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TN · OBSERVED FEDERAL OUTCOMES

Highest-earning colleges in Tennessee

Colleges ranked by reported median earnings five years after completion. Price and modeled ROI do not affect the order.

38eligible collegesYear 5earnings period
LOWERMEDIAN EARNINGS · YEAR 5 AFTER COMPLETIONHIGHER
1
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, TN · Private nonprofit
$90,815Observed median earnings
2
Baptist Health Sciences UniversityMemphis, TN · Private nonprofit
$71,906Observed median earnings
3
Galen Health Institutes-Nashville CampusNashville, TN · Private for-profit
$71,805Observed median earnings
4
Cumberland UniversityLebanon, TN · Private nonprofit
$69,575Observed median earnings
5
Strayer University-TennesseeNashville, TN · Private for-profit
$67,616Observed median earnings
6
Rhodes CollegeMemphis, TN · Private nonprofit
$66,608Observed median earnings
7
King UniversityBristol, TN · Private nonprofit
$61,767Observed median earnings
8
The University of Tennessee-KnoxvilleKnoxville, TN · Public
$61,635Observed median earnings
9
Christian Brothers UniversityMemphis, TN · Private nonprofit
$60,868Observed median earnings
10
Lipscomb UniversityNashville, TN · Private nonprofit
$60,793Observed median earnings
11
Southern Adventist UniversityCollegedale, TN · Private nonprofit
$58,971Observed median earnings
12
The University of the SouthSewanee, TN · Private nonprofit
$57,680Observed median earnings
13
Lincoln Memorial UniversityHarrogate, TN · Private nonprofit
$57,194Observed median earnings
14
The University of Tennessee-ChattanoogaChattanooga, TN · Public
$53,104Observed median earnings
15
Union UniversityJackson, TN · Private nonprofit
$52,946Observed median earnings
16
University of MemphisMemphis, TN · Public
$52,242Observed median earnings
17
Bethel UniversityMcKenzie, TN · Private nonprofit
$52,206Observed median earnings
18
Belmont UniversityNashville, TN · Private nonprofit
$51,996Observed median earnings
19
Tennessee State UniversityNashville, TN · Public
$51,934Observed median earnings
20
Tennessee Wesleyan UniversityAthens, TN · Private nonprofit
$51,701Observed median earnings
21
Tennessee Technological UniversityCookeville, TN · Public
$51,599Observed median earnings
22
Trevecca Nazarene UniversityNashville, TN · Private nonprofit
$51,045Observed median earnings
23
Fisk UniversityNashville, TN · Private nonprofit
$50,878Observed median earnings
24
Middle Tennessee State UniversityMurfreesboro, TN · Public
$50,530Observed median earnings
25
South CollegeKnoxville, TN · Private for-profit
$49,367Observed median earnings
26
Maryville CollegeMaryville, TN · Private nonprofit
$49,016Observed median earnings
27
The University of Tennessee SouthernPulaski, TN · Public
$48,965Observed median earnings
28
Milligan UniversityMilligan, TN · Private nonprofit
$48,861Observed median earnings
29
East Tennessee State UniversityJohnson City, TN · Public
$48,534Observed median earnings
30
Austin Peay State UniversityClarksville, TN · Public
$48,012Observed median earnings
31
Carson-Newman UniversityJefferson City, TN · Private nonprofit
$47,783Observed median earnings
32
Tusculum UniversityGreeneville, TN · Private nonprofit
$47,539Observed median earnings
33
The University of Tennessee-MartinMartin, TN · Public
$46,528Observed median earnings
34
Lee UniversityCleveland, TN · Private nonprofit
$46,004Observed median earnings
35
Freed-Hardeman UniversityHenderson, TN · Private nonprofit
$45,541Observed median earnings
36
Johnson UniversityKnoxville, TN · Private nonprofit
$42,748Observed median earnings
37
Lane CollegeJackson, TN · Private nonprofit
$35,387Observed median earnings
38
Miller-Motte College-ChattanoogaChattanooga, TN · Private for-profit
$31,123Observed median earnings

The ranking includes currently operating colleges in Tennessee with reported bachelor’s-level programs, at least 500 students and available year-5 earnings. It does not adjust for program mix, geography, student background or cost.

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Highest-earning colleges by state

Every state page uses the same year-5 federal earnings measure and national eligibility screen.

ALAlabamaAKAlaskaAZArizonaARArkansasCACaliforniaCOColoradoCTConnecticutDEDelawareDCDistrict of ColumbiaFLFloridaGAGeorgiaHIHawaiiIDIdahoILIllinoisINIndianaIAIowaKSKansasKYKentuckyLALouisianaMEMaineMDMarylandMAMassachusettsMIMichiganMNMinnesotaMSMississippiMOMissouriMTMontanaNENebraskaNVNevadaNHNew HampshireNJNew JerseyNMNew MexicoNYNew YorkNCNorth CarolinaNDNorth DakotaOHOhioOKOklahomaOROregonPAPennsylvaniaRIRhode IslandSCSouth CarolinaSDSouth DakotaTNTennesseeTXTexasUTUtahVTVermontVAVirginiaWAWashingtonWVWest VirginiaWIWisconsinWYWyoming