Most selective colleges in Tennessee
36 colleges ranked by acceptance rate
These 36 most selective colleges in Tennessee, ranked by acceptance rate, run from 6% at Vanderbilt University to 100% at Mid-South Christian College. 10 are public and 26 are private.
| # | College | Type | Acceptance | Avg SAT | Net price / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN | Private | 6% | 1,550 | $19,040 |
| 2 | Nossi College of Art and Design Nashville, TN | Private | 43% | — | $23,591 |
| 3 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Knoxville, TN | Public | 46% | 1,304 | $18,109 |
| 4 | Union University Jackson, TN | Private | 47% | 1,243 | $26,815 |
| 5 | Rhodes College Memphis, TN | Private | 50% | 1,385 | $25,060 |
| 6 | The University of the South Sewanee, TN | Private | 51% | 1,336 | $27,498 |
| 7 | Johnson University Knoxville, TN | Private | 54% | 1,072 | $20,303 |
| 8 | King University Bristol, TN | Private | 54% | — | $23,508 |
| 9 | Fisk University Nashville, TN | Private | 58% | 1,236 | $26,135 |
| 10 | Lincoln Memorial University Harrogate, TN | Private | 59% | 1,093 | $17,999 |
| 11 | Tennessee Wesleyan University Athens, TN | Private | 59% | 1,051 | $14,879 |
| 12 | Tusculum University Greeneville, TN | Private | 60% | — | $22,874 |
| 13 | Maryville College Maryville, TN | Private | 66% | 1,181 | $20,986 |
| 14 | Southern Adventist University Collegedale, TN | Private | 67% | 1,116 | $24,334 |
| 15 | Lipscomb University Nashville, TN | Private | 67% | 1,248 | $25,610 |
| 16 | Cumberland University Lebanon, TN | Private | 67% | — | $18,292 |
| 17 | Baptist Health Sciences University Memphis, TN | Private | 68% | 1,050 | $13,401 |
| 18 | Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro, TN | Public | 68% | 1,119 | $12,599 |
| 19 | Carson-Newman University Jefferson City, TN | Private | 68% | 1,111 | $18,661 |
| 20 | Trevecca Nazarene University Nashville, TN | Private | 70% | 1,090 | $14,459 |
| 21 | Milligan University Milligan, TN | Private | 70% | 1,195 | $21,131 |
| 22 | Lee University Cleveland, TN | Private | 72% | 1,144 | $20,399 |
| 23 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Chattanooga, TN | Public | 77% | 1,117 | $12,817 |
| 24 | The University of Tennessee Southern Pulaski, TN | Public | 83% | 1,088 | $15,133 |
| 25 | Tennessee Technological University Cookeville, TN | Public | 83% | 1,148 | $14,207 |
| 26 | East Tennessee State University Johnson City, TN | Public | 87% | 1,114 | $15,794 |
| 27 | The University of Tennessee-Martin Martin, TN | Public | 87% | 1,090 | $10,299 |
| 28 | Christian Brothers University Memphis, TN | Private | 88% | 1,069 | $10,896 |
| 29 | Freed-Hardeman University Henderson, TN | Private | 91% | 1,109 | $20,082 |
| 30 | Tennessee State University Nashville, TN | Public | 93% | 1,017 | $10,026 |
| 31 | University of Memphis Memphis, TN | Public | 93% | 1,051 | $13,253 |
| 32 | Austin Peay State University Clarksville, TN | Public | 96% | 1,050 | $14,846 |
| 33 | Belmont University Nashville, TN | Private | 96% | 1,277 | $32,096 |
| 34 | Bethel University McKenzie, TN | Private | 97% | 1,035 | $21,803 |
| 35 | Le Moyne-Owen College Memphis, TN | Private | 97% | — | $8,992 |
| 36 | Mid-South Christian College Memphis, TN | Private | 100% | — | $11,881 |
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