Tennessee / Health information management programs

Best CAHIIM-accredited health information management programs in Tennessee, ranked (2026)

Tennessee has 7 CAHIIM-accredited HIM and health informatics programs. We score every program on our seven-factor methodology. Top: University of Tennessee Health Science Center's MS, scoring 83/100.

Taylor Rupe, founder of healthinformationmanagementprograms.com

by , founder & editor

updated

Nashville, Tennessee
7

Programs ranked

83

Top score

$49K

TN median HIM wage

4,440

HIM jobs in TN

Key Takeaways

  • University of Tennessee Health Science Center MS HIM ranks #1 in Tennessee (83/100). The state's academic health science center MS in HIM (Memphis), Continuing CAHIIM.
  • Vanderbilt University School of Medicine offers a CAHIIM-accredited MS in Health Informatics. Director Dr. Scott Nelson is a FAMIA fellow (American Medical Informatics Association). Top institutional reputation paired with above-market private tuition.
  • Tennessee has 7 active CAHIIM-accredited programs: 4 AAS, 1 bachelor's (Tennessee State University, HBCU), 2 master's (UTHSC MS HIM + Vanderbilt MS HI).
  • Roane State CC's director Dr. April Insco holds 6 credentials (PhD + RHIA + CHDA + CPHI + CCS + CPC-I), one of the longest credential stacks of any AAS director nationally.
  • Median HIM salary in Tennessee is 48,780 per BLS OEWS May 2025. 90th pct 79,960. 4,440 working in this occupation.
  • Nashville is the headquarters of HCA Healthcare, the largest for-profit hospital system in the US. HCA TriStar Health (Nashville-area HCA affiliate), Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and Ascension Saint Thomas anchor middle TN. Methodist Le Bonheur and Baptist Memorial anchor Memphis. UT Medical Center and Covenant anchor Knoxville. Ballad Health runs the Tri-Cities.
  • Tennessee does not operate a single statewide HIE. Exchange happens through regional efforts (Mid-South e-Health Alliance in Memphis) and national networks (eHealth Exchange, Carequality, TEFCA QHINs).
  • Tennessee medical record retention is 10 years from the date of last patient encounter (TN Code Annotated § 68-11-308).

How we ranked

Our ranking methodology in one paragraph.

Every program is CAHIIM-accredited. We score each one 0-10 on seven factors: CAHIIM accreditation maturity (25%), program director credentials (15%), degree-level pathways (15%), delivery flexibility (15%), employer pipeline (15%), cost-effectiveness (10%), institutional reputation (5%).

Read the full methodology →

Programs taking applications in Tennessee now

HIM, health informatics, and medical coding programs currently accepting students.

The ranked programs

The 7 CAHIIM-accredited HIM programs in Tennessee, ranked.

RankInstitutionDegreeCityScoreCAHIIM
#1 University of Tennessee Health Science Center MS Memphis 83/100 Continuing
#2 Roane State Community College AAS Harriman 81/100 Continuing
#3 Vanderbilt University School of Medicine MS Informatics Nashville 79.5/100 Initial
#4 Tennessee State University BS Nashville 78.5/100 Continuing
#5 Dyersburg State Community College AAS Dyersburg 78/100 Continuing
#6 Volunteer State Community College AAS Gallatin 76.5/100 Continuing
#7 Walters State Community College AAS Morristown 75.5/100 Continuing
#1
83/100

Overall score

University of Tennessee Health Science Center

Best in-state MS in HIM (academic health science center)

MS Memphis, TN Online CAHIIM Continuing Next Review 2030-2031

Why it ranks #1

University of Tennessee Health Science Center MS in HIM in Memphis. Director Rebecca Reynolds holds RHIA + CHPS. Continuing CAHIIM, next review 2030-2031. Fully online. UTHSC is the state's academic health science campus and the only LCME-accredited medical school in Memphis. Direct pipeline to Methodist Le Bonheur, Baptist Memorial Health Care, Regional One Health, and the Memphis academic medical ecosystem.

Program Director

Rebecca Reynolds , RHIA, CHPS

Address

930 Madison Avenue, Suite 680, Memphis, TN, 38163

Contact

(901) 448-6486
rreynol5@uthsc.edu

Score breakdown

Accreditation (25%)9/10
Director credentials (15%)8/10
Pathways (15%)7/10
Delivery (15%)10/10
Employer pipeline (15%)8/10
Cost (10%)7/10
Reputation (5%)8/10
Overall83/100

Visit program at uthsc.edu → · CAHIIM directory listing

#2
81/100

Overall score

Roane State Community College

Best fully-online AAS (six-credential PhD director)

AAS Harriman, TN Online CAHIIM Continuing Next Review 2029-2030

Why it ranks #2

Roane State Community College in Harriman. Director Dr. April Insco holds PhD + RHIA + CHDA + CPHI + CCS + CPC-I, one of the longest credential strings of any AAS director in the country. Continuing CAHIIM, next review 2029-2030. Fully online. Feeds the Knoxville HIM employer market (UT Medical Center, Covenant Health, Tennova).

Program Director

April Insco , Ph.D., RHIA, CHDA, CPHI, CCS, CPC-I

Address

276 Patton Lane, Harriman, TN, 37748

Contact

(865) 354-3000, Ext. 4922
inscoam@roanestate.edu

Score breakdown

Accreditation (25%)8/10
Director credentials (15%)10/10
Pathways (15%)4/10
Delivery (15%)10/10
Employer pipeline (15%)8/10
Cost (10%)10/10
Reputation (5%)6/10
Overall81/100

Visit program at roanestate.edu → · CAHIIM directory listing

#3
79.5/100

Overall score

Vanderbilt University School of Medicine

Best top-reputation MS in Health Informatics (FAMIA director)

MS Health Informatics Nashville, TN Online CAHIIM Initial Next Review 2031-2032

Why it ranks #3

Vanderbilt University School of Medicine MS in Health Informatics. Director Dr. Scott Nelson holds PharmD + MS + CPHIMS + FAMIA. FAMIA is the American Medical Informatics Association fellowship, one of the top informatics distinctions. Initial CAHIIM, next review 2031-2032. Fully online. Vanderbilt carries top-tier institutional reputation and is a Department of Biomedical Informatics that pioneered VUMC's EHR (StarPanel and the eMERGE program). Above-market private tuition is the trade-off.

Program Director

Scott Nelson , PharmD, MS, CPHIMS, FAMIA

Address

2525 West End Avenue, Nashville, TN, 37203

Contact

(615) 936-6867
scott.nelson@vanderbilt.edu

Score breakdown

Accreditation (25%)6/10
Director credentials (15%)10/10
Pathways (15%)7/10
Delivery (15%)10/10
Employer pipeline (15%)10/10
Cost (10%)4/10
Reputation (5%)10/10
Overall79.5/100

Visit program at medschool.vanderbilt.edu → · CAHIIM directory listing

#4
78.5/100

Overall score

Tennessee State University

Best in-state BSHIM (HBCU in Nashville)

BSHIM Nashville, TN Campus Based, Online CAHIIM Continuing Next Review 2027-2028

Why it ranks #4

Tennessee State University BSHIM in Nashville. The only CAHIIM-accredited BSHIM in Tennessee and the only HBCU CAHIIM HIM program in the state. Director Krystal Massey holds MPH + RHIA (Interim Program Director). Continuing CAHIIM, next review 2027-2028. Hybrid delivery. Direct adjacency to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Ascension Saint Thomas Health, HCA TriStar Health (Nashville HQ for the entire HCA enterprise), and Meharry Medical College.

Program Director

Krystal Massey , MPH, RHIA, Interim Program Director

Address

3500 John A. Merritt Blvd., Nashville, TN, 37209

Contact

(615) 963-7419
kmassey@tnstate.edu

Score breakdown

Accreditation (25%)8/10
Director credentials (15%)7/10
Pathways (15%)6/10
Delivery (15%)8/10
Employer pipeline (15%)10/10
Cost (10%)8/10
Reputation (5%)8/10
Overall78.5/100

Visit program at tnstate.edu → · CAHIIM directory listing

#5
78/100

Overall score

Dyersburg State Community College

Best West Tennessee fully-online AAS (rare CPA credential)

AAS Dyersburg, TN Online CAHIIM Continuing Next Review 2027-2028

Why it ranks #5

Dyersburg State Community College in West TN. Director E. Rene Stanley holds MHIIM + RHIA + CCS + CPA, the only CAHIIM AAS director in TN with a CPA credential (which is meaningful for revenue-cycle and HIM-finance crossover roles). Continuing CAHIIM, next review 2027-2028. Fully online. Feeds the West TN / Memphis-area employer market.

Program Director

E. Rene Stanley , MHIIM, RHIA, CCS, CPA

Address

1510 Lake Road, Dyersburg, TN, 38024

Contact

(731) 286-3214
stanley@dscc.edu

Score breakdown

Accreditation (25%)8/10
Director credentials (15%)9/10
Pathways (15%)4/10
Delivery (15%)10/10
Employer pipeline (15%)7/10
Cost (10%)10/10
Reputation (5%)6/10
Overall78/100

Visit program at catalog.dscc.edu → · CAHIIM directory listing

More HIM programs accepting students

#6
76.5/100

Overall score

Volunteer State Community College

Best Nashville-area AAS (Vanderbilt / Ascension Saint Thomas / HCA TriStar pipeline)

AAS Gallatin, TN Campus Based, Online CAHIIM Continuing Next Review 2029-2030

Why it ranks #6

Volunteer State Community College in Gallatin (Nashville metro). Director Valerie D. Bowling holds RHIA. Continuing CAHIIM, next review 2029-2030. Hybrid delivery. Sits in the largest TN HIM employer market with direct pipeline to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Ascension Saint Thomas Health, HCA TriStar Health, and Williamson Medical Center.

Program Director

Valerie D. Bowling , RHIA

Address

1480 Nashville Pike, Gallatin, TN, 37066

Contact

(615) 230-3337
valerie.bowling@volstate.edu

Score breakdown

Accreditation (25%)8/10
Director credentials (15%)7/10
Pathways (15%)4/10
Delivery (15%)8/10
Employer pipeline (15%)10/10
Cost (10%)10/10
Reputation (5%)6/10
Overall76.5/100

Visit program at volstate.edu → · CAHIIM directory listing

#7
75.5/100

Overall score

Walters State Community College

Best East Tennessee fully-online AAS (long CAHIIM review cycle)

AAS Morristown, TN Online CAHIIM Continuing Next Review 2032-2033

Why it ranks #7

Walters State Community College in Morristown (East TN). Director Gail Winkler holds RHIA. Continuing CAHIIM with a long review cycle in TN, next review 2032-2033. Fully online. Feeds the East TN / Tri-Cities employer market (Ballad Health, Covenant Health east-TN affiliates).

Program Director

Gail Winkler , RHIA

Address

500 S. Davy Crockett Parkway, Morristown, TN, 37813

Contact

(423) 585-6990
gail.winkler@ws.edu

Score breakdown

Accreditation (25%)9/10
Director credentials (15%)6/10
Pathways (15%)4/10
Delivery (15%)10/10
Employer pipeline (15%)7/10
Cost (10%)10/10
Reputation (5%)5/10
Overall75.5/100

Visit program at ws.edu → · CAHIIM directory listing

Best for…

Best Tennessee HIM programs by category.

Best in-state MS in HIM

University of Tennessee Health Science Center

Memphis academic health science center. Continuing CAHIIM, fully online.

Best top-reputation MS in Health Informatics

Vanderbilt University School of Medicine

FAMIA director, top-tier private institution, fully online. Above-market tuition is the trade-off.

Best HBCU BSHIM

Tennessee State University

Only CAHIIM BSHIM in TN and only HBCU CAHIIM HIM program in the state. Nashville.

Best fully-online AAS (six-credential director)

Roane State Community College

Dr. April Insco (PhD + RHIA + CHDA + CPHI + CCS + CPC-I). Knoxville-area pipeline.

Best Nashville-area AAS

Volunteer State Community College

Gallatin. Direct VUMC, Ascension Saint Thomas, HCA TriStar adjacency.

Best West TN AAS (CPA director)

Dyersburg State Community College

Only TN AAS director with a CPA. Feeds Memphis-area employers.

Best East TN / Tri-Cities AAS

Walters State Community College

Long CAHIIM review cycle (2032-2033). Feeds Ballad Health and Covenant east-TN affiliates.

Cheapest CAHIIM-accredited HIM programs in TN

Tennessee Board of Regents community colleges

All TBR AAS programs qualify for the Tennessee Promise scholarship (free community college tuition for recent HS grads) and the Tennessee Reconnect grant for returning adults.

Credentials

HIM credentials and certifications in Tennessee (RHIA, RHIT, CCS).

Tennessee does not license HIM staff. The Tennessee Health Information Management Association (THIMA) is the state AHIMA component.

CredentialFull NameEducation RequiredTypical TN Role
RHITRegistered Health Information TechnicianCAHIIM AASRecords, ROI, coder at VUMC / Ascension / HCA TriStar / Methodist Le Bonheur / Baptist Memorial
RHIARegistered Health Information AdministratorCAHIIM BSHIMHIM supervisor, privacy officer, compliance
CCSCertified Coding SpecialistRHIT/RHIA + coding experienceInpatient/outpatient coder, coding auditor

Salary data

Medical records specialist salary in Tennessee.

BLS OEWS May 2025 TN estimates for SOC 29-2072:

  • Median: $48,780 (national: $51,140)
  • Mean: $55,640
  • 10th pct: $37,320 · 90th pct: $79,960
  • Statewide employment: 4,440

Nashville (VUMC, Ascension Saint Thomas, HCA TriStar Health, plus HCA Healthcare corporate HQ) anchors the upper end. Memphis (Methodist Le Bonheur, Baptist Memorial, Regional One) and Knoxville (UT Medical Center, Covenant) pay near the TN median. The Tri-Cities (Ballad Health) and rural TN pay below.

Salary distribution

Medical records specialist salary in Tennessee vs. national median (BLS OEWS May 2025).

$30K$40K$50K$60K$70K$80K$90K Tennessee MED $49K National MED $51K

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.

Workforce

Tennessee health information management job market and top hospital employers.

Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Nashville. One of the top-ranked academic medical centers in the country. VUMC's Department of Biomedical Informatics is internationally recognized.

HCA Healthcare. Nashville corporate HQ for the largest for-profit US hospital system. HCA TriStar Health is the Nashville-area affiliate.

Ascension Saint Thomas Health. Nashville-based, part of Ascension's national system.

Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare. Memphis. Le Bonheur Children's Hospital is a major pediatric academic center.

Baptist Memorial Health Care. Memphis HQ. 22 hospitals across TN, MS, AR.

Regional One Health. Memphis public hospital, major teaching hospital for UTHSC.

UT Medical Center. Knoxville. Academic medical center for UT Knoxville.

Covenant Health. Knoxville HQ. 10 hospitals across East TN.

Ballad Health. Johnson City. Dominant Tri-Cities (NE TN + SW VA) system.

Erlanger Health. Chattanooga academic medical center.

Health information exchange

Tennessee HIE landscape (no single statewide HIE).

Tennessee does not operate a single state-designated HIE. Exchange happens through regional efforts (the Mid-South e-Health Alliance in Memphis), HCA Healthcare's internal data network across HCA-owned facilities (a meaningful chunk of TN inpatient volume), Direct Trust messaging, and national networks like eHealth Exchange, Carequality, and the emerging TEFCA QHINs. This decentralized landscape makes vendor and exchange experience valuable on TN HIM resumes.

State regulation

Tennessee state laws affecting health information management.

  • Medical record retention (TN Code Annotated § 68-11-308). Tennessee hospitals must retain medical records for 10 years from the date of last patient encounter. For minors, records must be kept until age 18 + 1 year.
  • Patient access (TN Code Annotated § 68-11-304). TN statute grants patients access to medical records with reasonable per-page copy fees.
  • Tennessee Identity Theft Deterrence Act (TN Code Annotated § 47-18-2107). Breach notification within 45 days of discovery.

Sources

Sources and references.

  1. healthinformationmanagementprograms.com Methodology.
  2. CAHIIM Program Directory.
  3. BLS OEWS: May 2025 TN estimates.
  4. AHIMA Certification Exams.
  5. Mid-South e-Health Alliance.
  6. TN Student Assistance Corporation: Tennessee Promise and Tennessee Reconnect.
  7. Tennessee General Assembly: TN Code Annotated § 68-11.
  8. THIMA.

FAQ

HIM programs in Tennessee: frequently asked questions.

What is the best CAHIIM-accredited HIM program in Tennessee?

On our methodology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center ranks #1 (83/100). Roane State Community College #2. Vanderbilt University School of Medicine #3.

How many CAHIIM-accredited HIM programs are in TN?

7 active. 4 associate, 1 bachelor's (Tennessee State University), 2 master's.

What is the average HIM salary in TN?

Median $48,780 per BLS OEWS May 2025. 90th pct $79,960.

Does TN require a license to work in HIM?

No. AHIMA credentials (RHIT, RHIA, CCS) are the standard.

Which Tennessee hospitals hire the most HIM staff?

VUMC, Ascension Saint Thomas, HCA TriStar (Nashville). Methodist Le Bonheur, Baptist Memorial, Regional One (Memphis). UT Medical Center, Covenant (Knoxville). Ballad Health (Tri-Cities). Erlanger (Chattanooga).

Does Tennessee have a statewide HIE?

No single statewide HIE. Exchange happens through regional networks (Mid-South e-Health Alliance), HCA's internal network, and national QHINs.

Are HBCUs available for HIM in Tennessee?

Yes. Tennessee State University is the only HBCU with a CAHIIM-accredited HIM program in TN.