HighSchoolOS Best Colleges in Tennessee
The strongest colleges and universities in Tennessee, ranked by graduation rate and selectivity, with verified acceptance rates, net price, and test scores for this admissions cycle.
Explore this ranking interactively| # | School | Location | Acceptance | SAT avg | Net price | Grad rate | Undergrads |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vanderbilt University | Nashville, TN | 5.9% | 1,549 | $15,846 | 94% | 7,208 |
| 2 | Rhodes College | Memphis, TN | 50% | 1,362 | $28,585 | 85% | 1,836 |
| 3 | The University of the South | Sewanee, TN | 57% | 1,344 | $27,872 | 80% | 1,607 |
| 4 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | Knoxville, TN | 42% | 1,311 | $18,976 | 74% | 30,418 |
| 5 | Lipscomb University | Nashville, TN | 68% | 1,256 | $24,739 | 72% | 2,997 |
| 6 | Belmont University | Nashville, TN | 95% | 1,280 | $33,147 | 71% | 7,137 |
| 7 | Milligan University | Milligan, TN | 72% | 1,189 | $21,365 | 63% | 818 |
| 8 | Christian Brothers University | Memphis, TN | 87% | 1,098 | $9,854 | 55% | 905 |
| 9 | Carson-Newman University | Jefferson City, TN | 90% | 1,117 | $20,251 | 53% | 1,387 |
| 10 | Trevecca Nazarene University | Nashville, TN | 69% | 1,091 | $16,813 | 53% | 1,737 |
| 11 | The University of Tennessee-Martin | Martin, TN | 88% | 1,120 | $10,701 | 53% | 4,866 |
| 12 | University of Memphis | Memphis, TN | 72% | 1,088 | $12,397 | 51% | 12,701 |
| 13 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | Chattanooga, TN | 81% | 1,147 | $14,265 | 50% | 10,074 |
| 14 | Lincoln Memorial University | Harrogate, TN | 63% | 1,092 | $20,406 | 50% | 1,572 |
| 15 | Cumberland University | Lebanon, TN | 67% | n/a | $18,759 | 46% | 2,104 |
| 16 | Austin Peay State University | Clarksville, TN | 96% | 1,088 | $9,735 | 40% | 7,560 |
| 17 | The University of Tennessee Southern | Pulaski, TN | 87% | 1,083 | $12,798 | 37% | 864 |
| 18 | Bethel University | McKenzie, TN | 60% | 972 | $12,595 | 35% | 1,547 |
| 19 | Tennessee State University | Nashville, TN | 70% | 1,000 | $15,796 | 34% | 4,848 |
| 20 | Fisk University | Nashville, TN | 37% | 1,200 | $32,020 | 30% | 1,035 |
| 21 | Le Moyne-Owen College | Memphis, TN | 99% | n/a | $7,099 | 27% | 581 |
| 22 | Tusculum University | Greeneville, TN | 72% | n/a | $21,131 | 25% | 785 |
Acceptance rate, net price (average cost after aid), and graduation rate are from the most recent federal data; test ranges and deadlines are verified against each school for the 2025-2026 cycle. Click any school for its full profile, deadlines, and supplemental essay prompts.