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Most schools have rolling admissions and financial help so you can start your degree in a few weeks!

Why This Matters

  • 55 FOUR-YEAR COLLEGES IN TENNESSEE

    According to College Navigator, the four-year colleges in Tennessee include 11 public and 44 private non-profit options.

  • $10,570 AVERAGE IN-STATE TUITION & FEES

    For the 2022-23 school year, the average in-state tuition for public four-year colleges in Tennessee is $10,570, according to College Board.

  • $15,330 AVERAGE FINANCIAL AID

    In the U.S., full-time undergraduate students attending college in 2021-22 received an average of $15,330 per year in financial aid.

Our Research

This list features some of the best brick-and-mortar colleges in Tennessee. Each school featured is a nonprofit, accredited institution — either public or private — with a high standard of academic quality. We included liberal arts colleges and research universities as well as small, midsize, and large institutions. Next, we compared this comprehensive list to a list of aggregated college rankings from reputable publications, such as U.S. News & World Report, to simplify a student’s college search. We pored through these rankings so students don’t have to.

The colleges on our list are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) — this organization examines the objectives, quality, and overall effectiveness of higher education programs in the southern United States.

We evaluated each school on tuition costs, admission standards, retention and graduation rates, faculty, and reputation as well as the resources and services provided for on-campus students. Then, we used this information to calculate the Intelligent Score on a scale of 0 to 100. Read more about our ranking methodology.

Online College Programs That Might Interest You

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

The Top 50 Colleges in Tennessee

Best Colleges In Tennessee
01

Vanderbilt University
01

Rhodes College
01

The University of the South
01

University of Tennessee
01

Tennessee Technological University
01

Lipscomb University
01

Milligan University
01

University of Memphis
01

Middle Tennessee State University
01

Union University
01

Belmont University
01

East Tennessee State University
01

University of Tennessee at Martin
01

Bryan College - Dayton
01

Lincoln Memorial University
01

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
01

Southern Adventist University
01

Trevecca Nazarene University
01

Johnson University
01

Christian Brothers University
01

Carson - Newman University
01

King University
01

Austin Peay State University
01

Tennessee State University
01

University of Tennessee Health Science Center
01

Lee University
01

Fisk University
01

Freed-Hardeman University
01

Maryville College
01

Tusculum University
01

Cumberland University
01

Bethel University
01

University of Tennessee Southern
01

Tennessee Wesleyan University
01

Welch College

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What You Should Know About Graduating From College in Tennessee

If you’re considering attending college in Tennessee, it’s important to know where you’ll find job opportunities. As of May 2022, the five largest industries in the state include office and administrative support occupations, transportation and material moving, food preparation and serving, production, and sales.

Also, the fastest-growing occupations in Tennessee for workers with a bachelor’s degree are software developers, logisticians, information security analysts, medical and health services managers, and coaches and scouts.

Once you graduate from college in Tennessee, you can begin your job search with some of the top employers in the state. This includes HCA Healthcare, which employs around 35,000 people, as well as Fedex, Knox County Schools, the U.S. Department of Energy, and Vanderbilt University.

What’s Next?

As a prospective student, learning how you’ll pay for college is a top priority. There are a variety of resources available to assist you in paying for an undergraduate degree in Tennessee. This includes loans, scholarships, and grants provided by both the federal and state government.

  • Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC). The THEC is the coordinating board for higher education in Tennessee. It helps students locate available financial aid resources specific to the state, including contact information, how to apply, and comprehensive details.
  • Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Provided by the U.S. Department of Education, FAFSA is the main form students use to apply for financial aid for college. To determine if you’re eligible for aid, submit a completed FAFSA form online.
  • CareerOneStop Scholarship Finder. This tool will show you available scholarships, grants, and loans and can be filtered by state and degree type. It includes information such as dollar amounts, how to apply, qualifications, deadlines, and contact details.

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