Top 20 Best Online Colleges in Tennessee

Continuing our series of best online colleges by state rankings, we have examined all online colleges in Tennessee and chosen to showcase the top 20 schools, based on the methodology stated below.

For this Top 20 Best Online College ranking, we scored each of the schools in Tennessee that offer their students a selection of online and asynchronous academic programs to discover which ones can provide distance learning students with the highest quality education possible. For an online college to be considered for this list, it had to be both located in Tennessee and also have a selection of online academic programs available from which students can choose.

Methodology

We have judged and ranked all of the schools that are located within the State of Tennessee that offer a selection of online and asynchronous academic programs for distance-learners. We ranked them based on the following ranking criteria:

• 50%: Freshman Retention Rates and;
• 50%: Graduation Rates

After scoring each school based on this ranking criteria, we compared each of the schools against each other to determine the order of excellence in catering to their distance learning students. To collect the statistics necessary for this ranking, we used the school’s websites whenever possible to obtain their Freshman Retention Rates and their total Graduation Rates. In cases where a school does not provide this information, we utilized the databases of these two trustworthy sites:

• U.S. News and World Report and;
• National Center for Education Statistics.

How we scored each of these schools was based on a relatively straightforward formula: we took each of the school’s two scoring rates (Freshman Retention Rate percentage and Graduation Rate percentage) and added these weighted scores together. The total we were left with out of a possible 200 was what we used to determine each school’s placement in this Top 20.

We feel that these two ranking criteria help students to find a high-quality school that is located in the State of Tennessee that will be able to best cater to each student and their unique needs and goals.

We also consulted our ranking of the top 100 best online colleges when ranking these colleges and universities.

Top 20 Best Online Colleges in Tennessee

20: Chattanooga State Community College

Chattanooga State Community College, which is commonly referred to as Chattanooga State or simply as Chatt State, is a public community college located in Chattanooga. Chattanooga state was one of the early community colleges in the South, becoming Tennessee’s first technical college as well as being Southeast Tennessee’s very first public institution of higher education in 1965. The school was originally known as Chattanooga State Technical Institute and began operations as a two-year, coeducational collegiate institution.

The original primary goal of the college was to offer a variety of technical programs with Associate in Science and Associate in Engineering degrees. They were designed mostly in order to meet various industry needs and to “…bridge the gap between engineers and craftsmen” in the state. In 1973, Chattanooga State Technical Institute had its name changed to Chattanooga State Technical Community College. And in 2009, the college was renamed again to Chattanooga State Community College when State Senate Bill 681 became state law. Today, Chattanooga State offers its in-person and online students a variety of academic programs.

• School’s Website: https://www.chattanoogastate.edu/
• Freshman Retention Rate: 49.0%
• Graduation Rate: 17.6%
• Final Score: 66.6/200

19: Cleveland State Community College

Cleveland State Community College is a community college that is operated by the Tennessee Board of Regents located in Cleveland, Tennessee. Cleveland State Community College, often referred to simply as Cleveland State, was authorized to begin operations by the Tennessee General Assembly in 1965 and the school held its first classes in 1967. The school moved to its current campus and permanent facilities in 1968. Today, Cleveland State Community College offers its students a variety of undergraduate degree-granting programs and professional certification programs. Many of these academic programs are offered to distance learning students in an online and fully asynchronous format in order to better serve them in these strange new times. 

Cleveland State Community College offers its online academic programs through a program known as TN eCampus. The TN eCampus offers distance learning students a selection of more than 500 online degree programs and professional certification options in total. Additionally, the college provides more than 400 online stand-alone courses. These online academic programs taught through TN eCampus are taught by highly qualified educators and, additionally, Cleveland State Community College also offers a selection of asynchronous and online educational programs specifically through their campus. Cleveland State’s own online academic programs are taught by the same academic faculty members as the on-campus counterparts, ensuring that each of their students will receive a high-quality education regardless of the format they choose.

• School’s Website: https://www.clevelandstatecc.edu/
• Freshman Retention Rate: 51.0%
• Graduation Rate: 21.6%
• Final Score: 72.6/200

18: Dyersburg State Community College

Dyersburg State Community College, which is commonly referred to simply as DSCC, is a community college that is located in Dyersburg, Tennessee. Dyersburg State Community College serves seven counties in total that are adjacent to or near the Mississippi River in the western region of the State of Tennessee. DSCC offers its students a variety of Associate of Science degree-granting programs, Associate of Arts degree-granting programs and Associate of Applied Science degree-granting programs. Many of these academic programs are available to distance learning students via an online and fully asynchronous format.

Some of the online and asynchronous academic programs that are available to distance learning students to choose from, include an Accounting degree program, an Administrative Office Management degree program, a Criminal Justice degree program, an English degree program, and a Health Information Management (HIM) degree program, among many others. These online academic programs are all taught by the same dedicated faculty members as the on-campus courses. This helps to ensure that–regardless of what format a student chooses to pursue, every student will receive the same high-quality and comprehensive education.

• School’s Website: https://www.dscc.edu/
• Freshman Retention Rate: 49.0%
• Graduation Rate: 24.0%
• Final Score: 73.0/200

17: Columbia State Community College

Commonly referred to simply as Columbia State, Columbia State Community College is a state-supported community college that is located in Columbia, Tennessee. Columbia State Community College was originally established in 1966. The creation of Columbia State started in 1957 when a public higher education study identified a significant need to expand the higher education capabilities in the State of Tennessee. The report identified three major areas that were considered to be significantly underserved by institutions of higher learning, including the south central Middle Tennessee region. This report would later serve as the defining cornerstone in the history of Tennessee’s community colleges.

Today, Columbia State Community College offers its students a wide selection of undergraduate degree-granting programs and professional certification programs; many of which are available in an online and asynchronous format in order to better serve distance learning students. In addition to Columbia State Community College’s online programs, Columbia State’s distance learning students can also choose to enroll into one of the more than 500 available degree-granting programs and professional certification programs. These are available through the TN eCampus program, allowing for an even greater amount of education flexibility.

• School’s Website: https://www.columbiastate.edu/
• Freshman Retention Rate: 54.0%
• Graduation Rate: 26.7%
• Final Score: 80.7/200

16: Tennessee State University

With online and asynchronous programs available to distance learning students to choose from including: a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Interdisciplinary Studies degree program, a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Professional Studies with a Health Administration Concentration degree program, a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Professional Studies with a Information Technology Concentration degree program, a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Sociology degree program, a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Urban Studies degree program and a Master of Science (M.S.) in Nursing with a concentration in Holistic Nursing degree program–among many others–Tennessee State University is a provider of many high-quality distance learning programs. Tennessee State University, usually referred to simply as TSU, is a public land-grant university that is located in Nashville, Tennessee. Tennessee State was originally established in 1912.

Tennessee State University is the largest and the only state-funded historically black university (HBCU) that is located in the State of Tennessee. Tennessee State is organized into eight academic divisions. These are the College of Engineering; the College of Business; the College of Liberal Arts; the College of Education; the College of Health Sciences; the College Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences and; the College of Public Service and Urban Affairs. It is through these eight academic divisions that Tennessee State offers to their more than 10,000 total enrolled students a broad selection of on-campus and online academic degree-granting programs and professional certification programs.

• School’s Website: https://www.tnstate.edu/
• Freshman Retention Rate: 64.0%
• Graduation Rate: 33.4%
• Final Score: 97.4/200

15: Austin Peay State University

Austin Peay State University is a four-year public university that is located in Clarksville, Tennessee. Austin Peay State University, commonly referred to just as APSU, was originally established in 1845 as the Masonic College. 

Today, Austin Peay State University offers its students a myriad of undergraduate degree-granting programs, graduate degree-granting programs, and professional certification programs from which they can choose. Many of these academic programs are available to distance learning students due to being offered in an online and asynchronous format. These online courses are taught by the same academic faculty members as the on-campus counterparts. Some of the online programs that are available include: a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts degree program, a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science degree program, a Bachelor of Business Administration Management degree program and a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice degree program, among many others.

• School’s Website: https://www.apsu.edu/
• Freshman Retention Rate: 66.0%
• Graduation Rate: 38.8%
• Final Score: 104.8/200

14: East Tennessee State University

East Tennessee State University, often referred to as ETSU, is a public university that is located in Johnson City, Tennessee. East Tennessee State University was originally established in 1911 as the East Tennessee State Normal School with the goal of instructing teachers but began operating as a college in 1925. The college adopted the name of East Tennessee State University in 1963.

ETSU today offers its attending students a variety of undergraduate degree-granting programs, graduate degree-granting programs, and professional certification programs. These academic programs encompass a wide range of different areas-of-study and many of the academic programs that are available through ETSU are taught in an online and fully asynchronous format. These asynchronous online programs are taught by the same faculty members as the on-campus counterparts and includes degree programs such as: a Bachelor of Science in Allied Health Leadership degree program, a Bachelor of Science in Cardiopulmonary Science (Respiratory Therapy) degree program, a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene degree program, a Bachelor of Science in Human Services degree program, a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary and Professional Studies degree program, a Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Science degree program and a Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN) degree program, among others.

• School’s Website: https://www.etsu.edu/etsuhome/
• Freshman Retention Rate: 73.0%
• Graduation Rate: 38.8%
• Final Score: 111.8/200

13: University of Memphis

The University of Memphis, commonly referred to as the U of M, is a public research university that is located in Memphis, Tennessee. The university adopted its final and current name of the University of Memphis in 1994. The University of Memphis today comprises 13 academic divisions, including the College of Arts and Sciences; the Fogelman College of Business and Economics; the College of Communication and Fine Arts; the College of Education; the Herff College of Engineering; the University College; the Loewenberg College of Nursing; the Kemmons Wilson School of Hospitality and Resort Management; the School of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology; the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law; the Graduate School; the School of Public Health and; the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music.

It is through these 13 academic divisions that the University of Memphis can offer to their more than 20,500 total enrolled students a selection of undergraduate degree-granting programs, graduate degree-granting programs, and professional certification programs. Many of these academic programs are available in an online and fully asynchronous format in order to better service distance learning students. These online programs are additionally taught by the same dedicated faculty members as the on-campus counterparts, ensuring that every student enrolled in a University of Memphis program will obtain the same high-quality education regardless of how they choose to pursue their degree or certification.

• School’s Website: https://www.memphis.edu/
• Freshman Retention Rate: 74.0%
• Graduation Rate: 41.5%
• Final Score: 115.5/200

12: University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, often referred to as UTC, is a public research university that is located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga was originally established in 1886 as the then-private Chattanooga University, which was soon merged in 1889 with the Athens-based Grant Memorial University thus becoming the Chattanooga campus of United States Grant Memorial University. The university is one of three universities and two other affiliated institutions that are member-institutions of the University of Tennessee System (UT System).

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga offers its distance learning students a variety of online and asynchronous academic programs, such as: a Doctorate of Nursing Practice degree program, a Master of Science in Engineering Management degree program, a Professional Master of Business Administration (PMBA) degree program, a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice degree program and a RN to BSN Nursing Gateway Program degree program, among others. These online and asynchronous programs are taught by the same academic faculty members as the on-campus counterparts, which ensures that all UTC students will receive the same high-quality education regardless of their chosen format.

• School’s Website: https://www.utc.edu/
• Freshman Retention Rate: 73.0%
• Graduation Rate: 43.8%
• Final Score: 116.8/200

11: Middle Tennessee State University

Middle Tennessee State University, which is commonly referred to simply as MTSU or MT, is a comprehensive, coeducational public university that is located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Middle Tennessee State University was originally established in 1911 as the Middle Tennessee State Normal School. Middle Tennessee State University is organized into nine academic colleges, including: the College of Basic and Applied Sciences; the College of Behavioral and Health Sciences; the College of Education; the College of Graduate Studies; the College of Liberal Arts; the College of Media and Entertainment; the Jennings A. Jones College of Business; the University College and; the University Honors College. It is through these nine colleges that MTSU can provide its more than 23,000 total enrolled students with a variety of undergraduate degree-granting programs, graduate degree-granting programs, and professional certificate programs.

Middle Tennessee State University additionally offers numerous academic programs in an online and asynchronous format, in order to better serve their distance learning students. A selection of the academic programs that are available online includes: a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Administration degree program, a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies degree program, a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Communication degree program, a Bachelor of Science in Psychology degree program and a Master of Criminal Justice degree program. There are eleven online programs available in total, and each of these academic programs are taught by the same faculty members as the on-campus counterparts.

• School’s Website: https://www.mtsu.edu/
• Freshman Retention Rate: 76.0%
• Graduation Rate: 41.5%
• Final Score: 117.5/200

10: Carson-Newman University

With a variety of online and asynchronous programs available, Carson-Newman University is capable of providing their distance learning students with a highly flexible and quality education. Some of the available online programs include: a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree program, a Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN) degree program, a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership degree program, a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies (BSIS) degree program and a Master of Arts in Social Entrepreneurship degree program, among many others. Carson-Newman University is a historically Baptist-affiliated, private, not-for-profit liberal arts university that is located in Jefferson City, Tennessee.

In 1889, Carson-Newman merged with the Mossy Creek Missionary Baptist Seminary, becoming one of the first coeducational institutions in the South. The institution operated as Carson–Newman College until 2012 when the board of trustees voted to change the name to Carson–Newman University.

• School’s Website: https://www.cn.edu/
• Freshman Retention Rate: 70.0%
• Graduation Rate: 49.5%
• Final Score: 119.5/200

9: University of Tennessee at Martin

The University of Tennessee at Martin, usually referred to at UT Martin or UTM, is a public research university that is located in Martin, Tennessee. The University of Tennessee at Martin is one of the five campuses that are member-institutions of the University of Tennessee school system. Prior to the acquisition of Lambuth University in Jackson by the University of Memphis in 2011, the University of Tennessee at Martin was the only public four-year university that was located in West Tennessee outside of Memphis. UT Martin was initially established in 1927. The university operates a large experimental farm and several satellite centers in the West Tennessee region in addition to its main campus.

UT Martin is organized into five academic divisions, including the College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences; the College of Business and Global Affairs; the College of Education, Health, and Behavioral Sciences; the College of Engineering and Natural Sciences and; the College of Humanities and Fine Arts. It is through these five academic divisions that UT Martin offers a variety of undergraduate degree-granting programs, graduate degree-granting programs, and professional certification programs; many of which are available to distance learning students via an online and fully asynchronous format. Some of the available online academic programs include: a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies degree program, a Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN) degree program and a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture Business degree program among many others.

• School’s Website: https://www.utm.edu/
• Freshman Retention Rate: 75.0%
• Graduation Rate: 48.0%
• Final Score: 123.0/200

8: Lincoln Memorial University

Lincoln Memorial University, often called LMU, is a private, not-for-profit four-year liberal arts university that is located in Harrogate, Tennessee. Lincoln Memorial was originally founded in 1897 and was named after President Abraham Lincoln. The school’s motto is “We Wear His Name Proudly” to further celebrate President Lincoln’s life and accomplishments. Lincoln Memorial University’s Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum is home to an expansive collection of memorabilia relating to the school’s namesake, Abraham Lincoln, and to the American Civil War.

Today, Lincoln Memorial University offers to its more than 2,000 total enrolled students a broad range of undergraduate degree-granting programs, graduate degree-granting programs, and professional certification programs. Many of these available academic programs are offered in an online and asynchronous format, in order to cater to the school’s many distance learning students. These online and asynchronous degree programs are taught by the same dedicated and experienced faculty members as the on-campus counterparts, ensuring that all students at Lincoln Memorial University will obtain the same high-quality education and the personalized assistance that they might require in order to grasp the foundations of their chosen academic path in their entirety. Some of the available online academic programs include a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree program and a Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN) degree program, among others.

• School’s Website: https://www.lmunet.edu/index.php 
• Freshman Retention Rate: 74.0%
• Graduation Rate: 52.6%
• Final Score: 126.6/200

7: Tennessee Technological University

The Tennessee Technological University, often shortened to TN Tech, Tennessee Tech, or TNU, is a public state-supported polytechnic university that is located in Cookeville, Tennessee. Tennessee Technological University offers students a total of 44 Bachelor’s degree programs and 20 graduate degree-granting programs as well as Doctoral programs and numerous professional certification programs. TTU places great emphasis on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) degrees but also provides students with the ability to obtain more traditional programs such as liberal arts and nursing.

Tennessee Technological University is organized into eight academic divisions. These divisions are the College of Agriculture and Human Ecology; the College of Arts and Sciences; the College of Business; the College of Education; the College of Engineering; the College of Graduate Studies; the College of Interdisciplinary Studies and; the Whitson-Hester School of Nursing. It is through these eight academic divisions that TTU offers its students a wide variety of undergraduate degree-granting programs, graduate degree-granting programs and professional certificate programs; many of which are available in an online and asynchronous format, such as their Bachelor of Science in Professional Studies degree program and their Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree program.

• School’s Website: https://www.tntech.edu/
• Freshman Retention Rate: 78.0%
• Graduation Rate: 50.3%
• Final Score: 128.3/200

6: Lee University

With online and asynchronous academic programs available to distance learning students including: a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree program, a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice degree program, a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies degree program, a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Bible and Theology degree program and a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Christian Studies degree program among many others, Lee University is well-equipped to provide busy students with a quality education that is flexible enough to be able to be completed whenever and wherever a student chooses.

Lee University is a private, not-for-profit and Church of God-affiliated liberal arts university that is located in Cleveland, Tennessee. Lee University was originally established in 1918 and, today, the university boasts the fifth largest undergraduate enrollment among the 103 Christian colleges that are member-institutions of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. Lee University is fully accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to confer both Baccalaureate and Master’s degrees to eligible students upon successful program completion. Lee University has been ranked for numerous years as a “Top Tier” institution in various U.S. News and World Report‘s yearly college rankings.

• School’s Website: https://www.leeuniversity.edu/
• Freshman Retention Rate: 80.0%
• Graduation Rate: 49.6%
• Final Score: 129.6/200

5: Lipscomb University

Lipscomb University is a private, not-for-profit and Church of Christ-affiliated liberal arts university that is located in Nashville, Tennessee. In addition to the main campus location, Lipscomb University also maintains a place which is known as “Spark” in the Cool Springs area of Williamson County. Lipscomb University was originally established in 1891 by David Lipscomb (a minister, editor, and educator in the American Restoration Movement) and James A. Harding, who was an early influential leader in the Churches of Christ. 

Lipscomb University today offers to their more than 5,000 total enrolled students a selection of undergraduate degree-granting programs, graduate degree-granting programs, and professional certification programs. Many of these various academic programs are available to distance learning students via an online and fully asynchronous format, which allows them to complete their education whenever and wherever they wish. One of the more popular online and asynchronous academic programs that is available through Lipscomb University is their Master of Education in Technology Integration degree program, which is a rigorous and highly comprehensive education program. This program can be completed in less than two years, and each student that enrolls in this program will be given a brand new iPad for free.

• School’s Website: https://www.lipscomb.edu/
• Freshman Retention Rate: 82.0%
• Graduation Rate: 57.5%
• Final Score: 139.5/200

4: University of Tennessee – Knoxville

The University of Tennessee, commonly called UT Knoxville, Tennessee Knoxville, or UTK, is a public sun-grant and land-grant research university that is located in Knoxville, Tennessee. The University of Tennessee was originally founded in 1794, two years before Tennessee became the 16th state. The university is the flagship campus of the University of Tennessee system, which includes nine undergraduate colleges and eleven graduate colleges. The University of Tennessee is the only university in the United States to have three presidential papers editing projects. The university holds collections of the papers of all three United States presidents that were from the State of Tennessee: Andrew Jackson, James K. Polk and Andrew Johnson. UT is one of the oldest public universities that is located in the United States, and the university is the oldest secular institution that is located west of the Eastern Continental Divide.

Today, UT offers its students a variety of undergraduate degree-granting programs, graduate degree-granting programs and professional certification programs; many of which are offered in an online and fully asynchronous format. These asynchronous online programs are taught by the same instructors as the on-campus counterparts. Some of the available online academic programs include: a Master of Mathematics degree program, a Master of Science in Information Sciences degree program, a Master of Science in Educational Administration degree program, a Master of Science in Reliability and Maintainability Engineering degree program and a Master of Science in Social Work degree program, among numerous others.

• School’s Website: https://www.utk.edu/
• Freshman Retention Rate: 87.0%
• Graduation Rate: 68.3%
• Final Score: 155.3/200

3: Union University

Union University, which is commonly shortened to be called UU, is a private, not-for-profit and Evangelical Christian-affiliated liberal arts university that is located in Jackson, Tennessee, with additional campuses in Germantown and Hendersonville. Union University was originally established in 1823, and the school as it is known today was formed from a union of several different schools: West Tennessee College, formerly known as Jackson Male Academy, Union University of Murfreesboro, Southwestern Baptist University and the Hall-Moody Junior College.

Union University has numerous online and asynchronous academic programs available to students. These academic programs include various undergraduate degree-granting programs, graduate degree-granting programs and professional certification programs. All of Union University’s asynchronous online academic programs are taught by the same academic faculty members as the on-campus counterparts. Some of the available online academic programs includes: a Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership, Organizational Management and Information Technology degree program, a Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN) degree program, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree program, a Master of Christian Studies degree program and a Master of Science in Nursing (BSN-MSN) degree program, among others.

• School’s Website: https://www.uu.edu/
• Freshman Retention Rate: 87.0%
• Graduation Rate: 72.8%
• Final Score: 159.8/200

2: Bethel University

Bethel University is a Christian-affiliated institute of higher education that is located in McKenzie, Tennessee, and that is accredited to bestow degrees up to the Master’s level to eligible students. Despite the main campus being in Mackenzie, Bethel also operates satellite campuses in the cities of Memphis, Nashville, Chattanooga, Jackson, Paris, and Clarksville. Bethel University was originally founded in 1842 as the Bethel Seminary. The seminary would change its name in 1847, becoming Bethel College. The name would be changed again in 2009, this time to the school’s present-day name of Bethel University.

Today, Bethel University offers its students a variety of undergraduate degree-granting programs. Many of these undergraduate programs are additionally available in an online and asynchronous format in order to better serve distance learning students. The programs that are available online are: an Associate of Applied Science in Business degree program, an Associate of Applied Science in Customer Relationship Management degree program, an Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice degree program, an Associate of Arts in Business degree program, an Associate of Arts in Customer Relationship Management degree program and an Associate of Arts in Criminal Justice degree program.

• School’s Website: https://www.bethel.edu/ 
• Freshman Retention Rate: 85.0%
• Graduation Rate: 75.9%
• Final Score: 160.9/200

1: Vanderbilt University

The top school in this Top 20 ranking is Vanderbilt University due to the school’s outstanding Freshman Retention Rate (at an impressive 97.0%) and their enviable Graduation Rate (which itself is at 92.3% of all students graduating within an acceptable time frame). We will try and shed some light on how Vanderbilt University was able to obtain and maintain these stellar scores by looking at the school’s history and some of the incredible online and asynchronous academic programs that are available from which distance learning students can choose.

Vanderbilt University is a private, not-for-profit research university that is located in Nashville, Tennessee. Vanderbilt was originally established in 1873 and was named in honor of the shipping and rail magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided the school with its initial $1 million USD endowment despite having never actually been to the American South. Vanderbilt is organized into ten academic divisions. These are: the Vanderbilt University College of Arts and Science; the Vanderbilt University Law School; the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine; the Vanderbilt University Divinity School; the Peabody College of Education and Human Development; the Vanderbilt University Graduate School; the Vanderbilt University School of Engineering; the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing; the Blair School of Music and; the Owen Graduate School of Management.

Vanderbilt offers a myriad of undergraduate degree-granting programs, graduate degree-granting programs and professional certificate programs; both on-campus and online via an asynchronous format. The on-campus programs and the online programs are both taught by the same academic faculty members. Some of the online and asynchronous programs that are available for distance learning students to choose from include: a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Leadership and Learning in Organizations degree program and a Master of Education with School Counseling Specialization degree program.

• School’s Website: https://www.vanderbilt.edu/
• Freshman Retention Rate: 97.0%
• Graduation Rate: 92.3%
• Final Score: 189.3/200

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