Highest Paying Colleges in Tennessee (2026)
Updated
Highest Paying Colleges in Tennessee lists 38 nonprofit four-year institutions located in Tennessee. Schools are ordered by Azimuth's return pillar for Tennessee, highest first.
Vanderbilt University ranks 1st on this list, with median earnings of $101,204 for its graduates four years after completing. The list includes 11 public and 27 private nonprofit schools.
Public institutions make up 29% of the 38 schools on this page. Austin Peay State University reports the lowest average net price on the page, at $9,735. King University admits 100% of applicants, the highest admission rate on the page.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median earnings, 4 years after completion | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vanderbilt University · Nashville, TN | $101,204 | $15,846 | $3,414 | 5.9% |
| Vanderbilt University reports median earnings of $101,204 for its graduates four years after completing, the highest on this list. | |||||
| 2 | Baptist Health Sciences University · Memphis, TN | $73,191 | $11,212 | $6,354 | 82.0% |
| Baptist Health Sciences University admits 82% of applicants and its graduates earn a median of $73,191 four years after completing. | |||||
| 3 | The University of Tennessee Health Science Center · Memphis, TN | $78,597 | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported |
| A public institution in Memphis, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center shows median earnings of $78,597 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 4 | Lincoln Memorial University · Harrogate, TN | $69,633 | $20,406 | $15,644 | 62.6% |
| Lincoln Memorial University has a six-year completion rate of 50% and an average net price of $20,406. | |||||
| 5 | Christian Brothers University · Memphis, TN | $68,058 | $9,854 | $9,466 | 86.7% |
| Christian Brothers University reports an average net price of $9,854 and median earnings of $68,058 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 6 | The University of the South · Sewanee, TN | $63,966 | $27,872 | $10,485 | 56.9% |
| The University of the South graduates 80% of its students within six years and reports an average net price of $27,872. | |||||
| 7 | King University · Bristol, TN | $61,394 | $22,347 | $22,696 | 99.7% |
| King University admits 100% of applicants and its graduates earn a median of $61,394 four years after completing. | |||||
| 8 | Rhodes College · Memphis, TN | $65,427 | $28,585 | $15,770 | 50.4% |
| Rhodes College reports median earnings of $65,427 for its graduates four years after completing, alongside a six-year completion rate of 85%. | |||||
| 9 | Trevecca Nazarene University · Nashville, TN | $64,175 | $16,813 | $14,532 | 69.4% |
| Trevecca Nazarene University has an admission rate of 69% and an average net price of $16,813. | |||||
| 10 | Bethel University · Mckenzie, TN | $62,152 | $12,595 | $11,871 | 60.2% |
| Bethel University shows median earnings of $62,152 for its graduates four years after completing and a six-year completion rate of 35%. | |||||
| 11 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville · Knoxville, TN | $67,631 | $18,976 | $10,029 | 41.6% |
| The University of Tennessee-Knoxville admits 42% of applicants and reports an average net price of $18,976. | |||||
| 12 | Lipscomb University · Nashville, TN | $63,007 | $24,739 | $20,048 | 67.7% |
| Lipscomb University graduates 72% of its students within six years and its graduates earn a median of $63,007 four years after completing. | |||||
| 13 | Fisk University · Nashville, TN | $58,830 | $32,020 | $27,647 | 37.4% |
| Fisk University reports median earnings of $58,830 for its graduates four years after completing, and its average net price is $32,020. | |||||
| 14 | University of Memphis · Memphis, TN | $57,507 | $12,397 | $10,607 | 72.0% |
| With a six-year completion rate of 51%, University of Memphis admits 72% of applicants. | |||||
| 15 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga · Chattanooga, TN | $57,377 | $14,265 | $9,876 | 81.1% |
| The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga ranks 15th on this list and shows an average net price of $9,876 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 16 | Cumberland University · Lebanon, TN | $58,091 | $18,759 | $17,882 | 67.3% |
| Graduates of Cumberland University earn a median of $58,091 four years after completing, and the school's admission rate is 67%. | |||||
| 17 | Tennessee Technological University · Cookeville, TN | $57,413 | $14,246 | $9,815 | 76.1% |
| Tennessee Technological University posts a six-year completion rate of 58% alongside an average net price of $14,246. | |||||
| 18 | Tennessee State University · Nashville, TN | $53,808 | $15,796 | $15,005 | 70.1% |
| A public university in Nashville, Tennessee State University reports median earnings of $53,808 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 19 | Belmont University · Nashville, TN | $56,202 | $33,147 | $22,950 | 95.3% |
| Belmont University admits 95% of applicants and graduates 71% of its students within six years. | |||||
| 20 | Southern Adventist University · Collegedale, TN | $58,282 | $24,345 | $19,123 | 65.5% |
| Southern Adventist University ranks 20th on this list, with an average net price of $19,123 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 21 | Welch College · Gallatin, TN | $43,472 | $25,263 | $25,590 | Not reported |
| Welch College reports median earnings of $43,472 for its graduates four years after completing and a six-year completion rate of 53%. | |||||
| 22 | Union University · Jackson, TN | $60,152 | $27,171 | $25,839 | 60.4% |
| Union University ranks 22nd on this list, and its graduates earn a median of $60,152 four years after completing. | |||||
| 23 | Bryan College-Dayton · Dayton, TN | $51,604 | $20,614 | $19,500 | Not reported |
| Bryan College-Dayton posts a six-year completion rate of 50% and an average net price of $20,614. | |||||
| 24 | Carson-Newman University · Jefferson City, TN | $53,936 | $20,251 | $16,672 | 90.5% |
| Carson-Newman University admits 90% of applicants, and its graduates earn a median of $53,936 four years after completing. | |||||
| 25 | Austin Peay State University · Clarksville, TN | $52,456 | $9,735 | $7,588 | 96.4% |
| Austin Peay State University reports median earnings of $52,456 for its graduates four years after completing, and an average net price of $9,735. | |||||
| 26 | Middle Tennessee State University · Murfreesboro, TN | $54,525 | $13,359 | $9,289 | 69.1% |
| With an average net price of $13,359, Middle Tennessee State University admits 69% of applicants and graduates 54% within six years. | |||||
| 27 | Milligan University · Milligan, TN | $55,216 | $21,365 | $15,118 | 72.3% |
| Milligan University, a private nonprofit institution, posts a six-year completion rate of 63% and median earnings of $55,216 four years after completing. | |||||
| 28 | East Tennessee State University · Johnson City, TN | $53,033 | $15,983 | $12,433 | 86.2% |
| East Tennessee State University ranks 28th on this list, with an admission rate of 86% and an average net price of $15,983. | |||||
| 29 | Tennessee Wesleyan University · Athens, TN | $53,707 | $14,836 | $11,609 | 68.9% |
| Graduates of Tennessee Wesleyan University earn a median of $53,707 four years after completing, and the school admits 69% of applicants. | |||||
| 30 | Tusculum University · Greeneville, TN | $51,271 | $21,131 | $20,766 | 72.2% |
| Tusculum University has a six-year completion rate of 25% and an average net price of $20,766 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 31 | The University of Tennessee-Martin · Martin, TN | $47,898 | $10,701 | $7,151 | 88.2% |
| The University of Tennessee-Martin reports median earnings of $47,898 for its graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $10,701. | |||||
| 32 | Maryville College · Maryville, TN | $49,454 | $19,360 | $15,094 | 60.9% |
| With an admission rate of 61%, Maryville College graduates 50% of its students within six years. | |||||
| 33 | Freed-Hardeman University · Henderson, TN | $50,701 | $21,574 | $20,988 | 59.7% |
| Freed-Hardeman University posts a six-year completion rate of 71% and median earnings of $50,701 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 34 | The University of Tennessee Southern · Pulaski, TN | $46,181 | $12,798 | $9,335 | 86.7% |
| The University of Tennessee Southern ranks 34th on this list, with an average net price of $9,335 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 35 | Lee University · Cleveland, TN | $47,559 | $18,878 | $12,834 | 70.5% |
| Graduates of Lee University earn a median of $47,559 four years after completing, and the school admits 71% of applicants. | |||||
| 36 | Visible Music College · Memphis, TN | $36,048 | $27,820 | $27,744 | 28.0% |
| Visible Music College has an admission rate of 28% and reports median earnings of $36,048 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 37 | Lane College · Jackson, TN | $38,716 | $10,904 | $10,904 | Not reported |
| Lane College reports median earnings of $38,716 for its graduates four years after completing, and an average net price of $10,904 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 38 | Johnson University · Knoxville, TN | $42,004 | $22,063 | $17,246 | 65.1% |
| Johnson University admits 65% of applicants and shows a six-year completion rate of 57%. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Schools are ordered by Azimuth's return pillar for Tennessee, highest first. The pillar measures four-year earnings, modeled value added and program earnings relative to national benchmarks, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page. The figures are median earnings of federally aided completers at each institution, across all fields, measured four years after completing, among those who were working and not enrolled. The list does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. Of the 38 schools listed, 11 are public and 27 are private nonprofit.