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2021 Best Affordable Colleges for International Students in Tennessee

30 Colleges
$26,305 Avg Tuition & Fees*
41% Avg 4-Year Grad Rate*

International students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our Best Value Colleges for International Students in Tennessee ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

After analyzing 30 schools in Tennessee, we came up with our list of those that offered the best educational experiences for international students in Tennessee. Our ranking is based on several objective factors, including the school's overall value and the total number of international students at the school. We steer clear of subjective measures since they don't give a clear picture when determining how one school compares to another.

Learn more about our ranking methodology.

Customizing Your List

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Since one ranking on its own is not enough to give you a complete understanding of your educational options, you can refine this list by location. We've also developed a number of other tools and rankings based on other factors. These other rankings highlight colleges that excel in other factors such as quality or diversity as well as schools that excel in serving different groups of students such as online students or returnings adults.

We've created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. If you're torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Top Value Colleges in Tennessee for International Students

See which schools came out on top of our ranking:

1

University of Memphis tops this year’s ranking as the best value school for international students in Tennessee. University of Memphis is a large public school located in Memphis, Tennessee that handed out 3,273 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

International students make up 2.9% of the total student body at the school. Students studying at UofM come from such countries as India, Saudi Arabia, and China. Yearly tuition and fees (out-of-state) for undergraduates at UofM runs, on average, about $14,088. Graduate students pay around $14,544 a year in average tuition and fees.

Full University of Memphis Report

2

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend The University of Tennessee - Martin. It ranked #2 on our 2021 Best Colleges for international students in Tennessee list. Martin, Tennessee is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 1,066 students in 2020-2021.

International students make up 0.5% of the total student body at the school. The top three countries sending students to study at UT Martin are Saudi Arabia, China, and Japan. Yearly tuition and fees (out-of-state) for undergraduates at UT Martin runs, on average, about $15,952. Graduate students pay around $16,838 a year in average tuition and fees.

Read full report on The University of Tennessee - Martin

3

Out of the 30 schools in Tennessee that were part of this year’s ranking, Freed-Hardeman University landed the #3 spot on the list. Freed-Hardeman University is a small private not-for-profit school located in Henderson, Tennessee that handed out 363 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Of the total number of students at the school, 0.5% are international. The top three countries sending students to study at FHU are Canada, Costa Rica, and South Africa. International students at FHU can expect to pay, on average, about $23,300 a year to attend the school. Graduate students pay around $10,980 a year in average tuition and fees.

Full Freed-Hardeman University Report

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The University of Tennessee - Knoxville. The school came in at #4 in this year’s ranking. UT Knoxville is a public institution located in Knoxville, Tennessee. The school has a large population, and it awarded 5,356 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Of the total number of students at the school, 3.1% are international. The top three countries sending students to study at UT Knoxville are China, India, and Saudi Arabia. International students at UT Knoxville can expect to pay, on average, about $31,664 a year to attend the school. Graduate students pay around $31,798 a year in average tuition and fees.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on The University of Tennessee - Knoxville

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Tennessee Technological University. The school came in at #5 in this year’s ranking. This medium-sized public school is located in Cookeville, Tennessee, and it awarded 1,905 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Of the total number of students at the school, 2.5% are international. Students from as far away as Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and India come to Tennessee Tech University to study. International students at Tennessee Tech University can expect to pay, on average, about $19,834 a year to attend the school. Graduate students pay around $20,702 a year in average tuition and fees.

Read More…

6
Union crest
Union University
Jackson, TN

Union University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Colleges for international Students in Tennessee list. Union is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Jackson, Tennessee. It awarded 523 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Around 1.6% of the total student population at the school is international. Students studying at Union come from such countries as South Korea, Brazil, and Kenya. Yearly tuition and fees (out-of-state) for undergraduates at Union runs, on average, about $16,520. Graduate students pay around $11,666 a year in average tuition and fees.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Union University Report

7

Lincoln Memorial University did quite well in the 2021 Best Value Colleges for international Students in Tennessee ranking, coming in at #7. Harrogate, Tennessee is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 412 students in 2020-2021.

Around 1.9% of the total student population at the school is international. Students from as far away as Canada, United Kingdom, and Brazil come to LMU to study. International students at LMU can expect to pay, on average, about $24,210 a year to attend the school. The average tuition and fees for graduate programs is $20,104 per year.

Read full report on Lincoln Memorial University

8
Johnson University crest
Johnson University
Knoxville, TN

Johnson University did quite well in the 2021 Best Value Colleges for international Students in Tennessee ranking, coming in at #8. Located in Knoxville, Tennessee, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 293 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.

Around 4.0% of the total student population at the school is international. Students from as far away as China, Brazil, and Zimbabwe come to Johnson University to study. Out-of-state tuition and fees for undergraduates at Johnson University is about $19,274 a year, on average. The average tuition and fees for graduate programs is $9,580 per year.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Johnson University Report

9
Lee University crest
Lee University
Cleveland, TN

Lee University landed the #9 spot on the 2021 Best Value Colleges for international Students in Tennessee. Cleveland, Tennessee is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 859 students in 2020-2021.

International students make up 2.6% of the total student body at the school. Students studying at Lee University come from such countries as Nigeria, Bahamas, and South Korea. Out-of-state tuition and fees for undergraduates at Lee University is about $20,500 a year, on average. Graduate students pay around $15,050 a year in average tuition and fees.

Read full report on Lee University

10

Middle Tennessee State University did quite well in the 2021 Best Value Colleges for international Students in Tennessee ranking, coming in at #10. Murfreesboro, Tennessee is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 3,926 students in 2020-2021.

Of the total number of students at the school, 2.3% are international. The top three countries sending students to study at Middle Tennessee State University are Saudi Arabia, China, and India. International students at Middle Tennessee State University can expect to pay, on average, about $28,264 a year to attend the school. Graduate students pay around $27,432 a year in average tuition and fees.

Read More…

11

East Tennessee State University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Colleges for international Students in Tennessee ranking. ETSU is a fairly large public school situated in Johnson City, Tennessee. It awarded 2,676 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Around 2.0% of the total student population at the school is international. Students studying at ETSU come from such countries as Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, and China. International students at ETSU can expect to pay, on average, about $12,740 a year to attend the school. Graduate students pay around $25,856 a year in average tuition and fees.

Full East Tennessee State University Report

12
Lipscomb crest
Lipscomb University
Nashville, TN

Lipscomb University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Colleges for international Students in Tennessee list. Located in Nashville, Tennessee, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 725 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

International students make up 2.3% of the total student body at the school. Students from as far away as China, Saudi Arabia, and United Kingdom come to Lipscomb to study. International students at Lipscomb can expect to pay, on average, about $35,752 a year to attend the school. Graduate students pay around $17,100 a year in average tuition and fees.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Lipscomb University Report

13

With a ranking of #13, The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga did quite well on the 2021 Best Value Colleges for international Students in Tennessee. Located in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the fairly large public school awarded 2,139 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.

Around 1.4% of the total student population at the school is international. The top three countries sending students to study at UT Chattanooga are Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and India. International students at UT Chattanooga can expect to pay, on average, about $25,966 a year to attend the school. Graduate students pay around $18,538 a year in average tuition and fees.

Read full report on The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga

14

Christian Brothers University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Colleges for international Students in Tennessee ranking. Christian Brothers is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Memphis, Tennessee. It awarded 386 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Around 5.3% of the total student population at the school is international. Students studying at Christian Brothers come from such countries as India, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia. International students at Christian Brothers can expect to pay, on average, about $34,820 a year to attend the school. The average tuition and fees for graduate programs is $13,463 per year.

Read More…

15
Belmont crest
Belmont University
Nashville, TN

Belmont University landed the #15 spot on the 2021 Best Value Colleges for international Students in Tennessee. Nashville, Tennessee is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 1,711 students in 2020-2021.

Around 0.7% of the total student population at the school is international. Students studying at Belmont come from such countries as Canada, China, and Brazil. International students at Belmont can expect to pay, on average, about $38,430 a year to attend the school. The average tuition and fees for graduate programs is $25,180 per year.

Read full report on Belmont University

16
Fisk crest
Fisk University
Nashville, TN

With a ranking of #16, Fisk University did quite well on the 2021 Best Value Colleges for international Students in Tennessee. Located in Nashville, Tennessee, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 103 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.

Of the total number of students at the school, 9.2% are international. Students studying at Fisk come from such countries as Bahamas, Nigeria, and Nepal. Out-of-state tuition and fees for undergraduates at Fisk is about $22,906 a year, on average. The average tuition and fees for graduate programs is $23,216 per year.

Read full report on Fisk University

17

With a ranking of #17, Bryan College - Dayton did quite well on the 2021 Best Value Colleges for international Students in Tennessee. William Jennings Bryan College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Dayton, Tennessee. The school has a small population, and it awarded 193 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

International students make up 1.4% of the total student body at the school. Students studying at William Jennings Bryan College come from such countries as United Kingdom, Brazil, and Canada. Out-of-state tuition and fees for undergraduates at William Jennings Bryan College is about $17,360 a year, on average. The average tuition and fees for graduate programs is $9,760 per year.

Full Bryan College - Dayton Report

18

Sewanee - The University of the South did quite well in the 2021 Best Value Colleges for international Students in Tennessee ranking, coming in at #18. Sewanee, Tennessee is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 429 students in 2020-2021.

International students make up 4.3% of the total student body at the school. Students from as far away as China, Nigeria, and Hungary come to Sewanee to study. Out-of-state tuition and fees for undergraduates at Sewanee is about $49,418 a year, on average. Graduate students pay around $18,243 a year in average tuition and fees.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read More…

19
Carson - Newman crest
Carson - Newman University
Jefferson City, TN

Carson - Newman University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Colleges for international Students in Tennessee ranking. Jefferson City, Tennessee is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 341 students in 2020-2021.

Around 3.1% of the total student population at the school is international. Students studying at Carson - Newman come from such countries as Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom, and South Korea. Out-of-state tuition and fees for undergraduates at Carson - Newman is about $31,320 a year, on average. The average tuition and fees for graduate programs is $9,632 per year.

Read More…

20

Austin Peay State University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Colleges for international Students in Tennessee ranking. Located in Clarksville, Tennessee, the medium-sized public school awarded 1,588 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.

International students make up 0.9% of the total student body at the school. Students studying at Austin Peay State University come from such countries as Canada, South Korea, and Germany. International students at Austin Peay State University can expect to pay, on average, about $13,975 a year to attend the school. The average tuition and fees for graduate programs is $14,827 per year.

Full Austin Peay State University Report

21

With a ranking of #21, Tennessee Wesleyan University did quite well on the 2021 Best Value Colleges for international Students in Tennessee. TWU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Athens, Tennessee. The school has a small population, and it awarded 315 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

International students make up 4.8% of the total student body at the school. Students from as far away as United Kingdom, Spain, and Brazil come to TWU to study. Out-of-state tuition and fees for undergraduates at TWU is about $26,590 a year, on average. Graduate students pay around $21,845 a year in average tuition and fees.

Read full report on Tennessee Wesleyan University

22
Maryville College crest
Maryville College
Maryville, TN

Maryville College did quite well in the 2021 Best Value Colleges for international Students in Tennessee ranking, coming in at #22. Maryville College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Maryville, Tennessee. The school has a small population, and it awarded 228 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

International students make up 2.7% of the total student body at the school. The top three countries sending students to study at Maryville College are Mexico, Japan, and China. International students at Maryville College can expect to pay, on average, about $37,016 a year to attend the school.

Read More…

23
Rhodes College crest
Rhodes College
Memphis, TN

Rhodes College ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Colleges for international Students in Tennessee list. Rhodes College is located in Memphis, Tennessee and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 463 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.

Of the total number of students at the school, 5.7% are international. Students studying at Rhodes College come from such countries as China, Vietnam, and Germany. International students at Rhodes College can expect to pay, on average, about $50,910 a year to attend the school. Graduate students pay around $50,910 a year in average tuition and fees.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read More…

24
Bethel crest
Bethel University
McKenzie, TN

Bethel University landed the #24 spot on the 2021 Best Value Colleges for international Students in Tennessee. This small private not-for-profit school is located in McKenzie, Tennessee, and it awarded 478 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

International students make up 1.4% of the total student body at the school. The top three countries sending students to study at Bethel are United Kingdom, Brazil, and Canada. International students at Bethel can expect to pay, on average, about $13,981 a year to attend the school. The average tuition and fees for graduate programs is $11,723 per year.

Full Bethel University Report

25
King crest
King University
Bristol, TN

King University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Colleges for international Students in Tennessee list. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Bristol, Tennessee, and it awarded 540 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

International students make up 2.2% of the total student body at the school. Students studying at King come from such countries as United Kingdom, Canada, and South Korea. Yearly tuition and fees (out-of-state) for undergraduates at King runs, on average, about $32,838. Graduate students pay around $14,207 a year in average tuition and fees.

Read More…

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Notes and References

Footnotes

*Avg Tuition and Fees and Avg 4-Year Grad Rate are for the top 25 schools only.

References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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