More than a dozen Tennessee schools landed on the new U.S. News & World Report list of the best colleges in the nation.
U.S. News, a digital media company known for its rankings, released its popular annual list on Sept. 22. Trevecca Nazarene University rose 10 places from last year. Other Tennessee schools, including Belmont University, Lincoln Memorial University and Vanderbilt University, notched smaller gains while several others slipped. Tennessee Tech University fell the furthest in Tennessee, dropping 42 places on the list.
"With families increasingly scrutinizing the true cost and return on investment of a college degree, our goal is to provide clear, actionable data," U.S. News managing editor for education LaMont Jones said in a news
release. "The 2027 Best Colleges rankings serve as a vital decision-making tool for prospective students and parents, offering transparent metrics on outcomes, affordability and academic quality to help families make fully informed financial and educational investments."
A note on methodology
Questions have emerged in recent years over the accuracy and relevance of school and college rankings.
Survey results released Sept. 22 from more than 200 college admissions officers from Kaplan, a global education company, showed 70% think college and university rankings have lost some of their prestige over the last few years. That number is similar to the previous two years of surveys, but has increased substantially from 56% in 2023. However, the survey also showed that 88% of colleges and universities have no plans to stop participating.
Jason Bedford, Kaplan's senior vice president, offered advice on how to approach school rankings lists.
"We encourage students and parents to dig deeper by visiting campuses and talking with students, alumni, and faculty," Bedford said in the release. "Ultimately, the best school isn’t necessarily the one with the highest ranking. It’s the one that offers the right combination of value, experience, opportunity, and fit."
With all that in mind, here is how Tennessee schools ranked on the U.S. News list for the best national universities and liberal arts colleges.
Top national universities in Tennessee
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, commonly known as MIT, landed the No. 1 spot on the list of national universities. U.S. News defines national universities as large, research-focused institutions that offer bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees.
The list included 422 schools total. Ten from Tennessee made the cut.
- No. 16: Vanderbilt University (private, Nashville)
- No. 109: University of Tennessee-Knoxville (public, Knoxville)
- No. 208: Belmont University (private, Nashville)
- No. 250: Lipscomb University (private, Nashville)
- No. 288: University of Memphis (public, Memphis)
- No. 299: Tennessee Technological University (public, Cookeville)
- No. 328: East Tennessee State University* (public, Johnson City)
- No. 342: Lincoln Memorial University* (private, Jackson)
- No. 353: Trevecca Nazarene University (private, Nashville)
- No. 376: Tennessee State University (public, Nashville)
*U.S. News noted two items in its Tennessee data. First, it said Lincoln Memorial declined to fill out the main statistical survey for U.S. News, so data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System and the College Scorecard were used. Second, it said East Tennessee State University declined to have a school official verify the accuracy of information in the main statistical survey.
Top national liberal arts colleges in Tennessee
Williams College, a private school in Williamson, Massachusetts, topped the list for liberal arts colleges nationwide. U.S. News defined national liberal arts colleges as schools that emphasize undergraduate education and award the majority of their degrees in arts and sciences.
The list included 203 schools total, with four from Tennessee in the mix.
- No. 49 (tied): Rhodes College (private, Memphis)
- No. 49 (tied): Sewanee-The University of the South (private, Sewanee)
- No. 146: Fisk University (private, Nashville)
Lane College, a private school in Jackson, also made the list. It was grouped among 20 schools labeled as No. 184 – No. 203.
*U.S. News noted that Fisk University declined to fill out the main statistical survey for U.S. News, so data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System and the College Scorecard were used.
Learn more
U.S. News also ranked the best national universities and liberal arts colleges by region this year, and added several new layers to its methodology. Notably, it included an "earnings by major" category that examines how much graduates earn in the four years after graduation. It also analyzed economic diversity among the top 25 schools and added more specialty rankings, like best value schools for in-state students.
See the full rankings at USNews.com/best-colleges.
Rachel Wegner covers education and children's issues for The Tennessean. Got a story you think she should hear? Reach her via email at RAwegner@tennessean.com. You can also find her on X or Bluesky under the handle RachelAnnWegner.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: See which TN schools made the U.S. News best colleges list
