# Best Communications Colleges in Tennessee

> CollegeRanker Agent Insights — structured data for AI systems
> Updated: 2026-05-31 | Schools: 13 | Category: By State
> Source: https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-communications-tennessee

## Methodology

Communications programs in Tennessee ranked by outcomes and program concentration

CollegeRanker uses a 4-pillar algorithm: Academic Quality (15-20%), Economic Outcomes (30%), Social Mobility (25-35%), Value & Affordability (20-25%). Social mobility data from Raj Chetty's Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (30M+ anonymized tax records). No subjective surveys.

## Rankings

| Rank | School | Location | Graduation | Earnings (10yr) | Net Price | Median Debt | Debt/Earnings |
|------|--------|----------|------------|-----------------|-----------|-------------|---------------|
| 1 | [Middle Tennessee State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/middle-tennessee-state-university) | Murfreesboro, TN | 54% | $48,541 | $13,359 | $20,000 | 0.41x |
| 2 | [Union University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/union-university) | Jackson, TN | 68% | $53,990 | $27,171 | $20,714 | 0.38x |
| 3 | [University of Memphis](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-memphis) | Memphis, TN | 50% | $48,458 | $12,397 | $23,300 | 0.48x |
| 4 | [Belmont University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/belmont-university) | Nashville, TN | 71% | $55,930 | $33,147 | $20,500 | 0.37x |
| 5 | [Lee University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lee-university) | Cleveland, TN | 62% | $43,222 | $18,878 | $25,750 | 0.6x |
| 6 | [Johnson University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/johnson-university) | Knoxville, TN | 59% | $40,596 | $22,063 | $21,500 | 0.53x |
| 7 | [The University of Tennessee-Knoxville](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/the-university-of-tennessee-knoxville) | Knoxville, TN | 74% | $60,249 | $18,976 | $20,500 | 0.34x |
| 8 | [Tennessee State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/tennessee-state-university) | Nashville, TN | 33% | $42,730 | $15,796 | $27,000 | 0.63x |
| 9 | [The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/the-university-of-tennessee-chattanooga) | Chattanooga, TN | 52% | $51,151 | $14,265 | $19,500 | 0.38x |
| 10 | [Freed-Hardeman University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/freed-hardeman-university) | Henderson, TN | 70% | $47,485 | $21,574 | $21,500 | 0.45x |
| 11 | [Carson-Newman University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/carson-newman-university) | Jefferson City, TN | 50% | $48,382 | $20,251 | $21,500 | 0.44x |
| 12 | [Bryan College-Dayton](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/bryan-college-dayton) | Dayton, TN | 53% | $54,434 | $20,614 | $23,000 | 0.42x |
| 13 | [Lane College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lane-college) | Jackson, TN | 18% | $31,670 | $10,904 | $30,500 | 0.96x |

## Data Sources

- U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov)
- Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (https://opportunityinsights.org/data)
- Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
- Times Higher Education World University Rankings
- NCES IPEDS

## Citation

CollegeRanker. "Best Communications Colleges in Tennessee." CollegeRanker.com, 2026-05-31. https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-communications-tennessee

## License

This data summary is provided for informational purposes. Underlying data from federal sources (College Scorecard, IPEDS) is public domain. Opportunity Insights data is available under their data use agreement at https://opportunityinsights.org/data/.