2026 Smaller Class Size and More Opportunities in Tennessee Rankings
Among Tennessee colleges, Vanderbilt University has the lowest number of students per faculty (8 to 1) and Rhodes College has the second lowest number of students (9) based on academic year 2023-2024 college academci data.
Below table ranks and compares the Smaller Class Size and More Opportunities in Tennessee having lowest students to faculty ratio (based on undergraduate rate). For the ranking, we only include 4-year colleges that more than 1,500 students have enrolled in.
Smaller Class Size and More Opportunities in Tennessee
| Rank | College Name | Student Population (undergraduate) | Number of Faculties | Student to Faculty Ratio | Tuition & Fees | Acceptance Rate | Graduation Rate | SAT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN | 7,221 | 1,628 | 8 to 1 | $67,498 | 5.9% | 94% | 1,540 |
| 2 | Rhodes College Memphis, TN | 1,838 | 226 | 9 to 1 | $57,110 | 50.4% | 85% | 1,385 |
| 3 | The University of the South Sewanee, TN | 1,644 | 206 | 9 to 1 | $56,120 | 56.9% | 80% | 1,330 |
| 4 | Union University Jackson, TN | 1,934 | 287 | 9 to 1 | $37,398 | 60.4% | 66% | 1,290 |
| 5 | Freed-Hardeman University Henderson, TN | 1,873 | 240 | 10 to 1 | $25,620 | 59.7% | 71% | 1,020 |
| 6 | Lincoln Memorial University Harrogate, TN | 1,668 | 662 | 10 to 1 | $26,938 | 62.6% | 50% | 1,100 |
| 7 | SAE Institute of Technology-Nashville Nashville, TN | 1,712 | 112 | 11 to 1 | $15,828 | - | 42% | - |
| 8 | Belmont University Nashville, TN | 7,175 | 924 | 12 to 1 | $42,540 | 95.3% | 71% | 1,260 |
| 9 | Carson-Newman University Jefferson City, TN | 1,596 | 231 | 12 to 1 | $34,700 | 90.5% | 53% | 1,070 |
| 10 | Lipscomb University Nashville, TN | 3,336 | 563 | 13 to 1 | $40,572 | 67.7% | 72% | 1,280 |
Qualified Tennessee Colleges in Core Admission Stats
