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Best Graduate Certificate Schools in Tennessee

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2023 Best Graduate Certificate Schools in Tennessee

15 Schools Ranked
$16,032 Avg Student Debt

It's not easy to decide which program to enroll in when you have so many options available. You can choose a traditional brick and mortar school, or with the growth of online education, you can attend a school half-way across the country without even leaving your house. Alternatively, you may choose a trade school or bootcamp that prepares you to enter the workforce with knowledge in a specific field.

Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Course Advisor has created the Best Graduate Certificate Schools in Tennessee to help you in your search for the best school for you. Our analysis looked at 15 schools in Tennessee to see which graduate certificate programs offered the best educational experiences for students. The factors used to develop this ranking include those related to how in-demand the school us, the overall quality of the school, and post-graduation wages, and more.

View our full ranking methodology.

Top Graduate Certificate Schools in Tennessee

Learn more about these excellent schools below:

#1

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, Tennessee
$52,162 Average Tuition & Fees

Our analysis found Vanderbilt University to be the best school for students who want to pursue a graduate certificate in Tennessee.

Depending on your major, you may be able to take online graduate classes at Vanderbilt. In 2019-2020 about 67% of the graduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.

Full Vanderbilt University Report

#2

Lipscomb University

Nashville, Tennessee
$16,032 Avg Student Debt

The excellent graduate certificate programs at Lipscomb University helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Tennessee.

On average, graduate certificate students take out $16,032 in loans while pursuing their degree.

One thing to take note of is that Lipscomb does offer online graduate classes in some areas. In fact, around 31% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.

Read More…

#3

Tennessee Technological University

Cookeville, Tennessee
$11,762 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Tennessee Technological University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Graduate Certificate Schools in Tennessee list.

Depending on your major, you may be able to take online graduate classes at Tennessee Tech University. In fact, around 80% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.

Read More…

#4

Union University

Jackson, Tennessee
$11,666 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Union University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Graduate Certificate Schools in Tennessee list.

Union does have options available for those who want to take online graduate classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. Of all the graduate students enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 70% took at least some of their classes online.

Read full report on Union University

$13,380 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend The University of Tennessee - Knoxville. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Graduate Certificate Schools in Tennessee list.

Online graduate courses are available at UT Knoxville, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In 2019-2020 about 36% of the graduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.

Read full report on The University of Tennessee - Knoxville

#6

Carson - Newman University

Jefferson City, Tennessee
$9,632 Average Tuition & Fees

Carson - Newman University landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best graduate certificate programs.

Online graduate courses are available at Carson - Newman, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. Of all the graduate students enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 85% took at least some of their classes online.

Full Carson - Newman University Report

#7

Freed-Hardeman University

Henderson, Tennessee

Freed-Hardeman University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Graduate Certificate Schools in Tennessee list.

Some students may be able to take online graduate classes at FHU. In fact, around 87% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.

Read More…

#8

Tennessee State University

Nashville, Tennessee
$10,732 Average Tuition & Fees

With a ranking of #8, Tennessee State University did quite well on this year’s best schools for students working on their graduate certificate.

One thing to take note of is that Tennessee State University does offer online graduate classes in some areas. In fact, around 41% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.

Read full report on Tennessee State University

$10,474 Average Tuition & Fees

The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga ranked #9 on this year’s Best Graduate Certificate Schools in Tennessee list.

Depending on your major, you may be able to take online graduate classes at UT Chattanooga. In fact, around 60% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.

Read More…

#10

University of Memphis

Memphis, Tennessee
$10,908 Average Tuition & Fees

University of Memphis came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Graduate Certificate Schools in Tennessee ranking.

You may have the opportunity to take online graduate classes at UofM. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 58% of graduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.

Read full report on University of Memphis

#11

Lincoln Memorial University

Harrogate, Tennessee
$20,104 Average Tuition & Fees

Lincoln Memorial University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Graduate Certificate Schools in Tennessee ranking.

Some students may be able to take online graduate classes at LMU. During the 2019-2020 year, about 13% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.

Full Lincoln Memorial University Report

#12

Middle Tennessee State University

Murfreesboro, Tennessee
$10,818 Average Tuition & Fees

Middle Tennessee State University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for students to get a graduate certificate. It came in at #12 on the list.

Online graduate courses are available at Middle Tennessee State University, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. Of all the graduate students enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 57% took at least some of their classes online.

Read More…

#13

Southern Adventist University

Collegedale, Tennessee

With a ranking of #13, Southern Adventist University did quite well on this year’s best schools for students working on their graduate certificate.

You may have the opportunity to take online graduate classes at Southern Adventist. During the 2019-2020 year, about 71% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.

Read full report on Southern Adventist University

#14

Austin Peay State University

Clarksville, Tennessee
$9,841 Average Tuition & Fees

Austin Peay State University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Graduate Certificate Schools in Tennessee list.

You may have the opportunity to take online graduate classes at Austin Peay State University. Of all the graduate students enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 85% took at least some of their classes online.

Read full report on Austin Peay State University

#15

East Tennessee State University

Johnson City, Tennessee
$10,736 Average Tuition & Fees

East Tennessee State University landed the #15 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best graduate certificate programs.

Online graduate courses are available at ETSU, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In fact, around 49% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.

Read full report on East Tennessee State University

View Best Graduate Certificate Schools Nationwide >

Notes and References

Footnotes

*These averages are for the top 15 schools only.

References

  • Read more about our ranking methodology.
  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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