2023 Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Schools in Tennessee
A student has lots of options to pick from when considering higher education opportunities. 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. Also there are many trade schools and bootcamps that offer short-term programs that open up more career options.
Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Course Advisor has created the Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Schools in Tennessee to help you in your search for the best school for you. This report analyzed 52 schools in Tennessee to see which ones were the most popular bachelor's degree programs for students. To create this ranking we looked at how many students graduated from each school on the list.
Featured schools near , edit
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Schools in Tennessee
Learn more about these popular schools below:
Our analysis found The University of Tennessee - Knoxville to be the most popular school for students who want to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Tennessee. UT Knoxville is a large public school situated in Knoxville, Tennessee. It awarded 5,356 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Students from Tennessee who attend UT Knoxville full time pay an average of $13,244 in tuition and fees. Out-of-state students pay an average of $31,664. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $22,232 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 54% were women.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at UT Knoxville. In 2019-2020 about 42% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Out of the 52 schools in Tennessee that were part of this year’s ranking, Middle Tennessee State University landed the # 2 spot on the list. Middle Tennessee State University is a large public school located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee that handed out 3,926 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Students from Tennessee who attend Middle Tennessee State University full time pay an average of $9,232 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $28,264. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $24,342 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 57% were women.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Middle Tennessee State University. During the 2019-2020 year, about 55% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at University of Memphis helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the most popular schools in Tennessee. UofM is located in Memphis, Tennessee and has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 3,273 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
Full-time students from Tennessee pay an average of $10,056 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend UofM. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $14,088. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from UofM accumulate an average of $28,159 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 63% were women.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at UofM. During the 2019-2020 year, about 53% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Out of the 52 schools in Tennessee that were part of this year’s ranking, East Tennessee State University landed the # 4 spot on the list. East Tennessee State University is a fairly large public school located in Johnson City, Tennessee that handed out 2,676 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at ETSU is $9,438. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $12,740. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $23,047 in student loans. Around 64% of those degree recipients were women.
One thing to take note of is that ETSU does offer online classes in some areas. In fact, around 63% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Vanderbilt University is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree. Vanderbilt is a private not-for-profit institution located in Nashville, Tennessee. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 2,365 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
If you want to attend Vanderbilt, expect to pay an average of $56,966 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from Vanderbilt accumulate an average of $14,392 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 56% were women.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Vanderbilt. In 2019-2020 about 98% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee ranking. UT Chattanooga is a fairly large public school situated in Chattanooga, Tennessee. It awarded 2,139 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Students from Tennessee who attend UT Chattanooga full time pay an average of $9,848 in tuition and fees. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $25,966. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $25,246 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 58% were women.
UT Chattanooga does offer online classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 32% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Tennessee Technological University landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular bachelor’s degree programs. Located in Cookeville, Tennessee, the medium-sized public school awarded 1,905 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
In-state students pay an average of $9,802 in tuition and fees if they attend Tennessee Tech University full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $19,834. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from Tennessee Tech University accumulate an average of $19,943 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 49% of those degree recipients were women.
One thing to take note of is that Tennessee Tech University does offer online classes in some areas. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 79% took at least some of their classes online.
Belmont University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #8 on the list. This medium-sized private not-for-profit school is located in Nashville, Tennessee, and it awarded 1,711 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
If you want to attend Belmont, expect to pay an average of $38,430 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $22,196 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 69% were women.
One thing to take note of is that Belmont does offer online classes in some areas. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 68% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Austin Peay State University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #9 on the list. Located in Clarksville, Tennessee, the medium-sized public school awarded 1,588 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Austin Peay State University is $8,431. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $13,975. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from Austin Peay State University accumulate an average of $27,484 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 59% were women.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Austin Peay State University does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2019-2020 year, about 78% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
The University of Tennessee - Martin landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular bachelor’s degree programs. Located in Martin, Tennessee, the medium-sized public school handed out 1,066 bachelor’s degree awards in 2020-2021.
In-state students pay an average of $9,912 in tuition and fees if they attend UT Martin full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $15,952. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from UT Martin accumulate an average of $24,559 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 61% were women.
UT Martin does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In 2019-2020 about 87% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
With a ranking of #11, Tennessee State University did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for students working on their bachelor’s degree. This medium-sized public school is located in Nashville, Tennessee, and it awarded 985 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Full-time students from Tennessee pay an average of $8,336 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Tennessee State University. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $21,692. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $31,462 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 63% were women.
Online courses are available at Tennessee State University, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. During the 2019-2020 year, about 55% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #12, Lee University did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for students working on their bachelor’s degree. Lee University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Cleveland, Tennessee. It awarded 859 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees at Lee University is $20,500. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $26,373 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 65% were women.
Online courses are available at Lee University, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 17% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Lipscomb University ranked #13 on this year’s Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee list. Lipscomb is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Nashville, Tennessee. It awarded 725 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Lipscomb does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $35,752. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $27,667 in student loans. Around 62% of those degree recipients were women.
One thing to take note of is that Lipscomb does offer online classes in some areas. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 52% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
The University of Tennessee - Health Science Center landed the #14 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular bachelor’s degree programs. Located in Memphis, Tennessee, the small public school handed out 625 bachelor’s degree awards in 2020-2021.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at UTHSC is $10,634. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $22,747. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $26,526 in student loans. Around 74% of those degree recipients were women.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since UTHSC does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2019-2020 year, about 99% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Trevecca Nazarene University ranked #15 on this year’s Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee list. TNU is located in Nashville, Tennessee and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 572 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $26,898 to cover tuition and fees at TNU. The school does not offer an in-state discount. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $26,746 in loans while pursuing their degree. Around 63% of those degree recipients were women.
Some students may be able to take online classes at TNU. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 54% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
King University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee ranking. Located in Bristol, Tennessee, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 540 bachelor’s degree awards in 2020-2021.
If you want to attend King, expect to pay an average of $32,838 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $29,347 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 69% were women.
King does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 83% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
With a ranking of #17, Union University did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for students working on their bachelor’s degree. Union is located in Jackson, Tennessee and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 523 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
If you want to attend Union, expect to pay an average of $16,520 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $32,879 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 71% were women.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Union. During the 2019-2020 year, about 34% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Bethel University landed the #18 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular bachelor’s degree programs. Located in McKenzie, Tennessee, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 478 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees at Bethel is $13,981. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $33,108 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 52% were women.
Bethel does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 38% took at least some of their classes online.
Rhodes College ranked #19 on this year’s Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee list. Rhodes College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Memphis, Tennessee. The school has a small population, and it awarded 463 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Rhodes College does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $50,910. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. Around 60% of those degree recipients were women.
Interested in an online degree? Then you definitely want to check out Rhodes College. Every undergraduate student at the school took at least one class online.
Southern Adventist University landed the #20 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular bachelor’s degree programs. Southern Adventist University is a small private not-for-profit school located in Collegedale, Tennessee that handed out 432 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
If you want to attend Southern Adventist, expect to pay an average of $23,210 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. Around 61% of those degree recipients were women.
One thing to take note of is that Southern Adventist does offer online classes in some areas. During the 2019-2020 year, about 39% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Sewanee - The University of the South did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #21 on the list. Sewanee, Tennessee is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 429 students in 2020-2021.
Sewanee does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $49,418. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. Of those students who received their degree, 53% were women.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Sewanee. During the 2019-2020 year, about 86% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Lincoln Memorial University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #22 on the list. Located in Harrogate, Tennessee, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 412 bachelor’s degree awards in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees at LMU is $24,210. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from LMU accumulate an average of $23,788 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 70% were women.
LMU does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In 2019-2020 about 6% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Christian Brothers University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee ranking. Located in Memphis, Tennessee, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 386 bachelor’s degree awards in 2020-2021.
By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $34,104 in student loans. Around 55% of those degree recipients were women.
Online courses are available at Christian Brothers, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. During the 2019-2020 year, about 88% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
South College ranked #24 on this year’s Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee list. South College is a private for-profit institution located in Knoxville, Tennessee. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 365 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $17,335 to cover tuition and fees at South College. The school does not offer an in-state discount. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $42,762 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 82% were women.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at South College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 89% took at least some of their classes online.
Freed-Hardeman University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #25 on the list. FHU is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Henderson, Tennessee. It awarded 363 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Bachelor’s Degree recipients from FHU accumulate an average of $22,617 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 57% were women.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at FHU. During the 2019-2020 year, about 16% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Southeast Region
View Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Schools Nationwide >
Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
References
- 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.
Featured Schools
Request Info
|
Southern New Hampshire University You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs. Learn More > |
Course Advisor provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© Course Advisor – All Rights Reserved.