State Rankings

Best Colleges in Tennessee

Top colleges in Tennessee ranked by national standing and graduate outcomes — updated 2026.

Colleges listed: 50

Avg grad earnings: $47,950

Public / Private: 24 / 26

Top Colleges in Tennessee

Nationally ranked schools appear first. Remaining schools are ordered by median graduate earnings.

State #	School	Type	Grad Earnings	Admit Rate	SAT Avg	Grad Rate	Out-of-State
1	Vanderbilt University Nashville#7 national	Private	$91,565	6.3%	1,550	92.7%	$63,946
2	The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Knoxville#134 national	Public	$60,249	46.0%	1,304	73.5%	$31,974
3	The University of the South Sewanee#157 national	Private	$64,911	50.9%	1,336	82.4%	$53,698
4	Rhodes College Memphis#173 national	Private	$66,651	49.7%	1,385	81.6%	$54,892
5	Union University Jackson#380 national	Private	$53,990	47.2%	1,243	70.9%	$38,450
6	Lipscomb University Nashville#399 national	Private	$55,541	66.6%	1,248	68.7%	$38,824
7	Baptist Health Sciences University Memphis#562 national	Private	$72,529	67.8%	1,050	53.8%	$13,846
8	Belmont University Nashville#589 national	Private	$55,930	96.4%	1,277	71.7%	$41,320
9	Christian Brothers University Memphis#696 national	Private	$57,478	88.4%	1,069	56.0%	$37,300
10	Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro#731 national	Public	$48,541	68.0%	1,119	54.0%	$29,042
11	The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Chattanooga#807 national	Public	$51,151	77.0%	1,117	53.1%	$18,208
12	Freed-Hardeman University Henderson#893 national	Private	$47,485	90.6%	1,009	68.4%	$25,000
13	Southern Adventist University Collegedale#910 national	Private	$53,723	66.6%	1,116	51.4%	$25,590
14	Trevecca Nazarene University Nashville#925 national	Private	$49,378	70.0%	1,090	54.8%	$29,790
15	Tennessee Technological University Cookeville#966 national	Public	$48,501	83.2%	1,148	54.2%	$20,116
16	Milligan University Milligan#987 national	Private	$46,641	70.3%	1,195	60.3%	$39,350
17	Bryan College-Dayton Dayton#1014 national	Private	$54,434	N/A	N/A	55.9%	$18,900
18	Lincoln Memorial University Harrogate#1050 national	Private	$49,956	59.3%	1,093	53.9%	$26,150
19	Lee University Cleveland#1113 national	Private	$43,222	72.2%	1,144	60.7%	$22,690
20	Cumberland University Lebanon#1164 national	Private	$57,687	67.0%	N/A	47.0%	$27,840
21	King University Bristol#1186 national	Private	$59,831	54.4%	N/A	46.4%	$34,800
22	Columbia State Community College Columbia#1306 national	Public	$40,256	N/A	N/A	N/A	$18,104
23	The University of Tennessee-Martin Martin#1322 national	Public	$44,213	87.3%	1,090	54.8%	$16,248
24	Roane State Community College Harriman#1384 national	Public	$39,407	N/A	N/A	N/A	$18,622
25	Pellissippi State Community College Knoxville#1389 national	Public	$38,440	N/A	N/A	N/A	$17,776
26	Johnson University Knoxville#1400 national	Private	$40,596	53.8%	1,072	62.2%	$20,318
27	Volunteer State Community College Gallatin#1410 national	Public	$41,150	N/A	N/A	N/A	$17,724
28	University of Memphis Memphis#1469 national	Public	$48,458	93.4%	1,051	49.4%	$14,784
29	Nashville State Community College Nashville#1510 national	Public	$38,519	N/A	N/A	N/A	$17,698
30	Motlow State Community College Tullahoma#1518 national	Public	$40,397	N/A	N/A	N/A	$17,736
31	Carson-Newman University Jefferson City#1522 national	Private	$48,382	68.3%	1,111	46.5%	$34,700
32	Walters State Community College Morristown#1524 national	Public	$37,085	N/A	N/A	N/A	$17,719
33	Chattanooga State Community College Chattanooga#1584 national	Public	$37,598	N/A	N/A	N/A	$17,750
34	Dyersburg State Community College Dyersburg#1587 national	Public	$36,132	N/A	N/A	N/A	$17,740
35	Maryville College Maryville#1588 national	Private	$49,279	65.7%	1,181	47.2%	$38,514
36	Cleveland State Community College Cleveland#1654 national	Public	$36,671	N/A	N/A	N/A	$17,730
37	East Tennessee State University Johnson City#1698 national	Public	$44,859	87.1%	1,114	49.9%	$13,790
38	Southwest Tennessee Community College Memphis#1804 national	Public	$34,071	N/A	N/A	N/A	$17,750
39	Northeast State Community College Blountville#1863 national	Public	$34,553	N/A	N/A	N/A	$17,742
40	Jackson State Community College Jackson#1897 national	Public	$35,224	N/A	N/A	N/A	$17,716
41	Tennessee Wesleyan University Athens#1908 national	Private	$45,989	59.4%	1,051	43.6%	$29,264
42	Fisk University Nashville#2040 national	Private	$45,454	57.9%	1,236	43.5%	$24,298
43	Austin Peay State University Clarksville#2227 national	Public	$44,301	96.0%	1,050	44.5%	$14,219
44	Tennessee State University Nashville#2369 national	Public	$42,730	92.6%	1,017	33.0%	$22,284
45	Tusculum University Greeneville#2439 national	Private	$44,367	60.4%	N/A	30.5%	$28,500
46	The University of Tennessee Southern Pulaski#2502 national	Public	$38,924	82.7%	1,088	35.7%	$10,506
47	Bethel University McKenzie#2504 national	Private	$47,482	97.2%	1,035	34.9%	$18,168
48	Le Moyne-Owen College Memphis#2591 national	Private	$35,594	97.2%	N/A	24.7%	$12,076
49	Lane College Jackson#2609 national	Private	$31,670	N/A	N/A	17.0%	$11,790
50	The University of Tennessee Health Science Center Memphis	Public	$66,318	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Excludes for-profit institutions.

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