Best ROI colleges in Tennessee
Ten years of reported earnings premium, measured against four years of net price plus earnings forgone while studying.
38eligible colleges$45kcomparison earnings
LOWER10-YEAR ROIHIGHER
1Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, TN · Private nonprofit
+88%+$214,766
2Baptist Health Sciences UniversityMemphis, TN · Private nonprofit
+20%+$44,212
3Strayer University-TennesseeNashville, TN · Private for-profit
−0%−$420
4Cumberland UniversityLebanon, TN · Private nonprofit
−4%−$9,286
5Galen Health Institutes-Nashville CampusNashville, TN · Private for-profit
−7%−$21,018
6Rhodes CollegeMemphis, TN · Private nonprofit
−27%−$78,260
7Christian Brothers UniversityMemphis, TN · Private nonprofit
−28%−$60,736
8The University of Tennessee-KnoxvilleKnoxville, TN · Public
−35%−$89,554
9King UniversityBristol, TN · Private nonprofit
−38%−$101,718
10Lipscomb UniversityNashville, TN · Private nonprofit
−43%−$121,026
11Southern Adventist UniversityCollegedale, TN · Private nonprofit
−50%−$137,670
12Lincoln Memorial UniversityHarrogate, TN · Private nonprofit
−53%−$139,684
13The University of the SouthSewanee, TN · Private nonprofit
−56%−$164,688
14The University of Tennessee-ChattanoogaChattanooga, TN · Public
−66%−$156,020
15University of MemphisMemphis, TN · Public
−68%−$157,168
16Bethel UniversityMcKenzie, TN · Private nonprofit
−69%−$158,320
17Tennessee State UniversityNashville, TN · Public
−71%−$173,844
18Tennessee Wesleyan UniversityAthens, TN · Private nonprofit
−72%−$172,334
19Tennessee Technological UniversityCookeville, TN · Public
−72%−$170,994
20Union UniversityJackson, TN · Private nonprofit
−72%−$209,224
21Trevecca Nazarene UniversityNashville, TN · Private nonprofit
−76%−$186,802
22Middle Tennessee State UniversityMurfreesboro, TN · Public
−76%−$178,136
23Belmont UniversityNashville, TN · Private nonprofit
−78%−$242,628
24Fisk UniversityNashville, TN · Private nonprofit
−81%−$249,300
25South CollegeKnoxville, TN · Private for-profit
−83%−$207,762
26The University of Tennessee SouthernPulaski, TN · Public
−83%−$191,542
27Maryville CollegeMaryville, TN · Private nonprofit
−84%−$217,280
28Milligan UniversityMilligan, TN · Private nonprofit
−85%−$226,850
29East Tennessee State UniversityJohnson City, TN · Public
−86%−$208,592
30Austin Peay State UniversityClarksville, TN · Public
−86%−$188,820
31Carson-Newman UniversityJefferson City, TN · Private nonprofit
−89%−$233,174
32Tusculum UniversityGreeneville, TN · Private nonprofit
−90%−$239,134
33The University of Tennessee-MartinMartin, TN · Public
−93%−$207,524
34Lee UniversityCleveland, TN · Private nonprofit
−96%−$245,472
35Freed-Hardeman UniversityHenderson, TN · Private nonprofit
−98%−$260,886
36Johnson UniversityKnoxville, TN · Private nonprofit
−108%−$290,772
37Lane CollegeJackson, TN · Private nonprofit
−143%−$319,746
38Miller-Motte College-ChattanoogaChattanooga, TN · Private for-profit
−150%−$414,602
Eligibility requires a currently operating college, a reported bachelor’s-level program, at least 500 students, observed earnings and annual average net price of at least $1,000. State rank is relative only to eligible institutions in Tennessee.
Best ROI colleges by state
Every state page uses the same data-quality screen and economic-investment formula as the national ranking.
ALAlabamaAKAlaskaAZArizonaARArkansasCACaliforniaCOColoradoCTConnecticutDEDelawareDCDistrict of ColumbiaFLFloridaGAGeorgiaHIHawaiiIDIdahoILIllinoisINIndianaIAIowaKSKansasKYKentuckyLALouisianaMEMaineMDMarylandMAMassachusettsMIMichiganMNMinnesotaMSMississippiMOMissouriMTMontanaNENebraskaNVNevadaNHNew HampshireNJNew JerseyNMNew MexicoNYNew YorkNCNorth CarolinaNDNorth DakotaOHOhioOKOklahomaOROregonPAPennsylvaniaRIRhode IslandSCSouth CarolinaSDSouth DakotaTNTennesseeTXTexasUTUtahVTVermontVAVirginiaWAWashingtonWVWest VirginiaWIWisconsinWYWyoming