These rankings are based on data about college professor and faculty salaries at each institution. Faculty who earn higher salaries tend to be more tenured, so colleges and universities with higher average salaries is often seen as an indicator of higher academic strength. But, this ranking can also be affected by other factors -- such as the presence of a medical school or other high-paying faculty positions.
| Rank | Institution | Average Faculty Salary | Acceptance Rate | SAT Score | Your Est. Net Price Avg. Net Price | Median Starting Salary | Save |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vanderbilt University | 109761 | 5.86 | 1,500 – 1,560 | 26689 | 73909 |
#1
Vanderbilt University
|
| 2 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 85071 | 41.6 | 1,210 – 1,390 | 20885 | 47782 |
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville
|
| 3 | The University of the South | 78336 | 56.9 | 1,230 – 1,400 | 33616 | 53456 |
The University of the South
|
| 4 | Belmont University | 76959 | 95.28 | 1,180 – 1,370 | 37558 | 42770 |
#4
Belmont University
|
| 5 | Lipscomb University | 72299 | 67.74 | 1,090 – 1,350 | 27386 | 50454 |
Lipscomb University
|
| 6 | University of Memphis | 71972 | 72.03 | 970 – 1,180 | 13656 | 40921 |
University of Memphis
|
| 7 | Rhodes College | 68077 | 49.68 | 1,290 – 1,430 | 30590 | 48898 |
#7
Rhodes College
|
| 8 | Union University | 66127 | 60.16 | 1,120 – 1,380 | 27191 | 45505 |
#8
Union University
|
| 9 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | 65283 | 77.02 | 1,040 – 1,210 | 13801 | 42209 |
#9
The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga
|
| 10 | Middle Tennessee State University | 65209 | 68 | 1,010 – 1,240 | 12700 | 39941 |
#10
Middle Tennessee State University
|
| 11 | South College | 63776 | 54.39 | -- | 16584 | 37570 |
#11
South College
|
| 12 | Tennessee Technological University | 62448 | 83.16 | 1,040 – 1,280 | 15138 | 43759 |
Tennessee Technological University
|
| 13 | Baptist Health Sciences University | 62202 | 67.76 | 1,010 – 1,210 | 15395 | 59224 | |
| 14 | The University of Tennessee-Martin | 60110 | 88.2 | 1,010 – 1,210 | 11151 | 38863 |
The University of Tennessee-Martin
|
| 15 | Maryville College | 59455 | 60.92 | 1,040 – 1,300 | 20990 | 39305 |
Maryville College
|
| 16 | Tennessee State University | 59042 | 70.18 | 890 – 1,070 | 9231 | 34160 |
Tennessee State University
|
| 17 | Johnson University | 58087 | 53.77 | 1,010 – 1,180 | 20713 | 35649 |
#17
Johnson University
|
| 18 | East Tennessee State University | 57263 | 87.06 | 1,010 – 1,240 | 16033 | 38704 |
East Tennessee State University
|
| 19 | Austin Peay State University | 55630 | 96.38 | -- | 14679 | 38779 |
Austin Peay State University
|
| 20 | Strayer University-Tennessee | 54725 | 0 | -- | 18466 | 36582 | |
| 21 | Trevecca Nazarene University | 54612 | 69.44 | 980 – 1,190 | 16222 | 46065 |
Trevecca Nazarene University
|
| 22 | Fisk University | 54270 | 57.91 | 990 – 1,260 | 19836 | 33604 |
Fisk University
|
| 23 | Lincoln Memorial University | 53576 | 62.6 | 980 – 1,190 | 19401 | 45242 |
#23
Lincoln Memorial University
|
| 24 | Christian Brothers University | 53463 | 86.7 | 1,020 – 1,200 | 17068 | 48592 |
Christian Brothers University
|
| 25 | Freed-Hardeman University | 53339 | 90.61 | 1,080 – 1,280 | 18267 | 40086 |
Freed-Hardeman University
|
| 26 | Lee University | 53267 | 70.52 | 1,040 – 1,270 | 20222 | 38082 |
Lee University
|
| 27 | Pentecostal Theological Seminary | 50907 | 0 | -- | 0 | 63721 | |
| 28 | Southern Adventist University | 49826 | 66.61 | 980 – 1,280 | 25374 | 44818 |
Southern Adventist University
|
| 29 | Bryan College-Dayton | 49309 | 97.17 | 980 – 1,190 | 17105 | 45559 |
Bryan College-Dayton
|
| 30 | The University of Tennessee Southern | 48818 | 82.71 | 1,030 – 1,160 | 15642 | 36151 | |
| 31 | Carson-Newman University | 48081 | 90.45 | 1,010 – 1,210 | 19755 | 39324 | |
| 32 | Cumberland University | 46348 | 67 | 1,040 – 1,210 | 17669 | 52246 |
Cumberland University
|
| 33 | King University | 45601 | 99.72 | 930 – 1,140 | 23282 | 52248 |
#33
King University
|
| 34 | Lane College | 44983 | 54.39 | 800 – 930 | 13384 | 24623 | |
| 35 | Bethel University | 44689 | 97.17 | 1,040 – 1,310 | 20606 | 38990 |
Bethel University
|
| 36 | Tennessee Wesleyan University | 43865 | 59.41 | 970 – 1,180 | 16414 | 45987 |
Tennessee Wesleyan University
|
| 37 | Tusculum University | 41996 | 60.42 | 930 – 1,140 | 22961 | 39925 |
Tusculum University
|
| 38 | Le Moyne-Owen College | 39043 | 97.17 | 800 – 930 | 8362 | 25992 |
Le Moyne-Owen College
|
| 39 | Welch College | 38119 | 57.91 | 930 – 1,210 | 19214 | 34190 |
Welch College
|
| 40 | Nossi College of Art and Design | 36238 | 43.27 | -- | 23745 | 28099 |
Nossi College of Art and Design
|
| 41 | Visible Music College | 35750 | 28.68 | -- | 25726 | 32345 | |
| 42 | Miller-Motte College-Chattanooga | 30987 | 95.44 | -- | 25215 | 26349 |
School data is from 2022–2023 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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