2023 Best Schools in Tennessee
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 Schools in Tennessee to help you in your search for the best school for you. This report analyzed 40 schools in Tennessee to see which ones offered the best programs for students.
View our full ranking methodology.
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Top Schools in Tennessee
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our analysis found Vanderbilt University to be the best school for students in Tennessee.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $14,392 in student loans. If you borrow this amount, expect your monthly student loan payment to be around $644, assuming you are on a 10-year repayment plan.After graduating from Vanderbilt, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $66,962 during the early years of their career.
The excellent programs at Sewanee - The University of the South helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Tennessee.
During the early years of their career, Sewanee graduates make an average of $43,766 annually.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Belmont University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Schools in Tennessee list.
On average, students take out $22,196 in loans while pursuing their degree. If you borrow this amount, expect your monthly student loan payment to be around $824, assuming you are on a 10-year repayment plan.After graduating from Belmont, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $43,927 during the early years of their career.
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 #4 on this year’s Best Schools in Tennessee list.
Degree recipients from UT Knoxville accumulate an average of $22,232 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Those who take out this much in loans have to make a monthly payment of about $325 if they are on a 10-year repayment plan. Once they receive their degree, UT Knoxville graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $44,189 during the early year of their career.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Lipscomb University. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Schools in Tennessee list.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $26,213 in student loans. If you borrow this amount, expect your monthly student loan payment to be around $216, assuming you are on a 10-year repayment plan. Once they receive their degree, Lipscomb graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $47,759 during the early year of their career.
Rhodes College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for students. It came in at #6 on the list.
Once they receive their degree, Rhodes College graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $32,356 during the early year of their career.
With a ranking of #7, Bethel University did quite well on this year’s best schools for students working.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $33,108 in student loans. Once they receive their degree, Bethel graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $57,444 during the early year of their career.
With a ranking of #8, Volunteer State Community College did quite well on this year’s best schools for students working.
Degree recipients from VSCC accumulate an average of $15,295 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. During the early years of their career, VSCC graduates make an average of $35,641 annually.
Tennessee Technological University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Schools in Tennessee ranking.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $19,943 in student loans. If you borrow this amount, expect your monthly student loan payment to be around $103, assuming you are on a 10-year repayment plan. During the early years of their career, Tennessee Tech University graduates make an average of $40,563 annually.
King University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for students. It came in at #10 on the list.
On average, students take out $29,018 in loans while pursuing their degree. During the early years of their career, King graduates make an average of $40,581 annually.
With a ranking of #11, Jackson State Community College did quite well on this year’s best schools for students working.
Degree recipients from JSCC accumulate an average of $10,729 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. During the early years of their career, JSCC graduates make an average of $40,689 annually.
The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Schools in Tennessee ranking.
Degree recipients from UT Chattanooga accumulate an average of $25,246 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. If you borrow this amount, expect your monthly student loan payment to be around $162, assuming you are on a 10-year repayment plan. During the early years of their career, UT Chattanooga graduates make an average of $46,162 annually.
Union University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Schools in Tennessee ranking.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $32,879 in student loans. Those who take out this much in loans have to make a monthly payment of about $477 if they are on a 10-year repayment plan. Once they receive their degree, Union graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $57,821 during the early year of their career.
Middle Tennessee State University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Schools in Tennessee ranking.
On average, students take out $24,342 in loans while pursuing their degree. For those students on a 10-year repayment plan, the average payment due each month is around $144. During the early years of their career, Middle Tennessee State University graduates make an average of $38,675 annually.
Milligan University ranked #15 on this year’s Best Schools in Tennessee list.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $23,548 in student loans.After graduating from Milligan, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $44,692 during the early years of their career.
Freed-Hardeman University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for students. It came in at #16 on the list.
On average, students take out $22,617 in loans while pursuing their degree.After graduating from FHU, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $33,293 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #17, University of Memphis did quite well on this year’s best schools for students working.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $28,159 in student loans. Those who take out this much in loans have to make a monthly payment of about $147 if they are on a 10-year repayment plan.After graduating from UofM, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $41,884 during the early years of their career.
Trevecca Nazarene University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Schools in Tennessee ranking.
On average, students take out $26,746 in loans while pursuing their degree. Once they receive their degree, TNU graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $46,373 during the early year of their career.
Remington College - Memphis Campus landed the #19 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best programs.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $19,660 in student loans. Those who take out this much in loans have to make a monthly payment of about $66 if they are on a 10-year repayment plan. Once they receive their degree, Remington College - Memphis Campus graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $25,245 during the early year of their career.
The University of Tennessee - Martin landed the #20 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best programs.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $24,559 in student loans. If you borrow this amount, expect your monthly student loan payment to be around $149, assuming you are on a 10-year repayment plan. During the early years of their career, UT Martin graduates make an average of $35,647 annually.
Christian Brothers University ranked #21 on this year’s Best Schools in Tennessee list.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $34,104 in student loans. Those who take out this much in loans have to make a monthly payment of about $199 if they are on a 10-year repayment plan. Once they receive their degree, Christian Brothers graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $53,446 during the early year of their career.
Southwest Tennessee Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for students. It came in at #22 on the list.
Degree recipients from Southwest accumulate an average of $16,818 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.After graduating from Southwest, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $34,164 during the early years of their career.
Southern Adventist University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Schools in Tennessee ranking.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $24,595 in student loans. If you borrow this amount, expect your monthly student loan payment to be around $375, assuming you are on a 10-year repayment plan.After graduating from Southern Adventist, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $50,680 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #24, Lee University did quite well on this year’s best schools for students working.
On average, students take out $26,373 in loans while pursuing their degree. For those students on a 10-year repayment plan, the average payment due each month is around $260. During the early years of their career, Lee University graduates make an average of $32,791 annually.
Carson - Newman University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Schools in Tennessee ranking.
On average, students take out $23,992 in loans while pursuing their degree. During the early years of their career, Carson - Newman graduates make an average of $41,134 annually.
Best Schools in the Southeast Region
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Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 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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