39 Best colleges for Liberal Arts & Social Sciences in Tennessee

Updated: February 29, 2024

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 4.2M citations received by 168K 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

#45 in the United States

#53 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $25,606

2. University of Tennessee - Knoxville

Knoxville

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#73 in the United States

#86 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Average SAT: 1250
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 91%

3. University of Memphis

Memphis

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#147 in the United States

#171 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Average SAT: 1080
Average ACT: 21
Receiving Aid: 99%

4. University of Tennessee Health Science Center

Memphis

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#213 in the United States

#244 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 3,139
Male:Female: 34:66
Founded: 1911

5. East Tennessee State University

Johnson

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#278 in the United States

#313 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 85%
Average SAT: 1085
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 100%

6. Johnson University

Knoxville

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#281 in the United States

#316 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Average SAT: 1088
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $21,012

7. Middle Tennessee State University

Murfreesboro

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#316 in the United States

#355 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Average SAT: 1125
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 100%

8. University of Tennessee - Chattanooga

Chattanooga

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#336 in the United States

#375 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Average SAT: 1117
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 96%

9. Tennessee Technological University

Cookeville

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#461 in the United States

#511 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 97%
Average Aid: $8,471

10. King University

Bristol

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#526 in the United States

#580 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 61%
Net Price: $22,626
Receiving Aid: 87%
Average Aid: $22,715

11. Tennessee State University

Nashville

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#537 in the United States

#592 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $17,315
Enrollment: 9,218

12. Rhodes College

Memphis

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#597 in the United States

#654 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Average SAT: 1390
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $30,672

13. University of the South

Sewanee

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#628 in the United States

#688 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Average SAT: 1307
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $33,061

14. Meharry Medical College

Nashville

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#689 in the United States

#754 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 962
Male:Female: 34:66
Founded: 1876

15. Belmont University

Nashville

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#720 in the United States

#785 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Average SAT: 1245
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $36,225

16. Lee University

Cleveland

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#722 in the United States

#787 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Average SAT: 1125
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $19,726

17. Austin Peay State University

Clarksville

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#777 in the United States

#845 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Average SAT: 1077
Average ACT: 21
Receiving Aid: 100%

18. University of Tennessee - Martin

Martin

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#779 in the United States

#847 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Average SAT: 1130
Average ACT: 22
Receiving Aid: 99%

19. South College

Knoxville

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#783 in the United States

#851 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $14,831
Receiving Aid: 88%
Average Aid: $13,048

20. Bryan College - Dayton

Dayton

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#859 in the United States

#928 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $16,752
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $11,977

21. Union University

Jackson

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#897 in the United States

#968 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 53%
Average SAT: 1235
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $28,585

22. Lipscomb University

Nashville

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1103 in the United States

#1179 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average SAT: 1225
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $27,937

23. Lincoln Memorial University

Harrogate

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1135 in the United States

#1211 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Average SAT: 1086
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $19,162

24. Carson-Newman University

Jefferson City

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1138 in the United States

#1214 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Average SAT: 1062
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $20,111

25. Maryville College

Maryville

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1139 in the United States

#1215 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Average SAT: 1025
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $21,583

26. Christian Brothers University

Memphis

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1193 in the United States

#1269 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $18,612
Receiving Aid: 100%

27. Fisk University

Nashville

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1228 in the United States

#1306 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average SAT: 1270
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $20,578

28. Baptist Memorial College of Health Sciences

Memphis

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1249 in the United States

#1327 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 41%
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $9,549
Receiving Aid: 98%

29. Milligan College

Milligan College

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1298 in the United States

#1378 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $19,865
Receiving Aid: 100%

30. Southern Adventist University

Collegedale

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1337 in the United States

#1417 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Average SAT: 1130
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $24,332

31. Welch College

Gallatin

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1351 in the United States

#1432 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $18,966
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $13,736

32. Southern College of Optometry

Memphis

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1478 in the United States

#1565 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Enrollment: 532
Male:Female: 31:69
Founded: 1932

33. Memphis Theological Seminary

Memphis

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1508 in the United States

#1596 in North America

Enrollment: 203
Male:Female: 44:56

34. Cumberland University

Lebanon

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1544 in the United States

#1632 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Net Price: $18,528
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $22,145

35. Tusculum University

Greeneville

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1558 in the United States

#1647 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Average SAT: 1010
Average ACT: 20
Net Price: $20,414

36. Lane College

Jackson

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1616 in the United States

#1705 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $13,370
Receiving Aid: 94%
Average Aid: $10,154

37. Tennessee Wesleyan University

Athens

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1632 in the United States

#1722 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 61%
Average SAT: 1050
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $13,591

38. Trevecca Nazarene University

Nashville

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1670 in the United States

#1761 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average SAT: 1130
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $16,080

39. Freed-Hardeman University

Henderson

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1723 in the United States

#1814 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Average SAT: 1140
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $18,556

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Kentucky	29	57
Alabama	28	82
Georgia	51	41
Indiana	36	54
Mississippi	15	180
South Carolina	32	66
Illinois	79	14
North Carolina	49	21
Arkansas	18	143
Ohio	66	19
West Virginia	20	121
Missouri	41	39
Virginia	42	38
Louisiana	26	76
District of Columbia	13	52
Maryland	27	9
Iowa	33	43
Pennsylvania	113	11
Michigan	45	4
Florida	69	29
Delaware	4	97
Wisconsin	35	13
Oklahoma	22	108
Kansas	20	75
New Jersey	29	24
New York	144	6
Minnesota	30	18
Connecticut	22	10
Nebraska	14	88
Rhode Island	9	60
Massachusetts	74	1
Texas	85	20
Vermont	12	123
South Dakota	10	324
New Hampshire	13	90
Colorado	24	53
North Dakota	9	211
Maine	16	200
New Mexico	9	95
Utah	11	44
Montana	9	165
Arizona	10	28
Idaho	7	192
Nevada	8	148
Puerto Rico	15	406
California	143	2
Oregon	20	96
Washington	37	5
Alaska	4	227
Hawaii	7	107