Founded September 11, 1911, Middle Tennessee State University is proud of its more than 110-year commitment to academic excellence and student success. A large regional university with a national reputation, MTSU is a top choice for transfer students, veterans and adult learners in Tennessee.
“For more than a century, so many have come to MTSU to find purpose and direction and to change the trajectory of their lives for the better,” said MTSU President Dr. Sidney A. McPhee. “We provide unparalleled opportunities to students from all walks of life.”
MTSU is located on more than 500 acres and offers more than 300 programs of study and hundreds of student organizations and clubs. It's also the largest contributor to the workforce in Middle Tennessee, with over 70 percent of its graduates remaining in the state.
With more than $1.5 billion invested in new and remodeled infrastructure in the last decade, students benefit from state-of-the-art facilities and resources that can't be matched.
From a 500-acre agriculture lab minutes away from campus to new state-of-the-art recording studios to a multimillion-dollar School of Concrete and Construction Management building, MTSU has it all.
Devoted To Student Success
While it boasts around 20,000 students, MTSU prides itself on its small-town feel.
"We pride ourselves in providing as much personal attention to students as possible, so they don't feel like a number or get lost in the crowd," said University Registrar Dr. Tyler Henson.
In its dedication to student success, the university developed initiatives that ensure every student who comes to MTSU with drive will receive the best instruction from professors and services from administrators.
MT One Stop is a one-stop shop where students can get help with enrollment, registration, financial aid, billing, transcripts, etc. Students and potential students can schedule appointments or meet with enrollment coordinators virtually.
MTSU also offers free tutoring, a student food pantry, counseling services and more.
"Students have enough to worry about on a daily basis, so anywhere we can cut down on their time and stress, we like to do so," Henson said.
Academic Excellence and Affordability
In 2024, for a sixth consecutive year, MTSU was named one of the top 389 universities in the United States by The Princeton Review. The university also ranked among America’s best by The Wall Street Journal, Forbes and U.S. News and World Report.
When interviewed by The Princeton Review, students said:
- MTSU takes the time to "foster an environment of care for each and every student."
- The campus is big but "feels like a comfortable and home-like school…"
- "At a school as large as MTSU, you see all types (of students) from different ends of the spectrum."
- "No matter who they are," people at MTSU are "extremely friendly and inclusive."
As one of the most affordable universities across Tennessee, MTSU's tuition is just under $10,000 per year for full-time, in-state students. More than 75% of students receive financial aid, 53% of students graduate debt-free, and 1 in 6 graduates in the greater Nashville area are MTSU alums, making the university the top provider to the region's workforce. Since its founding, MTSU has awarded 187,700 degrees.
"MTSU offers a fantastic opportunity for people in Middle Tennessee to get a world-class education in their own backyard. Keeping tuition affordable is key to that opportunity and important to the local economy because so many of our students stay local once they graduate," Henson said. "We have students who come from all over the world, but serving the Middle Tennessee area is a core component of the university. It's important to ensure getting an education at MTSU is accessible to those who live here."
To learn more about MTSU, or to schedule a visit, go to mtsu.edu/visit.
Serving the Middle Tennessee area is a core component of the university.