Best Colleges in Nashville
Become the Next Nashville Star
Gone country
Also known as Music City, Nashville is referred to as the "Athens of the South" due to its thriving academic scene. Nashville has an astounding 21 accredited 4-year and postgraduate institutions, including 4 historically black colleges and universities. These institutions are a huge part of the economic and cultural uniqueness of the area. Business majors take note. Nashville is ranked by Forbes as the 10th best city for business careers, so start practicing your handshake and eye contact now.
And since it's such a famous city, there's more to do than attend school at some of the state's most beautiful campuses. There's music, laughter, and fun awaiting you. Home to the CMA Music Festival and CMA Music Awards, country music has thrived for more than 200 years. Before you leave, enjoy the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum, Music City Walk of Fame, and Grand Ole Opry. You might also want to chow down on some BBQ as Travel + Leisure readers named Nashville the No. 1 city in the United States for barbeque. To complement those great smoky flavors, Nashville is also home to the Tennessee Titans, Nashville Predators, and the NCAA College Football Music City Bowl. and they're working to bring Nascar back to the Nashville Superspeedway. So, bring your cowboy hat, an appetite, and a suit for your new career and move on down to Nashville to start your education.
*nashvillechamber.com * http://www.forbes.com/best-places-for-business/ * http://www.tennessean.com/ *motorsportstalk.nbcsports.com
Best Four Year Universities in Nashville
| Rank | School Name | Location | Description | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vanderbilt University | Nashville, TN |
Vanderbilt University offers 370 Degree programs. It's a large private university in a large city. In 2015, 5,072 students graduated with students earning 2,215 Bachelor's degrees, 2,025 Master's degrees, and 832 Doctoral degrees. | Based on 28 Reviews |
Read more: Vanderbilt University Reviews
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| 2 | Belmont University | Nashville, TN |
Belmont University offers 136 Degree programs. It's a medium sized private university in a large city. In 2015, 2,022 students graduated with students earning 1,454 Bachelor's degrees, 309 Master's degrees, and 259 Doctoral degrees. | Based on 16 Reviews |
Read more: Belmont University Reviews
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| 3 | Lipscomb University | Nashville, TN |
Lipscomb University offers 220 Degree programs. It's a medium sized private university in a large city. In 2015, 1,550 students graduated with students earning 637 Bachelor's degrees, 569 Master's degrees, 225 Certificates degrees, 119 Doctoral degrees. | Based on 4 Reviews |
Read more: Lipscomb University Reviews
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| 4 | Trevecca Nazarene University | Nashville, TN |
Trevecca Nazarene University offers 112 Degree programs. It's a small private university in a large city. In 2015, 716 students graduated with students earning 358 Bachelor's degrees, 294 Master's degrees, 48 Doctoral degrees, 13 Certificates degrees, and 3 Associate's degrees. | Based on 12 Reviews |
Read more: Trevecca Nazarene University Reviews
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| 5 | Middle Tennessee State University | Murfreesboro, TN |
Middle Tennessee State University offers 150 Degree programs. It's a large public university in a mid sized city. In 2015, 5,527 students graduated with students earning 4,496 Bachelor's degrees, 918 Master's degrees, 83 Certificates degrees, and 30 Doctoral degrees. | Based on 8 Reviews |
Read more: Middle Tennessee State University Reviews
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| 6 | Cumberland University | Lebanon, TN |
Cumberland University offers 78 Degree programs. It's a small private university in a outlying town. In 2015, 480 students graduated with students earning 378 Bachelor's degrees, 102 Master's degrees. | Based on 8 Reviews |
Read more: Cumberland University Reviews
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| 7 | Fisk University | Nashville, TN |
Fisk University offers 41 Degree programs. It's a very small private university in a large city. In 2015, 112 students graduated with students earning 105 Bachelor's degrees, 7 Master's degrees. | Based on 4 Reviews |
Read more: Fisk University Reviews
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| 8 | Tennessee State University | Nashville, TN |
Tennessee State University offers 81 Degree programs. It's a medium sized public university in a large city. In 2015, 1,773 students graduated with students earning 1,066 Bachelor's degrees, 441 Master's degrees, 116 Associate's degrees, 89 Doctoral degrees, and 61 Certificates degrees. | Based on 4 Reviews |
Read more: Tennessee State University Reviews
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| 9 | Watkins College of Art Design & Film | Nashville, TN |
Watkins College of Art Design & Film offers 7 Degree programs. It's a very small private university in a large city. In 2015, 43 students graduated with students earning 40 Bachelor's degrees, and 3 Certificates degrees. |
Read more: Watkins College of Art Design & Film Reviews
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| 10 | Aquinas College | Nashville, TN |
Aquinas College offers 18 Degree programs. It's a very small private university in a large city. In 2015, 155 students graduated with students earning 96 Associate's degrees, 33 Bachelor's degrees, 26 Master's degrees. | Based on 8 Reviews |
Read more: Aquinas College Reviews
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Best Community Colleges in Nashville
| Rank | School Name | Location | Description | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nashville State Community College | Nashville, TN |
Nashville State Community College offers 45 Degree programs. It's a large public college in a large city. In 2015, 1,643 students graduated with students earning 948 Certificates degrees, and 695 Associate's degrees. |
Read more: Nashville State Community College Reviews
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| 2 | Columbia State Community College | Columbia, TN |
Columbia State Community College offers 37 Degree programs. It's a medium sized public college in a far away town. In 2015, 1,161 students graduated with students earning 712 Associate's degrees, and 449 Certificates degrees. |
Read more: Columbia State Community College Reviews
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| 3 | Volunteer State Community College | Gallatin, TN |
Volunteer State Community College offers 39 Degree programs. It's a medium sized public college in a large suburb. In 2015, 1,495 students graduated with students earning 910 Associate's degrees, and 585 Certificates degrees. |
Read more: Volunteer State Community College Reviews
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| 4 | SAE Institute of Technology-Nashville | Nashville, TN |
SAE Institute of Technology-Nashville offers 6 Degree programs. It's a very small private college in a large city. In 2015, 62 students graduated with students earning 42 Associate's degrees, and 20 Certificates degrees. | |||
| 5 | Remington College-Nashville Campus | Nashville, TN |
Remington College-Nashville Campus offers 11 Degree programs. It's a very small private college in a large city. In 2015, 207 students graduated with students earning 147 Certificates degrees, and 60 Associate's degrees. |
Read more: Remington College-Nashville Campus Reviews
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| 6 | Fortis Institute-Nashville | Nashville, TN |
Fortis Institute-Nashville offers 12 Degree programs. It's a very small private college in a large city. In 2015, 206 students graduated with students earning 161 Certificates degrees, and 45 Associate's degrees. |
Read more: Fortis Institute-Nashville Reviews
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| 7 | Miller-Motte Technical College-Madison | Madison, TN |
Miller-Motte Technical College-Madison offers 12 Degree programs. It's a very small private college in a large city. In 2015, 292 students graduated with students earning 262 Certificates degrees, and 30 Associate's degrees. | |||
| 8 | John A Gupton College | Nashville, TN |
John A Gupton College offers 2 Degree programs. It's a very small private college in a large city. In 2015, 46 students graduated with students earning 36 Associate's degrees, and 10 Certificates degrees. |
Read more: John A Gupton College Reviews
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| 9 | National College-Nashville | Nashville, TN |
National College-Nashville offers 26 Degree programs. It's a very small private college in a large city. In 2015, 271 students graduated with students earning 181 Associate's degrees, and 90 Certificates degrees. |
Read more: National College-Nashville Reviews
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| 10 | Anthem Career College-Nashville | Nashville, TN |
Anthem Career College-Nashville offers 0 Degree programs. It's a small private college in a large city. |
Read more: Anthem Career College-Nashville Reviews
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List of all Colleges in Nashville
| School Logo | School Name | Average tuition | Student Teacher Ratio | Enrolled Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN |
5/5
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4 : 1 | 12,567 |
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Belmont University Nashville, TN |
5/5
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16 : 1 | 7,350 |
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Lipscomb University Nashville, TN |
5/5
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16 : 1 | 4,680 |
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Trevecca Nazarene University Nashville, TN |
4/5
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22 : 1 | 2,640 |
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Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro, TN |
3/5
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23 : 1 | 22,511 |
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Cumberland University Lebanon, TN |
4/5
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19 : 1 | 1,550 |
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Fisk University Nashville, TN |
4/5
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15 : 1 | 855 |
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Tennessee State University Nashville, TN |
2/5
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26 : 1 | 9,167 |
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Watkins College of Art Design & Film Nashville, TN |
4/5
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11 : 1 | 292 |
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Aquinas College Nashville, TN |
4/5
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10 : 1 | 384 |
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Nashville State Community College Nashville, TN |
2/5
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37 : 1 | 10,192 |
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Columbia State Community College Columbia, TN |
2/5
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32 : 1 | 5,297 |
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Volunteer State Community College Gallatin, TN |
2/5
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32 : 1 | 8,098 |
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Tennessee College of Applied Technology Nashville Nashville, TN | 17 : 1 | 931 | |
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Nossi College of Art Madison, TN |
4/5
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20 : 1 | 259 |
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Mind Body Institute Nashville, TN | 10 : 1 | 39 | |
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SAE Institute of Technology-Nashville Nashville, TN |
4/5
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47 : 1 | 141 |
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Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Hartsville Hartsville, TN | 29 : 1 | 621 | |
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Remington College-Nashville Campus Nashville, TN |
4/5
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19 : 1 | 347 |
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Fortis Institute-Nashville Nashville, TN |
4/5
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19 : 1 | 348 |
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Empire Beauty School-Nashville Brentwood, TN | 22 : 1 | 64 | |
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Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Murfreesboro Murfreesboro, TN | 15 : 1 | 428 | |
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Daymar Institute-Murfreesboro Murfreesboro, TN |
4/5
|
15 : 1 | 145 |
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Nashville College of Medical Careers Madison, TN | 39 : 1 | 115 | |
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Paul Mitchell the School-Murfreesboro Murfreesboro, TN | 22 : 1 | 198 |
Top Schools offering Specific Degrees in Nashville
Questions About Going to College in Nashville
How are the career opportunities for college graduates in Nashville?
Who says you’ll never find a job majoring in vocal studies? As might be obvious from the nickname “Music City,” the music industry greatly impacts Nashville’s economy -- to the tune of $9.7 billion yearly. And with visitors flocking to the Grand Ole Opry, the Johnny Cash Museum, and other country music landmarks, the hospitality industry also thrives. But don’t think for a moment that Nashville is a one-hit wonder. Eager to take advantage of an educated workforce, one of the nation’s lowest tax burdens, and the prime location in the center of the United States, some 40,000 diverse businesses call the region home.
What major companies/industries are hiring what type of graduates/skills in Nashville?
Nissan North America, Bridgestone Americas, Dollar General, Hospital Corporation of America, and Gibson Guitar all have planted their corporate headquarters in Nashville. These powerhouses require a range of talents – marketers, managers, IT specialists, and customer service reps, to name a few. The city’s largest employer, however, is Vanderbilt University. With its world-renowned medical center and extensive educational offerings, it’s no wonder more than 22,000 people count themselves among employees.
Is Nashville more of a college town or a great place to start a career and family?
More than 100,000 students attend the region’s 20+ institutions of higher education. But while campuses may be hopping, remember that the Nashville metro area contains roughly 1.8 million people. Many grads stay for the job opportunities and find their dollars go a bit farther because of the lack of state income tax on wages. Hipsters have found a niche in Five Points, while the artsy and politically active often choose Belmont/12South. Families crave Brentwood for its safe streets and good schools. But for grad students seeking affordable apartments or first-time homebuyers looking to spruce up a ranch-style abode, Crieve Hall is the place.
What do the locals in Nashville like to do for fun?
Yes, the four-day CMA Music Festival each June is a highlight for many residents and the downtown area contains more than a few honky-tonks, but the cultural scene bursts with other options too. The National Symphony holds 140 concerts a year, and the Nashville Ballet performs both classic and contemporary works. Sports enthusiasts keep busy cheering on the Predators (pro hockey), the Titans (pro football), and the Sounds (minor league baseball). And with more than 100 public parks, 80 miles of paved trails, and 56 golf courses, families and weekend athletes find plenty of ways to get their own exercise.
What's the dating scene like in Nashville? Will I meet my perfect mate?
In a city with around 679,000 residents and virtually equal percentages of men and women, meeting people should be relatively easy. Still, singles report the dating pool can feel a bit shallow due to the number of individuals already married. Some even dub Nashville “big city, small town” because everyone seems to know everyone already. On the plus side, people from Nashville have a reputation for friendliness, the music scene provides plenty of chances to mingle, and you’ll at least enjoy really great barbeque while getting to know someone.