Best Colleges in Tennessee (2026)
130 colleges ranked by graduate earnings, acceptance rates, and outcomes — powered by federal data from the U.S. Department of Education.
130
Colleges
$40,170
Avg Earnings (10yr)
$15,883
Avg Net Price
71%
Avg Admit Rate
50%
Avg Grad Rate
State Overview
Tennessee is home to 130 colleges and universities, ranging from research universities to community colleges. Vanderbilt University leads the state in graduate earnings, with state alumni earning $40,170 on average ten years after enrollment. Whether you're looking for a flagship research university, a liberal arts college, or a career-focused program, Tennessee offers diverse options across all price points.
Quick Facts — Tennessee Colleges
Top 10 Colleges in Tennessee by Graduate Earnings
Ranked by median earnings 10 years after enrollment. Public and private nonprofit only.
2
Baptist Health Sciences University
Memphis·Private Nonprofit
Admit
82%
Net Price
$11,212
Grad Rate
40%
Earnings
$72,529
4
The University of Tennessee Health Science Center
Memphis·Public
Admit
N/A
Net Price
N/A
Grad Rate
N/A
Earnings
$66,318
5
The University of the South
Sewanee·Private Nonprofit
Admit
57%
Net Price
$27,872
Grad Rate
80%
Earnings
$64,911
6
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Knoxville·Public
Admit
42%
Net Price
$18,976
Grad Rate
74%
Earnings
$60,249
9
Christian Brothers University
Memphis·Private Nonprofit
Admit
87%
Net Price
$9,854
Grad Rate
55%
Earnings
$57,478
Most Affordable Colleges in Tennessee
Lowest average net price after grants and scholarships. Public and private nonprofit only.
Popular Majors
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Find my Tennessee collegeAll Colleges in Tennessee
All 130 accredited institutions. Click column headers to sort.
| School | City | Type | Admit Rate | Net Price | Grad Rate | Earnings (10yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academy of Allied Health Careers | Chattanooga | Private For-Profit | N/A | $12,410 | N/A | N/A |
| American Baptist College | Nashville | Private Nonprofit | N/A | $9,216 | 39% | $41,216 |
| Arnolds Beauty School | Milan | Private For-Profit | N/A | $18,139 | N/A | $27,828 |
| Austin Peay State University | Clarksville | Public | 96% | $9,735 | 40% | $44,301 |
| Austin's Beauty College Inc | Clarksville | Private For-Profit | N/A | $9,989 | N/A | N/A |
| Baptist Health Sciences University | Memphis | Private Nonprofit | 82% | $11,212 | 40% | $72,529 |
| Belmont University | Nashville | Private Nonprofit | 95% | $33,147 | 71% | $55,930 |
| Bethel University | McKenzie | Private Nonprofit | 60% | $12,595 | 35% | $47,482 |
| Brillare Beauty Institute | Cleveland | Private Nonprofit | N/A | $17,894 | N/A | $24,728 |
| Bryan College-Dayton | Dayton | Private Nonprofit | N/A | $20,614 | 50% | $54,434 |
| Carson-Newman University | Jefferson City | Private Nonprofit | 90% | $20,251 | 53% | $48,382 |
| Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers | Chattanooga | Private For-Profit | N/A | $33,625 | 12% | $25,954 |
| Chattanooga State Community College | Chattanooga | Public | N/A | $5,283 | N/A | $37,598 |
| Christian Brothers University | Memphis | Private Nonprofit | 87% | $9,854 | 55% | $57,478 |
| Cleveland State Community College | Cleveland | Public | N/A | $6,384 | N/A | $36,671 |
| Columbia State Community College | Columbia | Public | N/A | $4,734 | N/A | $40,256 |
| Concorde Career College-Memphis | Memphis | Private For-Profit | 95% | $24,563 | N/A | $31,599 |
| Cumberland University | Lebanon | Private Nonprofit | 67% | $18,759 | 46% | $57,687 |
| Dyersburg State Community College | Dyersburg | Public | N/A | $4,612 | N/A | $36,132 |
| East Tennessee State University | Johnson City | Public | 86% | $15,983 | 53% | $44,859 |
| Elite College of Cosmetology | Lexington | Private For-Profit | N/A | $11,041 | N/A | $21,197 |
| Empire Beauty School-E Memphis | Memphis | Private For-Profit | N/A | $15,771 | N/A | $22,377 |
| Empire Beauty School-Jackson | Jackson | Private For-Profit | N/A | $15,253 | N/A | $24,397 |
| Empire Beauty School-Nashville | Brentwood | Private For-Profit | N/A | $14,834 | N/A | $23,921 |
| Fisk University | Nashville | Private Nonprofit | 37% | $32,020 | 30% | $45,454 |
| Fortis Institute-Cookeville | Cookeville | Private For-Profit | N/A | $23,582 | N/A | $34,509 |
| Fortis Institute-Nashville | Nashville | Private For-Profit | N/A | $29,039 | N/A | $32,886 |
| Franklin Hair Academy School of Cosmetology | Franklin | Private For-Profit | N/A | $22,321 | N/A | N/A |
| Freed-Hardeman University | Henderson | Private Nonprofit | 60% | $21,574 | 71% | $47,485 |
| Galen Health Institutes-Nashville Campus | Nashville | Private For-Profit | N/A | $27,267 | N/A | $61,480 |
| Genesis Career College-Cookeville | Cookeville | Private For-Profit | N/A | $12,321 | N/A | $22,652 |
| Genesis Career College-Lebanon | Lebanon | Private For-Profit | N/A | $15,107 | N/A | $24,977 |
| Gould's Academy | Bartlett | Private For-Profit | N/A | $19,261 | N/A | N/A |
| Gould's Academy | Memphis | Private For-Profit | N/A | $11,001 | N/A | N/A |
| Health-Tech Institute of Memphis | Memphis | Private For-Profit | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Herzing University-Nashville | Nashville | Private Nonprofit | 93% | $20,537 | N/A | $36,909 |
| Image Maker Beauty Institute | Hendersonville | Private For-Profit | N/A | $18,352 | N/A | N/A |
| Jackson State Community College | Jackson | Public | N/A | $6,236 | N/A | $35,224 |
| John A Gupton College | Nashville | Private Nonprofit | 100% | $19,334 | N/A | $46,902 |
| Johnson University | Knoxville | Private Nonprofit | 65% | $22,063 | 57% | $40,596 |
| King University | Bristol | Private Nonprofit | 100% | $22,347 | 48% | $59,831 |
| Lane College | Jackson | Private Nonprofit | N/A | $10,904 | 18% | $31,670 |
| Lawrenceburg Technical College | Lawrenceburg | Private For-Profit | N/A | $9,581 | N/A | $25,089 |
| Le Moyne-Owen College | Memphis | Private Nonprofit | 99% | $7,099 | 27% | $35,594 |
| Lee University | Cleveland | Private Nonprofit | 71% | $18,878 | 63% | $43,222 |
| Lincoln Memorial University | Harrogate | Private Nonprofit | 63% | $20,406 | 50% | $49,956 |
| Lipscomb University | Nashville | Private Nonprofit | 68% | $24,739 | 72% | $55,541 |
| Love Beauty School Inc | Manchester | Private For-Profit | N/A | $8,061 | N/A | $18,056 |
| Maryville College | Maryville | Private Nonprofit | 61% | $19,360 | 50% | $49,279 |
| Massage Institute of Memphis | Memphis | Private For-Profit | N/A | $12,511 | N/A | N/A |
| Meridian Institute of Surgical Assisting | Nashville | Private For-Profit | N/A | N/A | N/A | $62,978 |
| Mid-South Christian College | Memphis | Private Nonprofit | 100% | $10,172 | 60% | N/A |
| Middle Tennessee State University | Murfreesboro | Public | 69% | $13,359 | 54% | $48,541 |
| Miller-Motte College-Chattanooga | Chattanooga | Private For-Profit | N/A | $23,958 | 60% | $31,102 |
| Milligan University | Milligan | Private Nonprofit | 72% | $21,365 | 63% | $46,641 |
| Mind Body Institute | Madison | Private For-Profit | N/A | $21,627 | N/A | N/A |
| Motlow State Community College | Tullahoma | Public | N/A | $15,742 | N/A | $40,397 |
| Mr Wayne's School of Unisex Hair Design | Cookeville | Private For-Profit | N/A | $18,948 | N/A | $23,696 |
| Nashville Auto-Diesel College | Nashville | Private For-Profit | N/A | $32,544 | N/A | $46,396 |
| Nashville Film Institute | Nashville | Private For-Profit | N/A | $25,472 | N/A | N/A |
| Nashville State Community College | Nashville | Public | N/A | $6,777 | N/A | $38,519 |
| North Central Institute | Clarksville | Private For-Profit | N/A | $17,566 | N/A | $55,027 |
| Northeast State Community College | Blountville | Public | N/A | $6,864 | N/A | $34,553 |
| Nossi College of Art and Design | Nashville | Private For-Profit | 46% | $24,044 | 42% | $35,113 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Memphis | Memphis | Private For-Profit | N/A | $18,186 | N/A | $25,306 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Murfreesboro | Murfreesboro | Private For-Profit | N/A | $18,716 | N/A | $30,461 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Murfreesboro-Nashville | Hendersonville | Private For-Profit | N/A | $22,587 | N/A | $30,461 |
| Pellissippi State Community College | Knoxville | Public | N/A | $4,983 | N/A | $38,440 |
| Pentecostal Theological Seminary | Cleveland | Private Nonprofit | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Remington College-Memphis Campus | Memphis | Private Nonprofit | N/A | $26,572 | N/A | $31,349 |
| Remington College-Nashville Campus | Nashville | Private Nonprofit | N/A | $29,098 | N/A | $31,349 |
| Rhodes College | Memphis | Private Nonprofit | 50% | $28,585 | 85% | $66,651 |
| Roane State Community College | Harriman | Public | N/A | $4,270 | N/A | $39,407 |
| Ross Medical Education Center-Johnson City | Johnson City | Private For-Profit | N/A | $19,832 | N/A | $33,079 |
| Ross Medical Education Center-Knoxville | Knoxville | Private For-Profit | N/A | $20,277 | N/A | $30,072 |
| SAE Institute of Technology-Nashville | Nashville | Private For-Profit | N/A | $24,700 | 42% | $39,544 |
| Sandra Academy of Salon Services | New Tazewell | Private For-Profit | N/A | $12,621 | N/A | N/A |
| South College | Knoxville | Private For-Profit | N/A | $17,858 | 42% | $36,642 |
| Southern Adventist University | Collegedale | Private Nonprofit | 66% | $24,345 | 49% | $53,723 |
| Southwest Tennessee Community College | Memphis | Public | N/A | $4,754 | N/A | $34,071 |
| Strayer University-Tennessee | Nashville | Private For-Profit | N/A | $11,645 | 0% | $40,092 |
| Studio 75 Hair Academy | Millington | Private For-Profit | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Sweetwater Institute of Cosmetology | Sweetwater | Private For-Profit | N/A | $2,636 | N/A | N/A |
| TC Beauty | Johnson City | Private For-Profit | N/A | $9,859 | N/A | $21,153 |
| TCAT Athens | Athens | Public | N/A | $12,758 | N/A | $40,540 |
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology Crump | Crump | Public | N/A | -$839 | N/A | $30,796 |
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology Nashville | Nashville | Public | N/A | $15,816 | N/A | $38,955 |
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology Northwest | Newbern | Public | N/A | $9,698 | N/A | $38,514 |
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Dickson | Dickson | Public | N/A | $14,780 | N/A | $36,829 |
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Elizabethton | Elizabethton | Public | N/A | $8,568 | N/A | $35,069 |
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Harriman | Harriman | Public | N/A | $11,148 | N/A | $31,591 |
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Hartsville | Hartsville | Public | N/A | $7,194 | N/A | $40,469 |
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Henry/Carroll | Paris | Public | N/A | $10,060 | N/A | $29,074 |
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Hohenwald | Hohenwald | Public | N/A | $12,267 | N/A | $36,106 |
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Jacksboro | Jacksboro | Public | N/A | $12,746 | N/A | $36,449 |
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Jackson | Jackson | Public | N/A | $8,472 | N/A | $38,383 |
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Knoxville | Knoxville | Public | N/A | $20,012 | N/A | $37,235 |
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Livingston | Livingston | Public | N/A | $12,612 | N/A | $33,497 |
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology-McMinnville | McMinnville | Public | N/A | $11,413 | N/A | $40,322 |
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Memphis | Memphis | Public | N/A | $14,315 | N/A | $31,192 |
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Morristown | Morristown | Public | N/A | $15,910 | N/A | $38,837 |
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Murfreesboro | Murfreesboro | Public | N/A | $6,631 | N/A | $40,869 |
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Oneida-Huntsville | Huntsville | Public | N/A | $15,875 | N/A | $31,949 |
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Pulaski | Pulaski | Public | N/A | $15,269 | N/A | $40,368 |
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Shelbyville | Shelbyville | Public | N/A | $7,573 | N/A | $38,700 |
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Upper Cumberland | Crossville | Public | N/A | $10,865 | N/A | $35,551 |
| Tennessee School of Beauty of Knoxville Inc | Knoxville | Private For-Profit | N/A | $10,052 | N/A | $19,913 |
| Tennessee State University | Nashville | Public | 70% | $15,796 | 34% | $42,730 |
| Tennessee Technological University | Cookeville | Public | 76% | $14,246 | 58% | $48,501 |
| Tennessee Wesleyan University | Athens | Private Nonprofit | 69% | $14,836 | 48% | $45,989 |
| The Hair Academy LLC | Fayetteville | Private For-Profit | N/A | $22,823 | N/A | $22,193 |
| The Salon Professional Academy-Nashville | Nashville | Private For-Profit | N/A | $12,103 | N/A | N/A |
| The University of Tennessee Health Science Center | Memphis | Public | N/A | N/A | N/A | $66,318 |
| The University of Tennessee Southern | Pulaski | Public | 87% | $12,798 | 37% | $38,924 |
| The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | Chattanooga | Public | 81% | $14,265 | 50% | $51,151 |
| The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | Knoxville | Public | 42% | $18,976 | 74% | $60,249 |
| The University of Tennessee-Martin | Martin | Public | 88% | $10,701 | 53% | $44,213 |
| The University of the South | Sewanee | Private Nonprofit | 57% | $27,872 | 80% | $64,911 |
| Trevecca Nazarene University | Nashville | Private Nonprofit | 69% | $16,813 | 53% | $49,378 |
| Tusculum University | Greeneville | Private Nonprofit | 72% | $21,131 | 25% | $44,367 |
| Union University | Jackson | Private Nonprofit | 60% | $27,171 | 66% | $53,990 |
| University of Memphis | Memphis | Public | 72% | $12,397 | 51% | $48,458 |
| Vanderbilt University | Nashville | Private Nonprofit | 6% | $15,846 | 94% | $91,565 |
| Vibe Barber College | Memphis | Private For-Profit | N/A | $17,560 | N/A | N/A |
| Visible Music College | Memphis | Private Nonprofit | 28% | $27,820 | 23% | $35,933 |
| Volunteer State Community College | Gallatin | Public | N/A | $7,802 | N/A | $41,150 |
| Walters State Community College | Morristown | Public | N/A | $5,387 | N/A | $37,085 |
| Welch College | Gallatin | Private Nonprofit | N/A | $25,263 | 53% | $42,198 |
| William R Moore College of Technology | Memphis | Private Nonprofit | N/A | $14,957 | N/A | $32,194 |
| Williamson Christian College | Franklin | Private Nonprofit | N/A | N/A | 67% | $37,474 |
Showing 130 of 130 schools