37 Best Political Science schools in Tennessee

Updated: March 15, 2026

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 2.82M citations received by 102K 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

#46 in the United States

#54 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 6%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $25,186

2. University of Tennessee - Knoxville

Knoxville

For Political Science

#76 in the United States

#91 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 42%
Average SAT: 1285
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 96%

3. University of Memphis

Memphis

For Political Science

#151 in the United States

#174 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Average SAT: 1048
Average ACT: 21
Receiving Aid: 95%

4. University of Tennessee Health Science Center

Memphis

For Political Science

#281 in the United States

#313 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 3,101
Male:Female: 33:67
Founded: 1911

5. East Tennessee State University

Johnson

For Political Science

#293 in the United States

#327 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average SAT: 1090
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 94%

6. Middle Tennessee State University

Murfreesboro

For Political Science

#295 in the United States

#329 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Average SAT: 1120
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 96%

7. University of Tennessee - Chattanooga

Chattanooga

For Political Science

#323 in the United States

#362 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Average SAT: 1112
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 96%

8. Johnson University

Knoxville

For Political Science

#336 in the United States

#379 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 65%
Average SAT: 1035
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $22,615

9. Tennessee State University

Nashville

For Political Science

#498 in the United States

#551 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Average SAT: 965
Average ACT: 19
Receiving Aid: 75%

10. Tennessee Technological University

Cookeville

For Political Science

#500 in the United States

#553 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Average SAT: 1179
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 97%

11. King University

Bristol

For Political Science

#536 in the United States

#591 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $22,748
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $26,366

12. Rhodes College

Memphis

For Political Science

#605 in the United States

#663 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Average SAT: 1393
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $31,037

13. University of the South

Sewanee

For Political Science

#608 in the United States

#666 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Average SAT: 1325
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $34,815

14. Lee University

Cleveland

For Political Science

#672 in the United States

#736 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average SAT: 1135
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $20,416

15. Belmont University

Nashville

For Political Science

#682 in the United States

#746 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Average SAT: 1255
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $38,578

16. Meharry Medical College

Nashville

For Political Science

#708 in the United States

#772 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 1,226
Male:Female: 32:68
Founded: 1876

17. Austin Peay State University

Clarksville

For Political Science

#718 in the United States

#785 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Average SAT: 985
Average ACT: 21
Receiving Aid: 99%

18. University of Tennessee - Martin

Martin

For Political Science

#736 in the United States

#804 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Average SAT: 1090
Average ACT: 22
Receiving Aid: 99%

19. Bryan College - Dayton

Dayton

For Political Science

#779 in the United States

#849 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $18,159
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $13,271

20. South College

Knoxville

For Political Science

#944 in the United States

#1016 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $17,588
Receiving Aid: 91%
Average Aid: $14,208

21. Union University

Jackson

For Political Science

#989 in the United States

#1062 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Average SAT: 1275
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $28,452

22. Lipscomb University

Nashville

For Political Science

#1027 in the United States

#1103 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Average SAT: 1270
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $27,695

23. Lincoln Memorial University

Harrogate

For Political Science

#1051 in the United States

#1127 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Average SAT: 1105
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $21,447

24. Christian Brothers University

Memphis

For Political Science

#1101 in the United States

#1178 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average SAT: 1200
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $16,754

25. Carson-Newman University

Jefferson City

For Political Science

#1137 in the United States

#1214 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Average SAT: 1085
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $20,895

26. Fisk University

Nashville

For Political Science

#1202 in the United States

#1279 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 37%
Average SAT: 1325
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $18,595

27. Maryville College

Maryville

For Political Science

#1203 in the United States

#1280 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 61%
Net Price: $21,469
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $33,153

28. Welch College

Gallatin

For Political Science

#1306 in the United States

#1385 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $21,157
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $15,462

29. Milligan College

Milligan College

For Political Science

#1323 in the United States

#1402 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Average SAT: 1201
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $21,165

30. Baptist Memorial College of Health Sciences

Memphis

For Political Science

#1354 in the United States

#1435 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Average ACT: 20
Net Price: $11,348
Receiving Aid: 100%

31. Lane College

Jackson

For Political Science

#1454 in the United States

#1540 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $11,803
Receiving Aid: 94%
Average Aid: $11,689

32. Tusculum University

Greeneville

For Political Science

#1485 in the United States

#1573 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Net Price: $20,355
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $23,759

33. Cumberland University

Lebanon

For Political Science

#1504 in the United States

#1593 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Net Price: $18,499
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $24,703

34. Southern Adventist University

Collegedale

For Political Science

#1557 in the United States

#1646 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 65%
Average SAT: 1160
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $25,753

35. Memphis Theological Seminary

Memphis

For Political Science

#1561 in the United States

#1650 in North America

Enrollment: 157
Male:Female: 45:55

36. Tennessee Wesleyan University

Athens

For Political Science

#1582 in the United States

#1671 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $15,125
Receiving Aid: 100%

37. Trevecca Nazarene University

Nashville

For Political Science

#1609 in the United States

#1698 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Average SAT: 1108
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $18,035

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Kentucky	28	63
Alabama	26	97
Georgia	50	45
Indiana	35	39
Mississippi	14	178
South Carolina	31	61
Illinois	78	9
North Carolina	47	20
Arkansas	17	130
Ohio	63	19
West Virginia	17	123
Missouri	40	43
Virginia	42	32
Louisiana	26	84
District of Columbia	12	41
Maryland	28	13
Iowa	31	49
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	139	5
Minnesota	29	18
Connecticut	21	7
Nebraska	13	83
Rhode Island	9	66
Massachusetts	71	1
Texas	82	22
Vermont	11	129
South Dakota	9	338
New Hampshire	12	75
Colorado	22	57
North Dakota	8	229
Maine	14	227
New Mexico	8	105
Utah	11	50
Montana	8	202
Arizona	10	24
Idaho	7	240
Nevada	6	133
Puerto Rico	13	527
California	133	3
Oregon	19	106
Washington	32	6
Alaska	4	331
Hawaii	7	113