Tennessee Colleges & Universities

Athens, TN (McMinn County) — Private liberal arts university affiliated with the United Methodist Church; home of the Bulldogs; Appalachian Athletic Conference member; serves the Southeast Tennessee region between Chattanooga and Knoxville

Bristol, TN — Private liberal arts university affiliated with the Presbyterian Church; home of the Tornado; South Atlantic Conference member; Bristol straddles the Virginia-Tennessee border, making King University one of the most uniquely located institutions in the country — with State Street running down the border between the two states

Clarksville, TN — Public university; home of the Governors; Ohio Valley Conference member; named for Governor Austin Peay; serves the Fort Campbell military community and Montgomery County; located in Wilma Rudolph's hometown

Cookeville, TN (Putnam County) — Public technological university; home of the Golden Eagles; Ohio Valley Conference member; strong engineering, computer science, and agriculture programs; serves the Upper Cumberland region

Dayton, TN (Rhea County) — Private Christian liberal arts college; home of the Lions; founded in 1930 in the town famous for the 1925 Scopes "Monkey Trial" in which high school teacher John Scopes was prosecuted for teaching evolution; Appalachian Athletic Conference member

Harrogate, TN (Claiborne County) — Private university, est. 1897; home of the Railsplitters; founded in honor of Abraham Lincoln on the ridge between the Cumberland Gap and Powell Valley; strong veterinary medicine, law, and education programs; near the birthplace of Pat Summitt in Claiborne County

Henderson, TN (Chester County) — Private Christian university affiliated with Churches of Christ; home of the Lions; Gulf South Conference member; one of the largest Churches of Christ-affiliated universities in the world; strong programs in Bible, business, and education

Jackson, TN — Private HBCU, est. 1882; home of the Dragons; affiliated with the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church; SIAC Conference member; serves the West Tennessee region; one of the oldest HBCUs in the state

Jackson, TN (Madison County) — Private Baptist liberal arts university, est. 1823; home of the Bulldogs; NAIA athletics; one of the most academically excellent faith-based universities in the South; consistently ranked by U.S. News & World Report; strong nursing, pharmacy, and education programs

Jefferson City, TN (Jefferson County) — Private Baptist liberal arts university, est. 1851; home of the Eagles; South Atlantic Conference member; one of the most successful Division II athletic programs in the South; strong teacher education and nursing programs

Johnson City, TN (Washington County) — Public university; home of the Buccaneers; Southern Conference member; serves the Tri-Cities region of Northeast Tennessee; strong health sciences, athletics, and Appalachian studies programs

Knoxville, TN — Public flagship research university, est. 1794; home of the Volunteers ("Vols"); SEC member; alma mater of Reggie White (Pro Football HOF), Doug Atkins (Pro Football HOF), and Johnny Majors; powerhouse football and women's basketball (8 NCAA titles under Pat Summitt) programs

Martin, TN (Weakley County) — Public liberal arts university (UT system); home of the Skyhawks; Ohio Valley Conference member; alma mater of Pat Summitt (Basketball HOF; played basketball here before beginning her legendary coaching career at UT Knoxville); strong agriculture, engineering technology, and education programs

Maryville, TN (Blount County) — Private liberal arts college affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, est. 1819; home of the Scots; one of the oldest colleges in the South; NCAA Division III; historically notable as one of the first colleges in the South to admit both women and African American students; located near the Great Smoky Mountains

Memphis, TN — Private Catholic university operated by the De La Salle Christian Brothers; home of the Buccaneers; Gulf South Conference member; strong engineering, business, and education programs in the Memphis market

Memphis, TN — Private HBCU, est. 1862 (LeMoyne) / 1954 (Owen), merged 1968; home of the Magicians; one of the oldest HBCUs in the South; SIAC Conference member; deep roots in the African American community of the Memphis area

Memphis, TN — Private liberal arts college, est. 1848; home of the Lynx; NCAA Division III; one of the most academically selective colleges in the South; consistently ranked among the top liberal arts colleges in the nation; beautiful Gothic architecture on a wooded campus in Midtown Memphis

Memphis, TN — Public research university (formerly Memphis State University); home of the Tigers; alma mater of Penny Hardaway (Basketball HOF; "Anfernee" Hardaway; Orlando Magic); American Athletic Conference member; home of current head coach Hardaway who returned to lead the program

Murfreesboro, TN — Public university; home of the Blue Raiders; Conference USA member; one of the largest universities in Tennessee; strong journalism, recording industry, and aerospace programs; notable for its 2016 NCAA Tournament upset of Michigan State as a 15-seed

Nashville, TN — Private Christian university, est. 1890; home of the Bruins; Missouri Valley Conference member; one of the fastest-growing universities in the country; nationally prominent for music business, entertainment industry, and nursing programs; site of multiple U.S. presidential debates

Nashville, TN — Private HBCU, est. 1866; home of the Bulldogs; one of the most historically significant HBCUs in America; co-founded by the American Missionary Association in the immediate aftermath of the Civil War; produced W.E.B. Du Bois and the original Fisk Jubilee Singers, who popularized Negro spirituals worldwide; NAIA athletics

Nashville, TN — Private Christian university affiliated with Churches of Christ; home of the Bisons; ASUN Conference member; strong pharmacy, business, and music programs; consistent Division I athletics in the competitive Nashville market

Nashville, TN — Public HBCU, est. 1912; home of the Tigers; alma mater of Wilma Rudolph (U.S. Olympic HOF; 3 gold medals 1960 Rome) and Wyomia Tyus (U.S. Olympic HOF; first consecutive 100m Olympic gold medalist); Coach Ed Temple's legendary "Tigerbelles" women's track program produced more Olympic champions than any other college program in history

Nashville, TN — Private research university, est. 1873; home of the Commodores; SEC member; alma mater of David Price (2012 AL Cy Young Award; 6× All-Star); one of the most academically selective universities in the South; consistent baseball and football programs

Sewanee, TN (Franklin County) — Private Episcopal liberal arts university, est. 1857; home of the Tigers; 13,000-acre campus on the Cumberland Plateau; one of the most beautiful and distinctive college campuses in America; NCAA Division III; storied tradition in academic excellence and the liberal arts; famous for its Gothic architecture and "the Domain"