2026 Best Research Universities in Tennessee

Name: 2026 Best Research Universities in Tennessee (Kollegio college rankings)
Creator: Kollegio
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

14 Tennessee schools ranked in Kollegio's 2026 Best Research Universities ranking, based on U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard data.

Showing 1–14 of 14 colleges · How we rank colleges

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Cost of attendance after aid

ⓘ

$77,180

Institution type

2 Year4 Year5 Year

Field of study

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Campus Detail

Institution setting

AllCitySuburbanRural

Undergraduate enrollment

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268763

Financial

Alumni starting salary

Tuition cost

ⓘ

$67,000

In-state tuition

ⓘ

Proportion of need based aid received

ⓘ

100%Clear Filter

International students received aid

ⓘ

100%

Average aid package

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$82,308

Application fee

ⓘ

$150

Academics

Mean GPA

ⓘ

Mean SAT

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1200

Mean ACT

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#1 Best Research Universities

Vanderbilt University

Nashville

Acceptance rate

6.3%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$54,840

Avg. Cost after Aid

$28,000

#2 Best Research Universities

The University of Tennessee - Knoxville

Knoxville

Acceptance rate

41.6%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$11,332

Avg. Cost after Aid

$22,000

#3 Best Research Universities

Union University

Jackson

Acceptance rate

47.2%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$31,040

Avg. Cost after Aid

$28,000

#4 Best Research Universities

Lipscomb University

Nashville

Acceptance rate

66.6%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$33,012

Avg. Cost after Aid

$27,000

#5 Best Research Universities

Belmont University

Nashville

Acceptance rate

96.4%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$36,650

Avg. Cost after Aid

$35,000

#6 Best Research Universities

Middle Tennessee State University

Murfreesboro

Acceptance rate

68.0%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$7,344

Avg. Cost after Aid

$13,000

#7 Best Research Universities

Trevecca Nazarene University

Nashville

Acceptance rate

70.0%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$25,998

Avg. Cost after Aid

$16,000

#8 Best Research Universities

Lincoln Memorial University

Harrogate

Acceptance rate

59.3%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$23,760

Avg. Cost after Aid

$23,000

#9 Best Research Universities

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Chattanooga

Acceptance rate

81.0%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$7,992

Avg. Cost after Aid

$14,000

#10 Best Research Universities

Tennessee Technological University

Cookeville

Acceptance rate

83.2%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$8,520

Avg. Cost after Aid

$14,207

#11 Best Research Universities

Carson-Newman University

Jefferson City

Acceptance rate

68.3%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$29,920

Avg. Cost after Aid

$18,000

#12 Best Research Universities

East Tennessee State University

Johnson City

Acceptance rate

87.1%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$7,486

Avg. Cost after Aid

$14,000

#13 Best Research Universities

University of Memphis

Memphis

Acceptance rate

93.4%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$8,352

Avg. Cost after Aid

$14,000

#14 Best Research Universities

Tennessee State University

Nashville

Acceptance rate

92.6%

Institution type

COMP

Total Tuition Cost

$7,128

Avg. Cost after Aid

$12,000

2026 Best Research Universities in Tennessee

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