28 Best Theology / Divinity / Religious studies 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 Theology / Divinity / Religious studies. A graph of 249K citations received by 12.7K academic papers made by 28 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 Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#38 in the United States

#41 in North America

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

2. University of Tennessee - Knoxville

Knoxville

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#75 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 Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#128 in the United States

#149 in North America

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

4. University of Tennessee - Chattanooga

Chattanooga

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#251 in the United States

#281 in North America

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

5. East Tennessee State University

Johnson

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#266 in the United States

#296 in North America

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

6. Middle Tennessee State University

Murfreesboro

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#370 in the United States

#407 in North America

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

7. Johnson University

Knoxville

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#430 in the United States

#475 in North America

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

8. Rhodes College

Memphis

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#443 in the United States

#488 in North America

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

9. University of the South

Sewanee

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#450 in the United States

#495 in North America

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

10. University of Tennessee Health Science Center

Memphis

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#469 in the United States

#515 in North America

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

11. Tennessee Technological University

Cookeville

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#586 in the United States

#638 in North America

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

12. Lee University

Cleveland

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#668 in the United States

#724 in North America

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

13. Tennessee State University

Nashville

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#693 in the United States

#750 in North America

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

14. South College

Knoxville

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#700 in the United States

#757 in North America

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

15. King University

Bristol

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#712 in the United States

#770 in North America

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

16. Belmont University

Nashville

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#728 in the United States

#786 in North America

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

17. University of Tennessee - Martin

Martin

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#738 in the United States

#797 in North America

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

18. Maryville College

Maryville

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#754 in the United States

#815 in North America

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

19. Austin Peay State University

Clarksville

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#821 in the United States

#887 in North America

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

20. Union University

Jackson

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#906 in the United States

#976 in North America

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

21. Memphis Theological Seminary

Memphis

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#930 in the United States

#1001 in North America

Enrollment: 195
Male:Female: 44:56

22. Milligan College

Milligan College

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#987 in the United States

#1059 in North America

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

23. Bryan College - Dayton

Dayton

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#1027 in the United States

#1100 in North America

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

24. Meharry Medical College

Nashville

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#1053 in the United States

#1129 in North America

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

25. Christian Brothers University

Memphis

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#1080 in the United States

#1156 in North America

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

26. Baptist Memorial College of Health Sciences

Memphis

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#1089 in the United States

#1165 in North America

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

27. Lipscomb University

Nashville

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#1099 in the United States

#1175 in North America

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

28. Carson-Newman University

Jefferson City

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#1120 in the United States

#1196 in North America

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

Closest to Tennessee states to learn Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Kentucky	20	48
Alabama	18	78
Georgia	29	35
Indiana	27	24
Mississippi	8	168
South Carolina	17	84
Illinois	55	6
North Carolina	32	1
Arkansas	12	104
Ohio	43	19
West Virginia	5	136
Missouri	25	46
Virginia	36	29
Louisiana	19	86
District of Columbia	10	34
Maryland	22	22
Iowa	17	37
Pennsylvania	78	9
Michigan	29	2
Florida	34	26
Wisconsin	23	13
Oklahoma	11	79
Kansas	10	62
New Jersey	21	16
New York	107	8
Minnesota	25	27
Connecticut	17	7
Nebraska	7	97
Rhode Island	8	58
Massachusetts	53	5
Texas	62	15
Vermont	5	90
South Dakota	5	474
New Hampshire	11	77
Colorado	17	50
North Dakota	3	248
Maine	7	258
New Mexico	5	109
Utah	6	54
Arizona	6	23
Idaho	4	306
Puerto Rico	4	773
California	99	3
Oregon	14	111
Washington	18	14
Hawaii	5	103