2025 Best Liberal Arts Schools in Tennessee
21
Colleges in Tennessee
8,131
Liberal Studies Degrees Awarded
Ranked #2 in popularity,
liberal arts is one of the most sought-after degree programs in the nation. So, there are lots of possibilities to explore when you're trying to determine where you want to get your degree.
In 2025, College Factual analyzed 21 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Liberal Arts Schools in Tennessee ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 8,131 degrees in liberal arts annually.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings
Choosing a Great Liberal Arts School
The liberal studies program you select can have a big impact on your future. That's why we developed our collection of Best Schools for Liberal Arts rankings. For our Best Overall Liberal Arts School rankings, we roll up the results of our degree-level rankings, weighted by the number of degrees awarded at that level.
You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.
Liberal Arts Rankings by Degree Level
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Liberal Arts Schools in Tennessee list, to help you choose the best school for you.
More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.
To further help you make the college decision, we've developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you.
Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
Read more about College Factual's methodology.
Best Schools for Liberal Arts in Tennessee
If you aren't interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the liberal studies degrees they offer, see the list below.
10 Top Tennessee Schools in Liberal Studies
Master's Degree
Highest Degree Type
16th
Most Popular In TN
Middle Tennessee State University is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in liberal arts. Middle Tennessee State University is a very large public university located in the city of Murfreesboro. A Best Colleges rank of #1036 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Middle Tennessee State University is a great university overall.
There were about 21 liberal arts students who graduated with this degree at Middle Tennessee State University in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in liberal arts from Middle Tennessee State University
Master's Degree
Highest Degree Type
14th
Most Popular In TN
82
Liberal Studies Degrees Awarded
Any student pursuing a degree in liberal arts has to look into University of Memphis. UofM is a very large public university located in the city of Memphis. A Best Colleges rank of #807 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UofM is a great university overall.
There were about 82 liberal arts students who graduated with this degree at UofM in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in liberal arts from University of Memphis
Associates
Degree Type
AA in Liberal Arts
Program Name
Strengthen your communication and critical-thinking skills with this online associate in liberal arts degree from Southern New Hampshire University.
More information about a degree in AA in Liberal Arts from Southern New Hampshire UniversityRelated Programs
Bachelor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
20th
Most Popular In TN
Union University is a wonderful choice for students interested in a degree in liberal arts. Union is a small private not-for-profit university located in the small city of Jackson. A Best Colleges rank of #538 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Union is a great university overall.
There were roughly 15 liberal arts students who graduated with this degree at Union in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in liberal arts from Union University
Master's Degree
Highest Degree Type
15th
Most Popular In TN
85
Liberal Studies Degrees Awarded
It's hard to beat East Tennessee State University if you wish to pursue a degree in liberal arts. Located in the city of Johnson City, ETSU is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #802 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means ETSU is a great university overall.
There were about 85 liberal arts students who graduated with this degree at ETSU in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in liberal arts from East Tennessee State University
Bachelor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
18th
Most Popular In TN
66
Liberal Studies Degrees Awarded
Located in the city of Cleveland, Lee University is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population. A Best Colleges rank of #1008 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Lee University is a great university overall.
There were roughly 66 liberal arts students who graduated with this degree at Lee University in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in liberal arts from Lee University
Associate Degree
Highest Degree Type
7th
Most Popular In TN
613
Liberal Studies Degrees Awarded
Chattanooga State Community College is a moderately-sized public college located in the medium-sized city of Chattanooga. A Best Colleges rank of #897 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Chattanooga State Community College is a great college overall.
There were roughly 613 liberal arts students who graduated with this degree at Chattanooga State Community College in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in liberal arts from Chattanooga State Community College
Associate Degree
Highest Degree Type
6th
Most Popular In TN
600
Liberal Studies Degrees Awarded
Southwest is a moderately-sized public college located in the city of Memphis. A Best Colleges rank of #883 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Southwest is a great college overall.
There were roughly 600 liberal arts students who graduated with this degree at Southwest in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in liberal arts from Southwest Tennessee Community College
Bachelors
Degree Type
BA in General Studies
Program Name
Maximize your transfer credits and complete your bachelor's degree faster with this flexible online bachelor's from Southern New Hampshire University.
More information about a degree in BA in General Studies from Southern New Hampshire UniversityRelated Programs
Associate Degree
Highest Degree Type
11th
Most Popular In TN
348
Liberal Studies Degrees Awarded
Located in the city of Jackson, JSCC is a public college with a small student population. A Best Colleges rank of #799 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means JSCC is a great college overall.
There were approximately 348 liberal arts students who graduated with this degree at JSCC in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in liberal arts from Jackson State Community College
Associate Degree
Highest Degree Type
1st
Most Popular In TN
878
Liberal Studies Degrees Awarded
Located in the suburb of Knoxville, Pellissippi State Community College is a public college with a medium-sized student population. A Best Colleges rank of #1261 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Pellissippi State Community College is a great college overall.
There were about 878 liberal arts students who graduated with this degree at Pellissippi State Community College in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in liberal arts from Pellissippi State Community College
Bachelor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
16th
Most Popular In TN
93
Liberal Studies Degrees Awarded
Austin Peay State University is a medium-sized public university located in the medium-sized city of Clarksville. This university ranks 25th out of 41 schools for overall quality in the state of Tennessee.
There were about 93 liberal arts students who graduated with this degree at Austin Peay State University in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in liberal arts from Austin Peay State University
