28 Best Theology / Divinity / Religious studies 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 Theology / Divinity / Religious studies. A graph of 263K citations received by 12.9K 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: $25,186

2. University of Tennessee - Knoxville

Knoxville

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#74 in the United States

#84 in North America

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

3. University of Memphis

Memphis

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#128 in the United States

#149 in North America

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

4. University of Tennessee - Chattanooga

Chattanooga

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#250 in the United States

#280 in North America

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

5. East Tennessee State University

Johnson

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#266 in the United States

#296 in North America

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

6. Middle Tennessee State University

Murfreesboro

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#366 in the United States

#403 in North America

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

7. Rhodes College

Memphis

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#428 in the United States

#473 in North America

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

8. Johnson University

Knoxville

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#432 in the United States

#477 in North America

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

9. University of the South

Sewanee

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#455 in the United States

#500 in North America

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

10. University of Tennessee Health Science Center

Memphis

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#474 in the United States

#521 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 3,101
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: 76%
Average SAT: 1179
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 97%

12. Lee University

Cleveland

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#663 in the United States

#720 in North America

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

13. Tennessee State University

Nashville

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#698 in the United States

#756 in North America

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

14. South College

Knoxville

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#702 in the United States

#760 in North America

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

15. King University

Bristol

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#717 in the United States

#775 in North America

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

16. Belmont University

Nashville

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#719 in the United States

#777 in North America

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

17. University of Tennessee - Martin

Martin

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#737 in the United States

#797 in North America

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

18. Maryville College

Maryville

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#755 in the United States

#817 in North America

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

19. Austin Peay State University

Clarksville

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#826 in the United States

#892 in North America

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

20. Union University

Jackson

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#915 in the United States

#985 in North America

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

21. Memphis Theological Seminary

Memphis

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#933 in the United States

#1003 in North America

Enrollment: 157
Male:Female: 45:55

22. Milligan College

Milligan College

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#986 in the United States

#1059 in North America

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

23. Bryan College - Dayton

Dayton

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#1023 in the United States

#1096 in North America

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

24. Meharry Medical College

Nashville

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#1058 in the United States

#1133 in North America

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

25. Christian Brothers University

Memphis

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#1086 in the United States

#1162 in North America

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

26. Baptist Memorial College of Health Sciences

Memphis

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#1094 in the United States

#1170 in North America

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

27. Lipscomb University

Nashville

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#1100 in the United States

#1176 in North America

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

28. Carson-Newman University

Jefferson City

For Theology / Divinity / Religious studies

#1125 in the United States

#1201 in North America

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

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	77
Georgia	29	35
Indiana	27	25
Mississippi	8	167
South Carolina	17	84
Illinois	55	6
North Carolina	32	1
Arkansas	12	103
Ohio	43	19
West Virginia	5	134
Missouri	25	46
Virginia	36	28
Louisiana	19	89
District of Columbia	10	34
Maryland	22	23
Iowa	17	37
Pennsylvania	78	9
Michigan	30	2
Florida	34	26
Wisconsin	24	12
Oklahoma	11	79
Kansas	10	62
New Jersey	21	16
New York	107	8
Minnesota	25	27
Connecticut	17	7
Nebraska	7	96
Rhode Island	8	56
Massachusetts	53	5
Texas	62	14
Vermont	6	91
South Dakota	5	469
New Hampshire	11	78
Colorado	17	50
North Dakota	3	245
Maine	7	258
New Mexico	5	108
Utah	6	54
Arizona	6	22
Idaho	4	305
Puerto Rico	3	775
California	101	3
Oregon	14	109
Washington	18	15
Hawaii	5	102