39 Best colleges for Liberal Arts & Social Sciences 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 Liberal Arts & Social Sciences. A graph of 5.79M citations received by 192K academic papers made by 39 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 Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#46 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 Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#71 in the United States

#85 in North America

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

3. University of Memphis

Memphis

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#147 in the United States

#170 in North America

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

4. University of Tennessee Health Science Center

Memphis

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#216 in the United States

#247 in North America

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

5. East Tennessee State University

Johnson

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#288 in the United States

#323 in North America

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

6. Johnson University

Knoxville

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#310 in the United States

#349 in North America

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

7. Middle Tennessee State University

Murfreesboro

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#320 in the United States

#361 in North America

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

8. University of Tennessee - Chattanooga

Chattanooga

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#341 in the United States

#382 in North America

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

9. Tennessee Technological University

Cookeville

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#477 in the United States

#528 in North America

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

10. University of the South

Sewanee

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#533 in the United States

#587 in North America

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

11. Tennessee State University

Nashville

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#540 in the United States

#595 in North America

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

12. Rhodes College

Memphis

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#600 in the United States

#656 in North America

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

13. King University

Bristol

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#613 in the United States

#670 in North America

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

14. Meharry Medical College

Nashville

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#695 in the United States

#761 in North America

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

15. Lee University

Cleveland

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#737 in the United States

#803 in North America

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

16. Belmont University

Nashville

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#756 in the United States

#824 in North America

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

17. Austin Peay State University

Clarksville

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#781 in the United States

#850 in North America

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

18. University of Tennessee - Martin

Martin

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#809 in the United States

#878 in North America

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

19. Bryan College - Dayton

Dayton

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#857 in the United States

#927 in North America

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

20. South College

Knoxville

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#878 in the United States

#948 in North America

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

21. Union University

Jackson

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#971 in the United States

#1043 in North America

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

22. Lipscomb University

Nashville

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1097 in the United States

#1175 in North America

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

23. Lincoln Memorial University

Harrogate

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1129 in the United States

#1207 in North America

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

24. Maryville College

Maryville

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1159 in the United States

#1237 in North America

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

25. Christian Brothers University

Memphis

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1161 in the United States

#1239 in North America

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

26. Carson-Newman University

Jefferson City

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1167 in the United States

#1245 in North America

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

27. Fisk University

Nashville

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1224 in the United States

#1302 in North America

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

28. Baptist Memorial College of Health Sciences

Memphis

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1273 in the United States

#1352 in North America

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

29. Milligan College

Milligan College

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1345 in the United States

#1426 in North America

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

30. Southern Adventist University

Collegedale

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1373 in the United States

#1455 in North America

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

31. Welch College

Gallatin

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1434 in the United States

#1518 in North America

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

32. Memphis Theological Seminary

Memphis

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1449 in the United States

#1535 in North America

Enrollment: 195
Male:Female: 44:56

33. Lane College

Jackson

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1460 in the United States

#1546 in North America

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

34. Tusculum University

Greeneville

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1494 in the United States

#1581 in North America

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

35. Southern College of Optometry

Memphis

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1523 in the United States

#1611 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Enrollment: 525
Male:Female: 31:69
Founded: 1932

36. Cumberland University

Lebanon

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1562 in the United States

#1651 in North America

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

37. Tennessee Wesleyan University

Athens

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1635 in the United States

#1726 in North America

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

38. Freed-Hardeman University

Henderson

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1652 in the United States

#1743 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Average SAT: 1009
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $18,267

39. Trevecca Nazarene University

Nashville

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1672 in the United States

#1763 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	29	59
Alabama	29	84
Georgia	52	42
Indiana	38	39
Mississippi	15	178
South Carolina	32	69
Illinois	79	12
North Carolina	50	20
Arkansas	18	146
Ohio	67	19
West Virginia	21	119
Missouri	44	40
Virginia	42	37
Louisiana	27	79
District of Columbia	13	50
Maryland	28	10
Iowa	32	44
Pennsylvania	114	8
Michigan	47	4
Florida	70	31
Delaware	4	96
Wisconsin	36	14
Oklahoma	22	104
Kansas	22	74
New Jersey	29	22
New York	146	6
Minnesota	30	18
Connecticut	22	9
Nebraska	15	87
Rhode Island	9	56
Massachusetts	75	1
Texas	89	21
Vermont	12	122
South Dakota	11	330
New Hampshire	13	82
Colorado	24	52
North Dakota	9	215
Maine	16	200
New Mexico	9	100
Utah	11	45
Montana	9	166
Arizona	10	30
Idaho	7	194
Nevada	8	152
Puerto Rico	15	415
California	146	2
Oregon	21	97
Washington	39	5
Alaska	4	233
Hawaii	7	107