Best Business colleges in Tennessee

Tennessee residents have quite a few options when it comes to applying to college to study business, and depending on their preferences regarding majors offered or research opportunities, one school may prove to be a better fit than another. Getting a Bachelor of Arts in Business is standard for many students that wish to seek positions immediately after graduation, but some complete master’s programs to specialize in asset investment, capital fundraising, and trading.

Graduates with a degree in business can pursue multiple career paths and have ample opportunities to consider in the state of Tennessee when conducting their job search. Those that seek the added stability of working for a local entity can pursue roles at existing companies like Covenant Transport and FedEx.

Tennessee’s economy continues to fluctuate, and the job market looks positive for business majors. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that over 8,000 business and financial operations professionals in Tennessee earn a mean salary of over $66,000. The highest rates of employment in the state are in the Memphis and Nashville metro areas, which can be critical for students interested in urban roles.

Best Business colleges in Tennessee for 2025

As a future accountant, you know numbers matter. You can count on UT’s accounting program to deliver an excellent academic experience. Accounting Degree Review ranked UT’s accounting program among the top 25 programs nationwide. Also, graduates rank seventh in the nation for their CPA exam pass rates according to the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy. Pretty impressive! But as a UT accounting student you’ll be more than just a number. You’ll become part of an active community. By maintaining a high GPA, you can join the Beta Alpha Psi international honor organization where they take on community service projects. You also get to help plan Accounting Day, an annual networking event attended by hundreds of students, faculty, staff and alumni. Students can also participate in organized internship opportunities during junior and senior year. In fact, it’s strongly encouraged. If you’re not sure if you want to go into corporate or public accounting, take both internships to gain direct experience in each area. In the past students have interned with companies like Coca-Cola and IBM. Bottom line: if you’re looking for a program that encourages its students to do more than just crunching numbers, UT is one for the books.

Southern Adventist University offers 85 Business degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2023, 73 Business students graduated with students earning 62 Bachelor's degrees, 7 Master's degrees, and 4 Associate's degrees.

Bryan College-Dayton offers 14 Business degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a faraway town. In 2023, 60 Business students graduated with students earning 33 Bachelor's degrees, 24 Master's degrees, 2 Associate's degrees, and 1 Certificate.

University of Memphis
Memphis, TN

University of Memphis offers 37 Business degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a large city. In 2023, 895 Business students graduated with students earning 484 Bachelor's degrees, 261 Master's degrees, 142 Certificates, and 8 Doctoral degrees.

Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN
Image by @alexqmaclin

Vanderbilt University offers 24 Business degree programs. It's a large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2023, 819 Business students graduated with students earning 385 Master's degrees, 286 Bachelor's degrees, and 148 Doctoral degrees.

Middle Tennessee State University offers 18 Business degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2023, 852 Business students graduated with students earning 558 Bachelor's degrees, 288 Master's degrees, 5 Doctoral degrees, and 1 Certificate.

Bethel University
McKenzie, TN

Bethel University offers 10 Business degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a faraway town. In 2023, 388 Business students graduated with students earning 254 Bachelor's degrees, and 134 Associate's degrees.

Trevecca Nazarene University offers 19 Business degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2023, 291 Business students graduated with students earning 145 Master's degrees, 104 Bachelor's degrees, 29 Doctoral degrees, 10 Associate's degrees, and 3 Certificates.

East Tennessee State University offers 15 Business degree programs. It's a large, public, four-year university in a small city. In 2023, 408 Business students graduated with students earning 308 Bachelor's degrees, 81 Master's degrees, and 19 Doctoral degrees.

The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga offers 19 Business degree programs. It's a large, public, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2023, 618 Business students graduated with students earning 490 Bachelor's degrees, 125 Master's degrees, and 3 Certificates.

Find local colleges with Business majors in Tennessee

List of all Business colleges in Tennessee

School Average Tuition Student Teacher Ratio Enrolled Students
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Logo The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Knoxville, TN
3/5
20 : 1 36,304
Southern Adventist University Logo Southern Adventist University Collegedale, TN
5/5
22 : 1 3,154
Bryan College-Dayton Logo Bryan College-Dayton Dayton, TN
4/5
35 : 1 1,548
University of Memphis Logo University of Memphis Memphis, TN
3/5
24 : 1 21,736
Vanderbilt University Logo Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN
5/5
11 : 1 13,456