Rankings / By State
Best Online Colleges in Tennessee
- 47
- Schools
- $46,260
- Avg. Earnings
- 46%
- Avg. Graduation
- $15,146
- Avg. Net Price
- $18,699
- Avg. Debt
CollegeRanker Research
What Surprised Us Most
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Median graduate earnings across these 47 schools run from $31,349 to $91,565, a 2.9× gap. The category label alone says little about payoff.
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Roane State Community College delivers the most for the money: roughly $39,407 in median earnings against $4,270 a year in net price, the strongest earnings-to-cost ratio on the list.
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Roane State Community College is the lowest-cost school here at $4,270 a year in net price.
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Vanderbilt University graduates 93% of its students, versus a 46% average across the list. Completion, more than selectivity, signals whether a degree actually gets finished.
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Vanderbilt University carries the healthiest debt load, with graduates owing just 0.15× their annual earnings.
Surprising Comparisons
- Roane State Community College costs $4,270 a year and Belmont University costs $33,147. Yet their graduates earn $39,407 and $55,930, nowhere near the $28,877 price gap.
- On value, Roane State Community College beats Vanderbilt University: comparable career payoff at a fraction of the net price.
- Graduation rates split the field: Vanderbilt University finishes 93% of students while Lane College finishes 18%. Same ranking, very different odds of leaving with a degree.
The Takeaway
The schools that win this ranking are not the priciest or the most selective. They turn students into earners without burying them in debt, which is exactly what our outcomes-first methodology is built to surface.
What This Means for Students
If you are choosing from this list, start with Roane State Community College and Vanderbilt University. Pull each school's net price for your income band, weigh projected earnings against the debt you would take on, and let payoff rather than prestige drive your shortlist.
Why this ranking matters
These schools are ranked on outcomes that compound: graduate earnings, upward mobility, debt, and value, all drawn from federal tax records and Scorecard data rather than reputation surveys. The list rewards results over prestige, led by institutions whose graduates earn a median of about $44K ten years after enrollment.
How we measure this — full methodology →How we rank · 4 pillars
Federal-source data only. Build your own weighting →
Data Behind This Page Updated 2026-07-20
Source datasets
Methodology
Schools are scored on the CollegeRanker 4-Pillar Algorithm: Economic Outcomes (30%), Social Mobility (25–35%), Academic Quality (15–20%), and Value (20–25%). Every weight is published and every figure traces to a public dataset.
See the full methodology and weights →Confidence notes
- Earnings, completion, and debt figures come from federal administrative records — tax data and student-aid filings — not surveys or self-reports, the highest-confidence tier of education data available.
- Social-mobility estimates are drawn from de-identified tax records covering more than 30 million students (Opportunity Insights).
- Where an institution is missing a metric, it is excluded from that metric rather than imputed, so averages are never inflated by guesses.
Limitations
- Federal earnings data primarily cover students who received federal financial aid; outcomes for non-aided students may differ.
- Earnings are measured roughly ten years after enrollment, so they describe how earlier cohorts fared — historical outcomes, not guarantees of future results.
- An institution's field-of-study mix affects raw earnings; scores reflect measured outcomes and are not fully major-adjusted unless explicitly noted.
- Net price is an average; the actual cost a given student pays varies widely by family income.
At a Glance
How the Top Schools Compare
| School | Earnings | Net Price | Graduation | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Vanderbilt University #1 overall | $91,565 ▲ +98% vs avg | $15,846 | 93% | 81 |
| 2 Christian Brothers University #2 overall | $57,478 ▲ +24% vs avg | $9,854 | 55% | 70 |
| 3 Tennessee Technological University #3 overall | $48,501 ▲ +5% vs avg | $14,246 | 56% | 70 |
| $48,541 ▲ +5% vs avg | $13,359 | 54% | 70 | |
| $44,301 ▼ -4% vs avg | $9,735 | 42% | 70 |
Score uses our 4-pillar methodology. Earnings % is vs. this list's average.
See full ranking →Executive Summary
Best Online Colleges in Tennessee
This analysis ranks 47 institutions on graduate earnings, social mobility, completion, and cost. Across the list, alumni earn a median of $46,260 ten years after enrolling, against an average graduation rate of 46% and an average net price of $15,146.
Key takeaways
- Strongest Earnings-to-Cost Ratio: Roane State Community College — Net Price: $4,270 | Graduation Rate: 34%
- Strongest Completion Outcomes: Vanderbilt University — 93% completion rate
- Highest Earnings Generator: Vanderbilt University — Median alumni earnings: $91,565
CollegeRanker Primary Research
Private nonprofit colleges cost 110% more in net price than publics, while their graduates earn 21% more.
Access & Flexibility Analysis
What does this ranking tell us about online education and the working-adult learner?
$44,367
Median earnings (10yr)
47%
Median graduation rate
$14,836
Median net price
1.3%
Avg. mobility rate
Online programs are where higher education meets the working adult: students balancing jobs, families, and a degree, who need flexibility more than a quad. The category has matured from afterthought to mainstream. The open question is no longer whether online education works but which programs deliver completion and earnings for non-traditional students.
Across the 47 schools on this list, graduates earn a median of $44,367 ten years after they first enrolled. The median graduation rate is 47%. Net price, what students pay after grants, runs a median of $14,836 a year, with about $20,000 in median federal debt at graduation. An average of 35% of students receive Pell grants, and the typical school moves low-income students into the top income quintile at a rate of 1.3%.
What we’re seeing: the strongest online programs pair flexibility with real support and completion, not open enrollment alone. Median earnings of $44,367 and a $14,836 net price show that access and outcomes do not have to be a trade-off.
The podium
Build your ranking
Drag a pillar — schools re-rank live.
Tip: Check the box on any 2–4 schools below to compare them side by side.
Full rankings
Why it ranks #1
Vanderbilt University lands at #1 with a 81/100 composite, led by academic quality (84/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (80/100). Graduates earn a median $91,565 a decade after enrolling, 98% above this list's average, and net price runs $15,846 a year. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #2
Christian Brothers University lands at #2 with a 70/100 composite, led by social mobility (80/100) and pulled down by economic outcomes (64/100). Graduates earn a median $57,478 a decade after enrolling, 24% above this list's average, and net price runs $9,854 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #3
Tennessee Technological University lands at #3 with a 70/100 composite, led by social mobility (80/100) and pulled down by academic quality (65/100). Graduates earn a median $48,501 a decade after enrolling, 5% above this list's average, and net price runs $14,246 a year. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #4
Middle Tennessee State University lands at #4 with a 70/100 composite, led by social mobility (80/100) and pulled down by economic outcomes (64/100). Graduates earn a median $48,541 a decade after enrolling, 5% above this list's average, and net price runs $13,359 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #5
Austin Peay State University lands at #5 with a 70/100 composite, led by social mobility (83/100) and pulled down by economic outcomes (61/100). Graduates earn a median $44,301 a decade after enrolling, 4% below this list's average, and net price runs $9,735 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #6
Trevecca Nazarene University lands at #6 with a 69/100 composite, led by social mobility (83/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (61/100). Graduates earn a median $49,378 a decade after enrolling, 7% above this list's average, and net price runs $16,813 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #7
Lipscomb University lands at #7 with a 68/100 composite, led by social mobility (82/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (54/100). Graduates earn a median $55,541 a decade after enrolling, 20% above this list's average, and net price runs $24,739 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #8
Tennessee Wesleyan University lands at #8 with a 68/100 composite, led by social mobility (82/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (61/100). Graduates earn a median $45,989 a decade after enrolling, 1% below this list's average, and net price runs $14,836 a year. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #9
Union University lands at #9 with a 67/100 composite, led by social mobility (82/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (44/100). Graduates earn a median $53,990 a decade after enrolling, 17% above this list's average, and net price runs $27,171 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #10
East Tennessee State University lands at #10 with a 67/100 composite, led by social mobility (81/100) and pulled down by economic outcomes (62/100). Graduates earn a median $44,859 a decade after enrolling, 3% below this list's average, and net price runs $15,983 a year. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #11
Southern Adventist University lands at #11 with a 67/100 composite, led by social mobility (82/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (50/100). Graduates earn a median $53,723 a decade after enrolling, 16% above this list's average, and net price runs $24,345 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #12
Columbia State Community College lands at #12 with a 67/100 composite, led by value per dollar (88/100) and pulled down by academic quality (57/100). Graduates earn a median $40,256 a decade after enrolling, 13% below this list's average, and net price runs $4,734 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #13
Belmont University lands at #13 with a 66/100 composite, led by social mobility (83/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (45/100). Graduates earn a median $55,930 a decade after enrolling, 21% above this list's average, and net price runs $33,147 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #14
Bethel University lands at #14 with a 66/100 composite, led by social mobility (84/100) and pulled down by economic outcomes (60/100). Graduates earn a median $47,482 a decade after enrolling, 3% above this list's average, and net price runs $12,595 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #15
University of Memphis lands at #15 with a 66/100 composite, led by social mobility (75/100) and pulled down by economic outcomes (62/100). Graduates earn a median $48,458 a decade after enrolling, 5% above this list's average, and net price runs $12,397 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #16
Lee University lands at #16 with a 65/100 composite, led by social mobility (82/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (57/100). Graduates earn a median $43,222 a decade after enrolling, 7% below this list's average, and net price runs $18,878 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #17
Johnson University lands at #17 with a 65/100 composite, led by social mobility (85/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (51/100). Graduates earn a median $40,596 a decade after enrolling, 12% below this list's average, and net price runs $22,063 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #18
Cumberland University lands at #18 with a 65/100 composite, led by social mobility (82/100) and pulled down by academic quality (52/100). Graduates earn a median $57,687 a decade after enrolling, 25% above this list's average, and net price runs $18,759 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #19
Volunteer State Community College lands at #19 with a 65/100 composite, led by value per dollar (85/100) and pulled down by academic quality (42/100). Graduates earn a median $41,150 a decade after enrolling, 11% below this list's average, and net price runs $7,802 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #20
Pellissippi State Community College lands at #20 with a 65/100 composite, led by value per dollar (89/100) and pulled down by academic quality (45/100). Graduates earn a median $38,440 a decade after enrolling, 17% below this list's average, and net price runs $4,983 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #21
Lincoln Memorial University lands at #21 with a 65/100 composite, led by social mobility (81/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (55/100). Graduates earn a median $49,956 a decade after enrolling, 8% above this list's average, and net price runs $20,406 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #22
Milligan University lands at #22 with a 65/100 composite, led by social mobility (80/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (53/100). Graduates earn a median $46,641 a decade after enrolling, 1% above this list's average, and net price runs $21,365 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #23
Roane State Community College lands at #23 with a 65/100 composite, led by value per dollar (90/100) and pulled down by academic quality (42/100). Graduates earn a median $39,407 a decade after enrolling, 15% below this list's average, and net price runs $4,270 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #24
Dyersburg State Community College lands at #24 with a 65/100 composite, led by value per dollar (89/100) and pulled down by academic quality (45/100). Graduates earn a median $36,132 a decade after enrolling, 22% below this list's average, and net price runs $4,612 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #25
Northeast State Community College lands at #25 with a 64/100 composite, led by value per dollar (87/100) and pulled down by academic quality (45/100). Graduates earn a median $34,553 a decade after enrolling, 25% below this list's average, and net price runs $6,864 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #26
Chattanooga State Community College lands at #26 with a 64/100 composite, led by value per dollar (85/100) and pulled down by academic quality (45/100). Graduates earn a median $37,598 a decade after enrolling, 19% below this list's average, and net price runs $5,283 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #27
King University lands at #27 with a 64/100 composite, led by social mobility (84/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (46/100). Graduates earn a median $59,831 a decade after enrolling, 29% above this list's average, and net price runs $22,347 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #28
Cleveland State Community College lands at #28 with a 64/100 composite, led by value per dollar (86/100) and pulled down by academic quality (42/100). Graduates earn a median $36,671 a decade after enrolling, 21% below this list's average, and net price runs $6,384 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #29
Tusculum University lands at #29 with a 63/100 composite, led by social mobility (83/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (48/100). Graduates earn a median $44,367 a decade after enrolling, 4% below this list's average, and net price runs $21,131 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #30
Nashville State Community College lands at #30 with a 62/100 composite, led by value per dollar (85/100) and pulled down by academic quality (39/100). Graduates earn a median $38,519 a decade after enrolling, 17% below this list's average, and net price runs $6,777 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Knoxville, TN · 42% accepted · $18,976 net
Why it ranks #31
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville lands at #31 with a 62/100 composite, led by academic quality (77/100) and pulled down by social mobility (57/100). Graduates earn a median $60,249 a decade after enrolling, 30% above this list's average, and net price runs $18,976 a year, above the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #32
Tennessee State University lands at #32 with a 61/100 composite, led by social mobility (80/100) and pulled down by academic quality (43/100). Graduates earn a median $42,730 a decade after enrolling, 8% below this list's average, and net price runs $15,796 a year. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #33
Baptist Health Sciences University lands at #33 with a 60/100 composite, led by economic outcomes (72/100) and pulled down by social mobility (59/100). Graduates earn a median $72,529 a decade after enrolling, 57% above this list's average, and net price runs $11,212 a year, well under the field. Strong earnings drive the rank, but with mobility weighted 35% and value 20%, salary alone can only take a school so far.
Pillar breakdown
Chattanooga, TN · 81% accepted · $14,265 net
Why it ranks #34
The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga lands at #34 with a 59/100 composite, led by value per dollar (67/100) and pulled down by social mobility (59/100). Graduates earn a median $51,151 a decade after enrolling, 11% above this list's average, and net price runs $14,265 a year. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #35
The University of Tennessee Southern lands at #35 with a 58/100 composite, led by value per dollar (68/100) and pulled down by economic outcomes (58/100). Graduates earn a median $38,924 a decade after enrolling, 16% below this list's average, and net price runs $12,798 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #36
The University of Tennessee-Martin lands at #36 with a 58/100 composite, led by value per dollar (71/100) and pulled down by social mobility (56/100). Graduates earn a median $44,213 a decade after enrolling, 4% below this list's average, and net price runs $10,701 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #37
Walters State Community College lands at #37 with a 58/100 composite, led by value per dollar (90/100) and pulled down by academic quality (43/100). Graduates earn a median $37,085 a decade after enrolling, 20% below this list's average, and net price runs $5,387 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #38
Freed-Hardeman University lands at #38 with a 58/100 composite, led by academic quality (75/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (52/100). Graduates earn a median $47,485 a decade after enrolling, 3% above this list's average, and net price runs $21,574 a year, above the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #39
Carson-Newman University lands at #39 with a 57/100 composite, led by economic outcomes (63/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (55/100). Graduates earn a median $48,382 a decade after enrolling, 5% above this list's average, and net price runs $20,251 a year, above the field. Strong earnings drive the rank, but with mobility weighted 35% and value 20%, salary alone can only take a school so far.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #40
Motlow State Community College lands at #40 with a 57/100 composite, led by social mobility (79/100) and pulled down by academic quality (47/100). Graduates earn a median $40,397 a decade after enrolling, 13% below this list's average, and net price runs $15,742 a year. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #41
Bryan College-Dayton lands at #41 with a 53/100 composite, led by economic outcomes (65/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (54/100). Graduates earn a median $54,434 a decade after enrolling, 18% above this list's average, and net price runs $20,614 a year, above the field. Strong earnings drive the rank, but with mobility weighted 35% and value 20%, salary alone can only take a school so far.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #42
Jackson State Community College lands at #42 with a 50/100 composite, led by value per dollar (89/100) and pulled down by economic outcomes (28/100). Graduates earn a median $35,224 a decade after enrolling, 24% below this list's average, and net price runs $6,236 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #43
Lane College lands at #43 with a 49/100 composite, led by social mobility (63/100) and pulled down by economic outcomes (45/100). Graduates earn a median $31,670 a decade after enrolling, 32% below this list's average, and net price runs $10,904 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #44
Southwest Tennessee Community College lands at #44 with a 47/100 composite, led by value per dollar (91/100) and pulled down by economic outcomes (25/100). Graduates earn a median $34,071 a decade after enrolling, 26% below this list's average, and net price runs $4,754 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #45
Remington College-Nashville Campus lands at #45 with a 46/100 composite, led by academic quality (60/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (42/100). Graduates earn a median $31,349 a decade after enrolling, 32% below this list's average, and net price runs $29,098 a year, above the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #46
Remington College-Memphis Campus lands at #46 with a 42/100 composite, led by economic outcomes (57/100) and pulled down by academic quality (33/100). Graduates earn a median $31,349 a decade after enrolling, 32% below this list's average, and net price runs $26,572 a year, above the field. Strong earnings drive the rank, but with mobility weighted 35% and value 20%, salary alone can only take a school so far.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #47
Welch College lands at #47 with a 39/100 composite, led by economic outcomes (59/100) and pulled down by social mobility (29/100). Graduates earn a median $42,198 a decade after enrolling, 9% below this list's average, and net price runs $25,263 a year, above the field. Strong earnings drive the rank, but with mobility weighted 35% and value 20%, salary alone can only take a school so far.
Pillar breakdown
Cut it by what you care about
The same 47 schools, re-ranked by the outcome that matters to you.
Where the programs are
This ranking scores 47 institutions on graduation rates, graduate earnings, debt burdens, and social mobility data from Opportunity Insights. Every data point comes from federal sources. No surveys, no opinions.
Social mobility carries the heaviest weight in our algorithm. We use Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card — built on 30 million anonymized tax records — to measure whether a college changes a family's economic trajectory across generations. Schools that take low-income students and launch them into higher earnings rank higher than schools that admit wealthy students and take credit for their success.
The transparency penalty matters here. Schools that don't report their data get scored lower than schools that do. If an institution won't show you its numbers, we think you should know that before you write them a tuition check.
The story behind the ranking
A ranking gives you an order; these charts give you the shape. They show how this group of schools spreads across the four things that decide whether a degree pays off — what graduates earn, whether they finish, how far they move up, and what it costs. Look for the standouts, the outliers, and the trade-offs the list alone can't show.
Earnings Outcomes
What graduates earn 10 years after enrolling. Data from College Scorecard.
Distribution of Median Earnings
Earnings vs. Net Price
Top-left = best value. Top-ranked schools are highlighted.
Completion & Access
Graduation rates and who gets in. Data from College Scorecard & IPEDS.
Graduation Rates
Pell Grant Rate vs. Graduation Rate
Right = more low-income students. Higher = more graduate.
What the Mobility Data Says
The backbone of this ranking is social-mobility data from Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card, which draws on more than 30 million tax records. A school's mobility rate is the share of its students who move from the bottom income quintile to the top. Among the 35 schools on this list with available data, that rate averages 1.3%. Tennessee State University leads the group at 2.9%, with Christian Brothers University (2.6%) and Southern Adventist University (2.4%) close behind.
Who gets in matters as much as what happens after. Across these schools, an average of 10.9% of students start in the bottom income quintile. Southwest Tennessee Community College leads at 19.3%, which signals an admissions door that is actually open to low-income students. Schools that pair high access with high mobility are the ones driving generational change.
Once low-income students enroll, their odds of reaching the top income quintile average 14.2% across this list. Vanderbilt University posts the highest success rate at 59.3%. Access without completion and career momentum is an incomplete picture, and this is the number that completes it.
Social capital, measured by economic connectedness, captures the degree of cross-class friendship on campus, another dimension Opportunity Insights ties to long-run outcomes. Across these schools it averages 1.31 against a national benchmark of 1.0. Bethel University reaches 1.82, the highest on the list.
Mobility, access, and social-capital figures from Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card & the Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas.
Cost & Debt
What families actually pay and what students owe. Data from College Scorecard.
Median Debt at Graduation
Frequently Asked Questions
Best Online Colleges in Tennessee: Your Questions, Answered
What is the #1 school in the Best Online Colleges in Tennessee ranking? +
Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN ranks #1 in our 2026 Best Online Colleges in Tennessee ranking. It earns the top spot on the strength of a median $91,565 in graduate earnings ten years after enrollment and a 93% graduation rate. Our score is built entirely from federal data on graduation rates, graduate earnings, debt, and social mobility. Reputation surveys play no part.
Which school has the highest graduate earnings? +
Vanderbilt University posts the highest median earnings on this list: $91,565 ten years after enrollment, well above the $46,260 average across the 47 ranked schools with earnings data. Earnings that outpace cost are what separate a degree that pays off from one that does not.
Which school offers the best value? +
On a pure return-on-cost basis, Roane State Community College leads: graduates earn a median $39,407 against net price of about $4,270 a year, the strongest earnings-to-cost ratio in the ranking. Applicants should weigh that payback against sticker price rather than prestige.
Which school has the highest graduation rate? +
Vanderbilt University has the highest graduation rate in this ranking at 93%, compared with a 46% average across the list. Completion matters because the students who finish are the ones who actually capture the earnings and mobility gains a degree promises.
How much does it cost to attend these schools? +
The average net price, meaning what students actually pay after grants and scholarships, is about $15,146 a year across the 47 ranked schools with cost data. Roane State Community College is among the most affordable at roughly $4,270. Net price is a far better guide to affordability than the published sticker price.
How is the Best Online Colleges in Tennessee ranking calculated? +
We score every school on a four-pillar algorithm: economic outcomes (graduate earnings and debt), social mobility (Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card, built on more than 30 million anonymized tax records), academic quality (graduation and retention), and value (net price and loan burden). Social mobility carries the heaviest weight, so schools that lift low-income students into higher earnings rank above those that simply admit wealthy students. Every input comes from federal data, and schools that withhold their numbers are scored lower for it.
How many schools are ranked and where does the data come from? +
This ranking evaluates 47 institutions using the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard, the Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card and Social Capital Atlas, Times Higher Education, and NCES IPEDS. There are no opinion surveys or paid placements. The order is determined by the data alone and refreshed as new federal figures are released.
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