2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Tennessee
Veterans have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our Best Colleges for Veterans in Tennessee ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
After analyzing 44 schools in Tennessee, we came up with our list of those that offered the best educational experiences for veterans. Our ranking methodology focuses on over 20 different objective factors - such as percentage of costs covered by the GI Bill®, number of GI Bill® recipients at the school, and overall quality - to make this determination.
Get more details on our ranking methodology.
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Top Colleges for Veterans in Tennessee
See which schools came out on top of our ranking:
Our analysis found King University to be the best school for veterans in Tennessee in this year’s ranking. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Bristol, Tennessee, and it awarded 785 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Among the 1,746 students enrolled at King, 94 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 62 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $10,833. In addition to receiving other benefits, 8 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. King does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Tennessee Technological University. The school came in at #2 in Tennessee on this year’s best for vets ranking. Cookeville, Tennessee is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 2,390 students in 2019-2020.
Of the 10,177 students enrolled at Tennessee Tech University, 396 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 262 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $7,564. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The low student loan default rate of 4.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Tennessee Tech University excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Schools in Tennessee list.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Trevecca Nazarene University. It ranked #3 on our 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Tennessee list. Trevecca Nazarene University is a small private not-for-profit school located in Nashville, Tennessee that handed out 1,094 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Of the 3,968 students enrolled at TNU, 158 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 117 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $9,350. To help with additional expenses, 17 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
TNU excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Schools in Tennessee list.
Out of the 44 schools in Tennessee that were part of this year’s ranking, Belmont University landed the #4 spot on the list. Nashville, Tennessee is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 2,382 students in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 359 of the 8,204 students enrolled at Belmont were GI Bill® students, of which 327 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $19,047. During this same period, 159 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Belmont also made our Best Schools in Tennessee list, coming in at #3.
A rank of #5 on our Best Colleges for Veterans in Tennessee list means The University of Tennessee - Knoxville is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree. The University of Tennessee - Knoxville is a large public school located in Knoxville, Tennessee that handed out 7,555 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Among the 30,559 students enrolled at UT Knoxville, 1,026 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 716 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $10,916. During this same period, 6 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. UT Knoxville also took the #5 spot in our Best Schools in Tennessee rankings.
With a ranking of #6, Lipscomb University did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Tennessee list. Lipscomb is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Nashville, Tennessee. It awarded 1,404 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Of the 4,884 students enrolled at Lipscomb, 213 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 194 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $14,407. To help with additional expenses, 67 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Lipscomb also claimed a spot on our Best Schools in Tennessee list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category.
East Tennessee State University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Colleges for Veterans in Tennessee list. ETSU is a public institution located in Johnson City, Tennessee. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 3,664 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Among the 13,713 students enrolled at ETSU, 553 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 330 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $8,069. During this same period, 9 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. ETSU does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Austin Peay State University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Colleges for Veterans in Tennessee list. Located in Clarksville, Tennessee, the fairly large public school awarded 3,167 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2019-2020.
Of the 10,272 students enrolled at Austin Peay State University, 2,229 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1,536 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,745. During this same period, 4 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Austin Peay State University does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga landed the #9 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Tennessee ranking. UT Chattanooga is a public institution located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 2,563 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 461 of the 11,728 students enrolled at UT Chattanooga were GI Bill® students, of which 314 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,958. During this same period, 4 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, UT Chattanooga also is in the top 20% of our Best Schools in Tennessee ranking.
University of Memphis did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Tennessee ranking, coming in at #10. UofM is a public institution located in Memphis, Tennessee. The school has a large population, and it awarded 4,411 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Of the 22,205 students enrolled at UofM, 782 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 526 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $8,171. During this same period, 3 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. UofM does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Middle Tennessee State University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in Tennessee ranking. Middle Tennessee State University is a large public school located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee that handed out 4,874 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, Middle Tennessee State University supports 22,080 students, and 1,239 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 951 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $8,991. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The University of Tennessee - Martin did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Tennessee ranking, coming in at #12. UT Martin is a medium-sized public school situated in Martin, Tennessee. It awarded 1,225 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Among the 7,117 students enrolled at UT Martin, 240 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 168 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $7,146. To help with additional expenses, 1 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Freed-Hardeman University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Colleges for Veterans in Tennessee list. Located in Henderson, Tennessee, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 498 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 40 of the 2,188 students enrolled at FHU were GI Bill® students, of which 27 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $17,159. In addition to receiving other benefits, 1 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. FHU does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
With a ranking of #14, Union University did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Tennessee list. Union University is a small private not-for-profit school located in Jackson, Tennessee that handed out 928 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 96 of the 3,071 students enrolled at Union were GI Bill® students, of which 79 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $12,501. On top of their other funding sources, 13 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Maryville College did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Tennessee ranking, coming in at #15. Located in Maryville, Tennessee, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 249 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Among the 1,072 students enrolled at Maryville College, 50 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 38 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $18,143. During this same period, 23 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Maryville College does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
With a ranking of #16, Tennessee Wesleyan University did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Tennessee list. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Athens, Tennessee, and it awarded 322 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 36 of the 1,116 students enrolled at TWU were GI Bill® students, of which 19 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $8,415. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Baptist Memorial College of Health Sciences landed the #17 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Tennessee ranking. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Memphis, Tennessee, and it awarded 222 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Of the 890 students enrolled at Baptist College of Health Sciences, 20 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 18 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $9,045. Baptist College of Health Sciences does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Tennessee State University did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Tennessee ranking, coming in at #18. Located in Nashville, Tennessee, the medium-sized public school handed out 1,425 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Among the 7,615 students enrolled at Tennessee State University, 263 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 134 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,058. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Lincoln Memorial University did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Tennessee ranking, coming in at #19. Harrogate, Tennessee is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 1,488 students in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, LMU supports 4,885 students, and 138 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 102 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $15,268. On top of their other funding sources, 7 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The low student loan default rate of 3.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Bethel University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Colleges for Veterans in Tennessee list. Bethel is a small private not-for-profit school situated in McKenzie, Tennessee. It awarded 855 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Of the 4,001 students enrolled at Bethel, 374 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 318 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,727. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Carson - Newman University landed the #21 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Tennessee ranking. Carson - Newman is located in Jefferson City, Tennessee and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 805 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.
Of the 2,911 students enrolled at Carson - Newman, 85 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 61 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $9,865. To help with additional expenses, 2 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Southern Adventist University landed the #22 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Tennessee ranking. Southern Adventist University is a small private not-for-profit school located in Collegedale, Tennessee that handed out 617 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Of the 2,730 students enrolled at Southern Adventist, 45 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 30 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $15,992. During this same period, 3 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Southern Adventist does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
With a ranking of #23, Vanderbilt University did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Tennessee list. This fairly large private not-for-profit school is located in Nashville, Tennessee, and it awarded 4,540 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Of the 13,537 students enrolled at Vanderbilt, 217 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 170 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $18,023. On top of their other funding sources, 76 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
The student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. In addition to its best for vets ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, Vanderbilt is ranked #1 for overall quality in Tennessee.
With a ranking of #24, Walters State Community College did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Tennessee list. WSCC is a medium-sized public school situated in Morristown, Tennessee. It awarded 964 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, WSCC supports 5,742 students, and 176 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 103 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,022. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
With a ranking of #25, Fisk University did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Tennessee list. Fisk is located in Nashville, Tennessee and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 85 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.
Of the 911 students enrolled at Fisk, 21 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 8 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $21,242. Fisk does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Best Colleges for Veterans in the Southeast Region
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Best Colleges in the Southeast Region
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Notes and References
Footnotes
*Avg Salary and Avg 4-Year Grad Rate are for the top 25 schools only.
**GI Bill® student total includes all chapters of the GI Bill® program (e.g., Post-9/11, Montgomery GI Bill, Reserve Education Assistance Program, and Veteran Readiness and Employment)
References
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Veteran-specific data can be found at the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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