25 Best Surgeons Medical 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 Surgery. A graph of 2.49M citations received by 69.3K academic papers made by 25 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 Surgery

#49 in the United States

#57 in North America

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

2. University of Tennessee Health Science Center

Memphis

For Surgery

#65 in the United States

#74 in North America

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

3. University of Tennessee - Knoxville

Knoxville

For Surgery

#89 in the United States

#102 in North America

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

4. Johnson University

Knoxville

For Surgery

#121 in the United States

#135 in North America

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

5. East Tennessee State University

Johnson

For Surgery

#168 in the United States

#186 in North America

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

6. University of Memphis

Memphis

For Surgery

#191 in the United States

#211 in North America

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

7. University of Tennessee - Chattanooga

Chattanooga

For Surgery

#206 in the United States

#226 in North America

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

8. Meharry Medical College

Nashville

For Surgery

#282 in the United States

#309 in North America

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

9. King University

Bristol

For Surgery

#347 in the United States

#382 in North America

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

10. University of the South

Sewanee

For Surgery

#411 in the United States

#448 in North America

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

11. Lee University

Cleveland

For Surgery

#412 in the United States

#449 in North America

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

12. Bryan College - Dayton

Dayton

For Surgery

#413 in the United States

#451 in North America

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

13. Union University

Jackson

For Surgery

#434 in the United States

#472 in North America

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

14. Middle Tennessee State University

Murfreesboro

For Surgery

#447 in the United States

#485 in North America

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

15. Lipscomb University

Nashville

For Surgery

#521 in the United States

#565 in North America

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

16. South College

Knoxville

For Surgery

#582 in the United States

#629 in North America

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

17. Lincoln Memorial University

Harrogate

For Surgery

#583 in the United States

#630 in North America

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

18. Tennessee Technological University

Cookeville

For Surgery

#611 in the United States

#660 in North America

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

19. Southern College of Optometry

Memphis

For Surgery

#667 in the United States

#716 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Enrollment: 530
Male:Female: 32:68
Founded: 1932

20. Tennessee State University

Nashville

For Surgery

#686 in the United States

#736 in North America

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

21. Belmont University

Nashville

For Surgery

#690 in the United States

#740 in North America

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

22. Rhodes College

Memphis

For Surgery

#700 in the United States

#752 in North America

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

23. Austin Peay State University

Clarksville

For Surgery

#864 in the United States

#927 in North America

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

24. Christian Brothers University

Memphis

For Surgery

#872 in the United States

#935 in North America

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

25. University of Tennessee - Martin

Martin

For Surgery

#948 in the United States

#1014 in North America

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

Closest to Tennessee states to learn Surgery

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Kentucky	14	60
Alabama	17	26
Georgia	24	16
Indiana	24	27
Mississippi	7	99
South Carolina	14	46
Illinois	39	17
North Carolina	27	23
Arkansas	10	71
Ohio	37	35
West Virginia	11	90
Missouri	25	14
Virginia	25	43
Louisiana	13	72
District of Columbia	8	56
Maryland	17	2
Iowa	11	40
Pennsylvania	65	8
Michigan	25	5
Florida	36	24
Wisconsin	20	28
Oklahoma	10	92
Kansas	10	100
New Jersey	17	54
New York	92	12
Minnesota	17	3
Connecticut	16	13
Nebraska	9	68
Rhode Island	5	51
Massachusetts	42	1
Texas	56	10
Vermont	3	79
South Dakota	5	190
New Hampshire	6	108
Colorado	14	34
North Dakota	6	199
Maine	8	335
New Mexico	4	78
Utah	8	33
Arizona	7	52
Idaho	3	289
Nevada	4	158
Puerto Rico	11	244
California	91	4
Oregon	15	39
Washington	18	6
Hawaii	3	129