pts) and AACSB (+10) or ACBSP (+5) accreditation
6-year graduation rate from IPEDS 2023
Carnegie 2021 classification
Completeness of IPEDS reporting
Data Sources
Rankings based on the 5-factor HR Program Quality Index.
- 1.IPEDS 2023 — Program completions, tuition, and graduation rates
- 2.Bureau of Labor Statistics OES 2024 — HR occupation salaries
- 3.Tax Foundation — Tennessee tax structure
Last updated: March 2026
Related Resources
Taylor Rupe
Education Researcher & Data Analyst
B.A. Psychology, University of Washington · B.S. Computer Science, Oregon State University
Taylor combines training in behavioral science with data analysis to evaluate HR education programs. His research methodology uses IPEDS completion data, BLS employment statistics, and SHRM alignment data to produce evidence-based program rankings.