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2024 Best Political Science & Government Schools in Tennessee

11 Colleges in Tennessee
718 Political Science Degrees Awarded
$30,498 Avg Early-Career Salary
If you pursue a degree in political science & government, you won't be alone. The field of study is the #20 most popular program in the country. So, there are lots of possibilities to explore when you're trying to determine where you want to get your degree.

For its 2024 ranking, College Factual looked at 11 schools in Tennessee to determine which ones were the best for political science & government students pursuing a degree. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 718 degrees in political science & government during the 2020-2021 academic year.

What's on this page: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Political Science & Government School

Best Political Science & Government Schools in Tennessee The political science program you select can have a big impact on your future. That's why we developed our collection of Best Schools for Political Science & Government rankings. For our Best Overall Political Science & Government School rankings, we roll up the results of our degree-level rankings, weighted by the number of degrees awarded at that level.

In order to find the schools that are the best fit for you, you may want to filter to one of the degree levels below.

Pick Your Political Science & Government Degree Level

Bachelor's Degrees in Political Science
Master's Degrees in Political Science
Doctor's Degrees in Political Science

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Political Science & Government Schools in Tennessee list, to help you choose the best school for you. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.

To further help you make the college decision, we've developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Read more about College Factual's methodology.

Best Schools for Political Science & Government in Tennessee

If you aren't interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the political science degrees they offer, see the list below.

10 Top Tennessee Schools in Political Science

1
Vanderbilt crest
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
98 Political Science Degrees Awarded
$43,927 Median Starting Salary

Any student who is interested in political science & government needs to look into Vanderbilt University. Located in the city of Nashville, Vanderbilt is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #19 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Vanderbilt is a great university overall.

There were about 98 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at Vanderbilt in the most recent year we have data available. Those political science & government students who get their degree from Vanderbilt University receive $13,429 more than the average political science student.

More information about a degree in political science & government from Vanderbilt University

2
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
184 Political Science Degrees Awarded
7.6% Growth in Graduates

The University of Tennessee - Knoxville is a wonderful decision for students pursuing a degree in political science & government. UT Knoxville is a very large public university located in the medium-sized city of Knoxville. A Best Colleges rank of #173 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UT Knoxville is a great university overall.

There were about 184 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at UT Knoxville in the most recent year we have data available. Soon after graduation, political science degree recipients generally earn an average of $28,920 in the first five years of their career.

More information about a degree in political science & government from The University of Tennessee - Knoxville

3
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
45 Political Science Degrees Awarded
17.8% Growth in Graduates

Any student pursuing a degree in political science & government has to check out Sewanee - The University of the South. Located in the rural area of Sewanee, Sewanee is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population. A Best Colleges rank of #207 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Sewanee is a great university overall.

There were about 45 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at Sewanee in the most recent data year. Political Science & Government degree recipients from Sewanee - The University of the South receive an earnings boost of approximately $7,737 over the average income of political science & government majors.

More information about a degree in political science & government from Sewanee - The University of the South

4
Rhodes College crest
Rhodes College
Memphis, TN

It is hard to beat Rhodes College if you want to pursue a degree in political science & government. Located in the city of Memphis, Rhodes College is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population. A Best Colleges rank of #637 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Rhodes College is a great college overall.

There were roughly 26 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at Rhodes College in the most recent year we have data available. Soon after graduating, political science degree recipients generally earn around $23,918 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a degree in political science & government from Rhodes College

5
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
77 Political Science Degrees Awarded
35.1% Growth in Graduates

Located in the large city of Memphis, UofM is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #748 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UofM is a great university overall.

There were roughly 77 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at UofM in the most recent year we have data available. Graduates who receive their degree from the political science program earn about $25,392 in the first couple years of working.

More information about a degree in political science & government from University of Memphis

6
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
44 Political Science Degrees Awarded
$30,709 Median Starting Salary

UT Chattanooga is a large public university located in the midsize city of Chattanooga. This university ranks 16th out of 45 schools for overall quality in the state of Tennessee.

There were roughly 44 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at UT Chattanooga in the most recent year we have data available. Students who receive their degree from the political science program earn an average of $30,709 for their early career.

More information about a degree in political science & government from The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga

7
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
44 Political Science Degrees Awarded
$33,549 Median Starting Salary

Located in the medium-sized city of Murfreesboro, Middle Tennessee State University is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 12th out of 45 schools for overall quality in the state of Tennessee.

There were roughly 44 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at Middle Tennessee State University in the most recent year we have data available. Political Science & Government degree recipients from Middle Tennessee State University earn a boost of about $3,051 over the average earnings of political science & government graduates.

More information about a degree in political science & government from Middle Tennessee State University

8
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
$24,938 Median Starting Salary
$21,777 Median Student Debt

ETSU is a fairly large public university located in the small city of Johnson City. This university ranks 11th out of 45 schools for overall quality in the state of Tennessee.

There were approximately 22 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at ETSU in the most recent data year. Graduates who receive their degree from the political science program make around $24,938 for their early career.

More information about a degree in political science & government from East Tennessee State University

9
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
12th Most Popular In TN

Located in the city of Nashville, Tennessee State University is a public university with a medium-sized student population. This university ranks 28th out of 45 schools for overall quality in the state of Tennessee.

There were roughly 20 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at Tennessee State University in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in political science & government from Tennessee State University

10
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
$26,380 Median Starting Salary
$20,250 Median Student Debt

Located in the town of Cookeville, Tennessee Tech University is a public university with a medium-sized student population. This university ranks 20th out of 45 schools for overall quality in the state of Tennessee.

There were about 25 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at Tennessee Tech University in the most recent data year. After graduation, political science degree recipients typically earn about $26,380 in their early careers.

More information about a degree in political science & government from Tennessee Technological University

Best Political Science & Government Colleges in the Southeast Region

Explore all the Best Political Science & Government Schools in the Southeast Area or other specific states within that region.

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Georgia 287 1,199
Florida 282 2,522
North Carolina 279 1,762
Virginia 274 1,768
South Carolina 248 768
Kentucky 244 439
Louisiana 242 582
Mississippi 234 294
Arkansas 234 297
Alabama 233 566
West Virginia 207 290

View All Rankings >

Political Science & Government is one of 13 different types of Social Sciences programs to choose from.

Political Science Concentrations

Major Annual Graduates
Political Science 698
Other Political Science & Government 9
Political Economy 7
American Government & Politics (United States) 4

View All Political Science Concentrations >

Related Major Annual Graduates
Economics 436
Sociology 428
General Social Sciences 269
Anthropology 154
International Relations & National Security 109
Geography & Cartography 45
Urban Studies 21
Other Social Sciences 21
Archeology 3

View All Political Science Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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