This page compares the best colleges in Tennessee with tuition, admission, and more academic facts (Ranking data from College Evaluator). For the academic year 2021-2022, Vanderbilt University rank first in the best Tennessee college ranking and The University of Tennessee-Knoxville is placed in second.
Admission Comparison Between Best Colleges in Tennessee
2 public and 8 private schools rank in the best Tennessee colleges. The schools' average acceptance rate is 62.20% where Vanderbilt University has the tightest (lowest) acceptance rate of 12% and The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga has the highest rate of 83%. Total 81,426 students are attending one of the best Tennessee schools where The University of Tennessee-Knoxville has the largest population with 30,559 students and Bryan College-Dayton has the smallest number of students (1,412 students). The average graduation rate is 67.10% and the average students to faculty ratio is 13.50:1 at those colleges.
| Rank | Name | Acceptance Rate | SAT Score | Graduation Rate | Population | Student-Faculty Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN | 12% | 1,520 | 93% | 13,537 | 7:1 (14.29 %) |
| 2 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Knoxville, TN | 78% | 1,222 | 71% | 30,559 | 17:1 (5.88 %) |
| 3 | Rhodes College Memphis, TN | 51% | 1,310 | 82% | 1,875 | 10:1 (10.00 %) |
| 4 | Union University Jackson, TN | 58% | 1,200 | 66% | 3,071 | 10:1 (10.00 %) |
| 5 | Lipscomb University Nashville, TN | 62% | 1,195 | 69% | 4,884 | 13:1 (7.69 %) |
| 6 | Freed-Hardeman University Henderson, TN | 81% | 1,140 | 66% | 2,188 | 13:1 (7.69 %) |
| 7 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Chattanooga, TN | 83% | 1,110 | 50% | 11,728 | 19:1 (5.26 %) |
| 8 | Bryan College-Dayton Dayton, TN | 51% | 1,118 | 47% | 1,412 | 12:1 (8.33 %) |
| 9 | Trevecca Nazarene University Nashville, TN | 63% | 1,147 | 56% | 3,968 | 20:1 (5.00 %) |
| 10 | Belmont University Nashville, TN | 83% | 1,210 | 71% | 8,204 | 14:1 (7.14 %) |
| Average | 62.20% | 1,217 | 67.10% | 81,426 (Total) | 13.50:1 (7.41 %) |
Best Tennessee Colleges 2022 Tuition Comparison and 2023 Estimated Costs
The following table lists 2021-2022 tuition & fees and compares them between the best Tennessee colleges. The 2021-2022 costs are officially published by IPEDS, U.S. Department of Education. The estimated costs for the academic year 2022-2023 are calculated and estimated based on each school's rate of tuition change from 2021 to 2022.
For the undergraduate programs, the average tuition & fees of the best Tennessee colleges is $34,276 where Vanderbilt University has the most expensive costs at $56,966 and Bryan College-Dayton has the lowest amount of tuition at $17,360. The average graduate tuition & fees of the best Tennessee colleges is $23,968 where Vanderbilt University has the highest tuition with $52,162 and Bryan College-Dayton has the lowest amount of graduate school tuition with $9,760.
| Rank | School Name | 2022 Tuition & Fees | 2023 Estimated Tuition & Fees | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | In-State | Out-of-State | ||
| 1 | Vanderbilt University | $56,966 | $59,920 | ||
| 2 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | $13,244 | $31,664 | $13,224 | $31,664 |
| 3 | Rhodes College | $50,910 | $50,910 | ||
| 4 | Union University | $35,510 | $36,412 | ||
| 5 | Lipscomb University | $35,752 | $36,789 | ||
| 6 | Freed-Hardeman University | $23,300 | $23,655 | ||
| 7 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | $9,848 | $25,966 | $10,044 | $26,159 |
| 8 | Bryan College-Dayton | $17,360 | $17,676 | ||
| 9 | Trevecca Nazarene University | $26,898 | $26,898 | ||
| 10 | Belmont University | $38,430 | $39,883 | ||
| Average | $11,546 | $34,276 | $11,634 | $34,997 | |
| Rank | School Name | 2022 Tuition & Fees | 2023 Estimated Tuition & Fees | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | In-State | Out-of-State | ||
| 1 | Vanderbilt University | $52,162 | $53,747 | ||
| 2 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | $13,380 | $31,798 | $13,380 | $13,380 |
| 3 | Rhodes College | $50,910 | $50,910 | ||
| 4 | Union University | $11,666 | $12,754 | ||
| 5 | Lipscomb University | $17,100 | $16,245 | ||
| 6 | Freed-Hardeman University | $10,980 | $10,980 | ||
| 7 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | $10,474 | $18,538 | $10,474 | $10,682 |
| 8 | Bryan College-Dayton | $9,760 | $9,760 | ||
| 9 | Trevecca Nazarene University | $11,585 | $14,459 | ||
| 10 | Belmont University | $25,180 | $26,135 | ||
| Average | $11,927 | $23,968 | $12,031 | $24,576 | |