Nicknamed "The 'Boro," the city of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, has been the Volunteer State's fastest-growing city over the past 30 years and among one of the fastest-growing in the nation. Many of these residents will be students in Murfreesboro's education system, which has a mix of public and private schools. There are also several higher education options located right in Murfreesboro, one of several aspects that helped rank the city in Time Magazine's top 20 "Best Places to Live in America" in 2018.

This historic 200-year-old city within Rutherford County is the geographic center of Tennessee. It's clear the city has much to offer current and future residents planning to move to Murfreesboro, and learning about Murfreesboro schools may be just one part of determining if the city is right for you.

Public School Districts Serving Murfreesboro

In many places, public school districts provide education for students from kindergarten through grade 12. In Murfreesboro, however, there are two public school systems: Murfreesboro City Schools (MCS) and Rutherford County Schools (RCS). Murfreesboro City Schools oversees elementary schools within city limits, while Rutherford County Schools is responsible for public secondary schools in Murfreesboro.

MCS operates public elementary schools within the city. Students in kindergarten through sixth grade attend one of 13 elementary schools:

• Black Fox Elementary
• Bradley Academy
• Cason Lane Academy
• Discovery
• Erma Siegel Elementary
• Hobgood Elementary
• John Pittard
• Mitchell-Neilson
• Northfield Elementary
• Overall Creek Elementary
• Reeves Rogers Elementary
• Salem Elementary
• Scales Elementary

Murfreesboro City Schools' motto is "to assure academic and personal success for each child." Students are zoned to schools based on their addresses. MCS offers three magnet programs in arts, STEM (science, technology, education, and mathematics), and leadership at the Bradley, Hobgood, and Mitchell-Neilson campuses, known as Choice Schools. The school district also offers a year-round extended school program from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. that provides childcare and extracurricular activities to enrich education.

MCS, a City of Murfreesboro department, serves over 9,400 students. It is administered by a board consisting of seven elected members and one appointed member who serves as a liaison for the City Council. The board holds meetings twice each month.

Rutherford County Schools operates middle and high schools for Murfreesboro residents (though the school district also operates elementary schools in surrounding towns). The following campuses serve middle and high school students:

• Blackman Middle
• Christiana Middle
• Oakland Middle
• Rockvale Middle
• Siegel Middle
• Whitworth-Buchanan Middle
• Blackman High
• Oakland High
• Riverdale High
• Rockvale High
• Siegel High

The school board contains seven elected members. Students are zoned to schools based on their residence, and an interactive online map provides information about nearby schools and bus routes.

Murfreesboro Private Schools

Aside from the public schools available to school children, there are 16 private schools in Murfreesboro for primary and secondary education. Over 2,500 students are currently enrolled in local private schools in Murfreesboro. Options are somewhat more limited for continuous, private, nonsectarian education from pre-kindergarten through high school. These private schools are distributed across Murfreesboro and the surrounding area, with most close to heavily residential neighborhoods.

School populations range from less than 10 to over 700 students, and the student-to-teacher ratio varies significantly. Most Murfreesboro schools are co-ed. The city also has two KinderCare campuses offering daycare for kids in nursery school or pre-kindergarten. Several schools provide pre-kindergarten programs in addition to elementary or secondary education.

Colleges & Universities Near Murfreesboro

Residents also have higher education options in Murfreesboro, including Middle Tennessee State University, Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Murfreesboro, and Daymar College - Murfreesboro.

Middle Tennessee State University

Founded in 1911, Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) is a public university offering over 300 degree programs across 35 departments. The university has seven undergraduate colleges: the College of Basic and Applied Sciences, College of Behavioral and Health Sciences, College of Education, College of Liberal Arts, College of Media and Entertainment, Jennings A. Jones College of Business, and University College.

MTSU has a 466-acre suburban campus with over 22,000 students, including undergraduate and post-graduate and over 900 faculty members. The university employs over 2,200 people, making it one of the largest employers in the area.

MTSU offers strong programs in the Recording, Music, Aerospace, Human Resources, and Concrete Management industries. Middle Tennessee's mascot is the Blue Raider, and the school has several NCAA Division I programs, including baseball, football, basketball (men's and women's), track and field, volleyball, and men's golf.

Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Murfreesboro

The Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) is a public college system with 27 campuses throughout the state, including in Murfreesboro. Operated by the Tennessee Board of Regents, TCAT-Murfreesboro has two locations, one in town and another in the nearby Smyrna community.

Students can enroll in technology-focused trade programs in several fields and knowledge areas, including automotive; computer-aided design (CAD); dental assisting; digital graphic design; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC); plumbing; information technology; practical nursing; surgical technology; and others.

TCAT offers "fast track" programs so students can accelerate their learning and have a certificate or diploma in as little as one year. Most programs also offer night classes to accommodate students working simultaneously or going back to school and juggling other responsibilities.

Daymar College - Murfreesboro

Daymar College is a technical college with a branch in Murfreesboro. It specializes in career training for positions in health care, business, and criminal justice and provides one-year, two-year, and bachelor's degrees in the following programs: Accounting, Billing & Coding Specialist Associate Degree, Business Management Degree Program, Criminal Justice, Medical Assisting Clinical, Network Support Administration, and Pharmacy Technology.

Living in the 'Boro

With a motto of "creating a better quality of life," Murfreesboro, Tennessee, is a place with abundant opportunity and potential. Whether residents are in homes near Murfreesboro City Schools or those by Rutherford County Schools, there are public schools, private schools, and higher education institutions for students of every age, interest, and career path. Plus, just 34 miles from the state capital, Murfreesboro is part of the larger Nashville metropolitan area, which means access to all Music City has to offer.