Best Tennessee National Universities
Vanderbilt University ranked first and Belmont University ranked second in 2025 National Universities rankings in Tennessee. (Read our ranking methodology and know how to rank.)
The following list summarizes the core statistics for top 14 National Universities in Tennessee. You can check the schools in the comparison table below.
- The average undergraduate tuition & fees of the top 14 National Universities in Tennessee is $67,498.
- The average graduate tuition & fees of the top 14 National Universities in Tennessee is $57,868.
- The average SAT score is 1,540 and the average acceptance rate is 5.86%.
- The average number of students is 13,575 and the students to faculty ratio is 8 to 1.
- The average graduation rate is 94.00%.
Best Tennessee National Universities Comparison Table
The following table shows Best Tennessee National Universities. You can sort the table by column by clicking/touching column titles and narrow down the college list by using buttons below.
| Rank | College Name | Undergraduate Tuition & Fees | Graduate Tuition & Fees | SAT Score | Acceptance Rate | Population | Graduation Rate | Student to Faculty Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN | $67,498 | $57,868 | 1,540 | 6% | 13,575 | 94% | 8 to 1 |
| 2 | Belmont University Nashville, TN | $42,540 | $27,810 | 1,260 | 95% | 8,803 | 71% | 12 to 1 |
| 3 | Lipscomb University Nashville, TN | $40,572 | $17,334 | 1,280 | 68% | 5,017 | 72% | 13 to 1 |
| 4 | Union University Jackson, TN | $37,398 | $14,419 | 1,290 | 60% | 2,713 | 66% | 9 to 1 |
| 5 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Chattanooga, TN | $18,512 | $19,174 | 1,100 | 81% | 11,775 | 50% | 18 to 1 |
| 6 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Knoxville, TN | $33,256 | $34,760 | 1,280 | 42% | 38,728 | 74% | 18 to 1 |
| 7 | Trevecca Nazarene University Nashville, TN | $31,300 | $10,537 | 1,095 | 69% | 3,195 | 53% | 20 to 1 |
| 8 | Lincoln Memorial University Harrogate, TN | $26,938 | $22,154 | 1,100 | 63% | 6,081 | 50% | 10 to 1 |
| 9 | Tennessee State University Nashville, TN | $22,416 | $23,808 | 960 | 70% | 6,310 | 34% | 13 to 1 |
| 10 | Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro, TN | $31,574 | $29,700 | 1,130 | 69% | 20,488 | 54% | 17 to 1 |
| 11 | Carson-Newman University Jefferson City, TN | $34,700 | $14,355 | 1,070 | 90% | 2,669 | 53% | 12 to 1 |
| 12 | University of Memphis Memphis, TN | $15,384 | $15,840 | 1,035 | 72% | 20,276 | 51% | 16 to 1 |
| 13 | Tennessee Technological University Cookeville, TN | $15,576 | $15,746 | 1,180 | 76% | 10,511 | 58% | 16 to 1 |
| 14 | East Tennessee State University Johnson City, TN | $13,726 | $26,486 | 1,080 | 86% | 13,728 | 53% | 15 to 1 |
| Average | $67,498 | $57,868 | 1,540 | 6% | 13,575 | 94% | 8 to 1 |
Tennessee Colleges by Ranking and School Type