37 Best Political Science schools in Tennessee

Updated: March 02, 2025

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Tennessee ranked based on their research performance in Political Science. A graph of 2.66M citations received by 98.8K academic papers made by 37 universities in Tennessee was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. Vanderbilt University

Nashville

For Political Science

#47 in the United States

#54 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 6%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $26,689

2. University of Tennessee - Knoxville

Knoxville

For Political Science

#76 in the United States

#91 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 46%
Average SAT: 1265
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 90%

3. University of Memphis

Memphis

For Political Science

#152 in the United States

#175 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Average SAT: 1055
Average ACT: 21
Receiving Aid: 97%

4. University of Tennessee Health Science Center

Memphis

For Political Science

#282 in the United States

#314 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 3,121
Male:Female: 33:67
Founded: 1911

5. East Tennessee State University

Johnson

For Political Science

#292 in the United States

#326 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average SAT: 1060
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 92%

6. Middle Tennessee State University

Murfreesboro

For Political Science

#295 in the United States

#330 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Average SAT: 1115
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 96%

7. University of Tennessee - Chattanooga

Chattanooga

For Political Science

#323 in the United States

#360 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Average SAT: 1095
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 95%

8. Johnson University

Knoxville

For Political Science

#337 in the United States

#380 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Average SAT: 990
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $20,713

9. Tennessee State University

Nashville

For Political Science

#494 in the United States

#544 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Average SAT: 962
Average ACT: 19
Receiving Aid: 94%

10. Tennessee Technological University

Cookeville

For Political Science

#505 in the United States

#558 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Average SAT: 1135
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 97%

11. King University

Bristol

For Political Science

#536 in the United States

#591 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Net Price: $23,282
Receiving Aid: 84%
Average Aid: $24,339

12. Rhodes College

Memphis

For Political Science

#602 in the United States

#660 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Average SAT: 1390
Average ACT: 31
Net Price: $30,590

13. University of the South

Sewanee

For Political Science

#604 in the United States

#662 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Average SAT: 1317
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $33,616

14. Lee University

Cleveland

For Political Science

#680 in the United States

#744 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Average SAT: 1130
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $20,222

15. Belmont University

Nashville

For Political Science

#687 in the United States

#751 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Average SAT: 1255
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $37,558

16. Meharry Medical College

Nashville

For Political Science

#719 in the United States

#785 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 1,083
Male:Female: 31:69
Founded: 1876

17. Austin Peay State University

Clarksville

For Political Science

#725 in the United States

#791 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Average SAT: 1054
Average ACT: 21
Receiving Aid: 98%

18. University of Tennessee - Martin

Martin

For Political Science

#737 in the United States

#804 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average SAT: 1105
Average ACT: 22
Receiving Aid: 99%

19. Bryan College - Dayton

Dayton

For Political Science

#782 in the United States

#851 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $17,105
Receiving Aid: 97%
Average Aid: $12,650

20. South College

Knoxville

For Political Science

#944 in the United States

#1016 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $16,584
Receiving Aid: 90%
Average Aid: $13,698

21. Union University

Jackson

For Political Science

#986 in the United States

#1059 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 47%
Average SAT: 1185
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $27,191

22. Lipscomb University

Nashville

For Political Science

#1035 in the United States

#1110 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Average SAT: 1248
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $27,386

23. Lincoln Memorial University

Harrogate

For Political Science

#1066 in the United States

#1141 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 59%
Average SAT: 1113
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $19,401

24. Christian Brothers University

Memphis

For Political Science

#1099 in the United States

#1175 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Average SAT: 1170
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $17,068

25. Carson-Newman University

Jefferson City

For Political Science

#1130 in the United States

#1206 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Average SAT: 1035
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $19,755

26. Maryville College

Maryville

For Political Science

#1191 in the United States

#1268 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Average SAT: 1103
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $20,990

27. Fisk University

Nashville

For Political Science

#1202 in the United States

#1279 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 58%
Average SAT: 1320
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $19,836

28. Milligan College

Milligan College

For Political Science

#1317 in the United States

#1396 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Average SAT: 1205
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $21,463

29. Welch College

Gallatin

For Political Science

#1321 in the United States

#1400 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $19,214
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $15,153

30. Baptist Memorial College of Health Sciences

Memphis

For Political Science

#1343 in the United States

#1423 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Average ACT: 20
Net Price: $15,395
Receiving Aid: 100%

31. Lane College

Jackson

For Political Science

#1471 in the United States

#1557 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $13,384
Receiving Aid: 96%
Average Aid: $10,229

32. Tusculum University

Greeneville

For Political Science

#1475 in the United States

#1561 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Net Price: $22,961
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $20,374

33. Cumberland University

Lebanon

For Political Science

#1496 in the United States

#1585 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Net Price: $17,669
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $23,749

34. Southern Adventist University

Collegedale

For Political Science

#1554 in the United States

#1643 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Average SAT: 1120
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $25,374

35. Memphis Theological Seminary

Memphis

For Political Science

#1558 in the United States

#1647 in North America

Enrollment: 195
Male:Female: 44:56

36. Tennessee Wesleyan University

Athens

For Political Science

#1580 in the United States

#1669 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 59%
Average SAT: 1030
Average ACT: 20
Net Price: $16,414

37. Trevecca Nazarene University

Nashville

For Political Science

#1614 in the United States

#1704 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Average SAT: 1083
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $16,222

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Kentucky	27	63
Alabama	26	97
Georgia	50	45
Indiana	35	39
Mississippi	14	181
South Carolina	31	61
Illinois	78	9
North Carolina	47	20
Arkansas	16	131
Ohio	63	19
West Virginia	17	122
Missouri	40	43
Virginia	42	32
Louisiana	26	84
District of Columbia	12	41
Maryland	28	14
Iowa	31	48
Pennsylvania	101	8
Michigan	43	2
Florida	64	34
Delaware	4	86
Wisconsin	34	16
Oklahoma	20	92
Kansas	17	68
New Jersey	28	21
New York	140	5
Minnesota	29	18
Connecticut	21	7
Nebraska	13	82
Rhode Island	9	66
Massachusetts	71	1
Texas	82	22
Vermont	11	127
South Dakota	9	338
New Hampshire	12	75
Colorado	21	57
North Dakota	8	230
Maine	14	229
New Mexico	8	104
Utah	11	50
Montana	8	203
Arizona	10	24
Idaho	7	242
Nevada	6	134
Puerto Rico	13	528
California	133	3
Oregon	19	105
Washington	32	6
Alaska	4	331
Hawaii	7	111