Colleges in Tennessee
38 colleges in Tennessee that award bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates: 11 public and 27 private. Among colleges where most degrees awarded are bachelor's, the lowest average net price is at Le Moyne-Owen College ($7,099 a year after grants). Numbers are averages for students receiving federal aid; open a school to see what a family at your income pays.
| College | City | Type | Undergrads | Acceptance | Avg. net price | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin Peay State University | Clarksville | Public | 7,560 | 96% | $9,735 | 40% | $44,301 |
| Baptist Health Sciences University | Memphis | Private | 770 | 82% | $11,212 | 40% | $72,529 |
| Belmont University | Nashville | Private | 7,137 | 95% | $33,147 | 71% | $55,930 |
| Bethel University | McKenzie | Private | 1,547 | 60% | $12,595 | 35% | $47,482 |
| Bryan College-Dayton | Dayton | Private | 814 | — | $20,614 | 50% | $54,434 |
| Carson-Newman University | Jefferson City | Private | 1,387 | 90% | $20,251 | 53% | $48,382 |
| Christian Brothers University | Memphis | Private | 905 | 87% | $9,854 | 55% | $57,478 |
| Cumberland University | Lebanon | Private | 2,104 | 67% | $18,759 | 46% | $57,687 |
| East Tennessee State University | Johnson City | Public | 10,004 | 86% | $15,983 | 53% | $44,859 |
| Fisk University | Nashville | Private | 1,035 | 37% | $32,020 | 30% | $45,454 |
| Freed-Hardeman University | Henderson | Private | 1,212 | 60% | $21,574 | 71% | $47,485 |
| Johnson University | Knoxville | Private | 743 | 65% | $22,063 | 57% | $40,596 |
| King University | Bristol | Private | 908 | 100% | $22,347 | 48% | $59,831 |
| Lane College | Jackson | Private | 736 | — | $10,904 | 18% | $31,670 |
| Le Moyne-Owen College | Memphis | Private | 581 | 99% | $7,099 | 27% | $35,594 |
| Lee University | Cleveland | Private | 2,617 | 71% | $18,878 | 63% | $43,222 |
| Lincoln Memorial University | Harrogate | Private | 1,572 | 63% | $20,406 | 50% | $49,956 |
| Lipscomb University | Nashville | Private | 2,997 | 68% | $24,739 | 72% | $55,541 |
| Maryville College | Maryville | Private | 1,005 | 61% | $19,360 | 50% | $49,279 |
| Middle Tennessee State University | Murfreesboro | Public | 16,301 | 69% | $13,359 | 54% | $48,541 |
| Milligan University | Milligan | Private | 818 | 72% | $21,365 | 63% | $46,641 |
| Rhodes College | Memphis | Private | 1,836 | 50% | $28,585 | 85% | $66,651 |
| Southern Adventist University | Collegedale | Private | 2,773 | 66% | $24,345 | 49% | $53,723 |
| Tennessee State University | Nashville | Public | 4,848 | 70% | $15,796 | 34% | $42,730 |
| Tennessee Technological University | Cookeville | Public | 8,698 | 76% | $14,246 | 58% | $48,501 |
| Tennessee Wesleyan University | Athens | Private | 846 | 69% | $14,836 | 48% | $45,989 |
| The University of Tennessee Health Science Center | Memphis | Public | 394 | — | — | — | $66,318 |
| The University of Tennessee Southern | Pulaski | Public | 864 | 87% | $12,798 | 37% | $38,924 |
| The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | Chattanooga | Public | 10,074 | 81% | $14,265 | 50% | $51,151 |
| The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | Knoxville | Public | 30,418 | 42% | $18,976 | 74% | $60,249 |
| The University of Tennessee-Martin | Martin | Public | 4,866 | 88% | $10,701 | 53% | $44,213 |
| The University of the South | Sewanee | Private | 1,607 | 57% | $27,872 | 80% | $64,911 |
| Trevecca Nazarene University | Nashville | Private | 1,737 | 69% | $16,813 | 53% | $49,378 |
| Tusculum University | Greeneville | Private | 785 | 72% | $21,131 | 25% | $44,367 |
| Union University | Jackson | Private | 1,607 | 60% | $27,171 | 66% | $53,990 |
| University of Memphis | Memphis | Public | 12,701 | 72% | $12,397 | 51% | $48,458 |
| Vanderbilt University | Nashville | Private | 7,208 | 6% | $15,846 | 94% | $91,565 |
| Welch College | Gallatin | Private | 226 | — | $25,263 | 53% | $42,198 |
U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, latest reported year. Graduation within 6 years; earnings are the median 10 years after starting college.
Best value in Tennessee for your income
The Tennessee colleges that pay back fastest for a family at your income: what it costs to finish after grants, set against how much more former students earn than high school graduates in Tennessee. Pick your income.
| # | College | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Earnings, 10 yrs | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vanderbilt UniversityPrivate | $4,498 | $18,307 | $91,565 | under 1 |
| 2 | Baptist Health Sciences UniversityPrivate | $14,384 | $63,002 | $72,529 | 1.7 |
| 3 | Christian Brothers UniversityPrivate | $10,023 | $43,500 | $57,478 | 1.9 |
| 4 | Rhodes CollegePrivate | $15,910 | $64,754 | $66,651 | 2.0 |
| 5 | The University of the SouthPrivate | $17,746 | $73,114 | $64,911 | 2.4 |
| 6 | King UniversityPrivate | $18,035 | $74,304 | $59,831 | 2.9 |
| 7 | The University of Tennessee-KnoxvillePublic, in-state price | $18,206 | $77,922 | $60,249 | 3.0 |
| 8 | The University of Tennessee-ChattanoogaPublic, in-state price | $13,594 | $59,950 | $51,151 | 3.6 |
| 9 | Cumberland UniversityPrivate | $19,609 | $84,711 | $57,687 | 3.7 |
| 10 | Middle Tennessee State UniversityPublic, in-state price | $13,007 | $56,711 | $48,541 | 4.0 |
Colleges where most degrees awarded are bachelor's, ranked by years of earnings gain needed to repay the cost to finish at this income. Cost to finish = net price after grants × the average years graduates took (IPEDS). Earnings gain = former students' median earnings 10 years after starting (College Scorecard) minus $34,518 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in Tennessee (Census ACS 2020-2024). Before taxes, interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
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