Tennessee Best College Rankings
Vanderbilt University ranked first and Lipscomb University ranked second in Tennessee college rankings. The 2024 average tuition & fees of the Tennessee best colleges is $22,438 for Tennessee residents and $28,625 for out-of-state students. The average acceptance rate is 70.20% and the average SAT score is 1,155. The average number of student population is 6,862 and the average student to faculty ratio is 15 to 1.
Below statements summarize the average statistics of tuition, admission, and more academic factors for Tennessee best colleges. For the statistics, we only include 4 years colleges such as national universities and liberal arts colleges.
- The average undergraduate tuition & fees is $28,625 and Vanderbilt University has the highest tuition & fees of $63,946 and East Tennessee State University has the lowest tuition & fees of $13,034.
- The average graduate tuition & fees is $19,685 and Vanderbilt University has the highest tuition & fees of $56,128 and Milligan University has the lowest tuition & fees of $7,967.
- The average SAT score is 1,155 and Vanderbilt University has the highest SAT score of 1,540 and Bethel University has the lowest score of 975.
- The average acceptance rate is 70.20% and Vanderbilt University has the tightest (lowest) rate of 6% and Bethel University has the loosest (lowest) rate of 97%.
- The average student population is 6,862 and The University of Tennessee-Knoxville has the most students of 36,304 and Fisk University has the fewest students of 1,005.
- The average graduation rate is 57.16% and Strayer University-Tennessee has the highest rate of 100% and Tusculum University has the lowest rate of 31%.
Tennessee Best Colleges Comparison
The below table compares the 32 best colleges in Tennessee with important academic factors. You can sort the table by touching/clicking a column name that you want to sort.
| Rank | College Name | Undergraduate Tuition & Fees | Graduate Tuition & Fees | SAT Score | Acceptance Rate | Population | Graduation Rate | Student to Faculty Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN | $63,946 | $56,128 | 1,540 | 6.3% | 13,456 | 93% | 7 to 1 |
| 2 | Lipscomb University Nashville, TN | $38,824 | $17,100 | 1,240 | 66.6% | 5,047 | 69% | 13 to 1 |
| 3 | Belmont University Nashville, TN | $41,320 | $27,050 | 1,250 | 96.4% | 8,862 | 72% | 12 to 1 |
| 4 | Milligan University Milligan, TN | $39,350 | $7,967 | 1,210 | 70.3% | 1,200 | 60% | 9 to 1 |
| 5 | Freed-Hardeman University Henderson, TN | $25,000 | $11,700 | 1,010 | 90.6% | 2,294 | 68% | 13 to 1 |
| 6 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Chattanooga, TN | $18,208 | $18,852 | 1,080 | 77.0% | 11,380 | 53% | 17 to 1 |
| 7 | Lincoln Memorial University Harrogate, TN | $26,150 | $23,225 | 1,110 | 59.3% | 5,805 | 54% | 9 to 1 |
| 8 | Austin Peay State University Clarksville, TN | $14,219 | $15,113 | 1,045 | 96.0% | 9,945 | 45% | 15 to 1 |
| 9 | Rhodes College Memphis, TN | $54,892 | $54,892 | 1,400 | 49.7% | 1,952 | 82% | 11 to 1 |
| 10 | Bethel University McKenzie, TN | $17,530 | $13,392 | 975 | 97.2% | 2,974 | 35% | 17 to 1 |
| 11 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Knoxville, TN | $31,974 | $32,108 | 1,260 | 46.0% | 36,304 | 73% | 18 to 1 |
| 12 | King University Bristol, TN | $34,800 | $14,182 | - | 54.4% | 1,295 | 46% | 12 to 1 |
| 13 | The University of the South Sewanee, TN | $53,704 | $18,730 | 1,305 | 50.9% | 1,693 | 82% | 9 to 1 |
| 14 | Southern Adventist University Collegedale, TN | $25,590 | $12,870 | 1,110 | 66.6% | 3,154 | 51% | 16 to 1 |
| 15 | Bryan College-Dayton Dayton, TN | $18,900 | $9,830 | - | - | 1,548 | 56% | 13 to 1 |
| 16 | Tusculum University Greeneville, TN | $28,500 | $14,400 | - | 60.4% | 1,200 | 31% | 18 to 1 |
| 17 | Union University Jackson, TN | $20,302 | $11,953 | 1,190 | 47.2% | 2,674 | 71% | 8 to 1 |
| 18 | Christian Brothers University Memphis, TN | $37,300 | $13,588 | 1,215 | 88.4% | 2,043 | 56% | 9 to 1 |
| 19 | Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro, TN | $29,042 | $28,170 | 1,100 | 68.0% | 20,183 | 54% | 17 to 1 |
| 20 | Lee University Cleveland, TN | $22,690 | $16,670 | 1,120 | 72.2% | 3,680 | 61% | 12 to 1 |
| 21 | East Tennessee State University Johnson City, TN | $13,034 | $25,904 | 1,050 | 87.1% | 13,586 | 50% | 18 to 1 |
| 22 | University of Memphis Memphis, TN | $14,784 | $15,228 | 1,070 | 93.4% | 21,736 | 49% | 17 to 1 |
| 23 | Tennessee State University Nashville, TN | $22,284 | $23,516 | 985 | 92.6% | 8,198 | 33% | 13 to 1 |
| 24 | The University of Tennessee-Martin Martin, TN | $16,234 | $12,636 | 1,090 | 87.3% | 6,941 | 55% | 15 to 1 |
| 25 | Trevecca Nazarene University Nashville, TN | $30,090 | $12,624 | 1,090 | 70.0% | 3,196 | 55% | 22 to 1 |
| 26 | Fisk University Nashville, TN | $24,298 | $23,579 | 1,330 | 57.9% | 1,005 | 44% | 11 to 1 |
| 27 | Tennessee Technological University Cookeville, TN | $20,116 | $20,740 | 1,110 | 83.2% | 10,117 | 54% | 16 to 1 |
| 28 | Carson-Newman University Jefferson City, TN | $34,700 | $10,168 | 1,040 | 68.3% | 2,735 | 46% | 12 to 1 |
| 29 | Cumberland University Lebanon, TN | $27,840 | $8,280 | - | 67.0% | 3,072 | 47% | 18 to 1 |
| 30 | Maryville College Maryville, TN | $38,514 | $15,956 | 1,095 | 65.7% | 1,147 | 47% | 12 to 1 |
| 31 | Strayer University-Tennessee Memphis, TN | $13,920 | $15,135 | - | - | 2,920 | 100% | 39 to 1 |
| 32 | South College Knoxville, TN | $17,935 | $28,249 | - | - | 8,234 | 37% | 23 to 1 |
| Average | $28,625 | $19,685 | 1,155 | 70.2% | 6,862 | 57% | 15 to 1 |
Tennessee Colleges by Ranking and School Type