College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Best Education Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Veterans in Tennessee

14 Ranked Colleges
514 Degrees Awarded
$67,831 Avg Salary
Most Veteran Friendly in Tennessee for Education for a Doctorate

With all of the options veterans have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Most Veteran Friendly in Tennessee for Education for a Doctorate” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Education is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 4th of all the majors we analyze. In 2020-2021, 327,871 degrees were awarded to students with this major. In 2019-2020, education graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $46,202 and had an average of $24,437 in loans still to pay off.

Across Tennessee, there were 5,194 education graduates with average earnings and debt of $44,170 and $24,137 respectively.

This year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in Tennessee for Education for a Doctorate” ranking looked at 14 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in education. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great education programs and a strong support system for veterans and active service members.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the education program at the school, veteran affordability, and veteran satisfaction. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Education Rankings Other Ranking Categories

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Most Veteran Friendly in Tennessee for Education for a Doctorate” list to help you make the college decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest 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.

Most Veteran Friendly in Tennessee for Education for a Doctorate

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Veteran Friendly in Tennessee for Education for a Doctorate”.

Top 14 Best Education Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Veterans in Tennessee

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend The University of Tennessee - Knoxville. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Tennessee for Education for a Doctorate list. Located in Knoxville, Tennessee, this large public school handed out 24 degrees to qualified doctorate’s education students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UT Knoxville, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Education Doctor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 1,122 of the 30,559 students enrolled at The University of Tennessee - Knoxville were GI Bill® students, of which 739 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $10,650. During this same period, 8 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at UT Knoxville]](/colleges/the-university-of-tennessee/student-life/veterans/)

2
ETSU crest
East Tennessee State University
Johnson City, Tennessee

Out of the 14 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in Tennessee for Education for a Doctorate that were part of this year’s ranking, East Tennessee State University landed the #2 spot on the list. Johnson City, Tennessee is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s education degrees to 37 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at ETSU, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Education Doctor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking.According to our most recent data, ETSU supports 13,713 students, and 6 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 3 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $25,115. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. ETSU offers credit for military training for eligible students.

[Read full report on veteran student life at ETSU]](/colleges/east-tennessee-state-university/student-life/veterans/)

3
Lipscomb crest
Lipscomb University
Nashville, Tennessee

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Lipscomb University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Tennessee for Education for a Doctorate list. Lipscomb is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Nashville, Tennessee. It awarded 48 doctorate’s education degrees in 2020-2021.

Lipscomb did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Education Doctor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list.Of the 4,884 students enrolled at Lipscomb, 235 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 184 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $15,878. During this same period, 72 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Lipscomb Veteran Student Life Report

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Tennessee Technological University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Tennessee for Education for a Doctorate list. This medium-sized school is located in Cookeville, Tennessee, and it awarded 9 doctorate’s education degrees in 2020-2021.

Tennessee Tech University also took the #4 spot in our “Best Education Doctor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 403 of the 10,177 students enrolled at Tennessee Technological University were GI Bill® students, of which 229 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $7,510. During this same period, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Tennessee Technological University]](/colleges/tennessee-technological-university/student-life/veterans/)

5
TNU crest
Trevecca Nazarene University
Nashville, Tennessee

Out of the 14 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in Tennessee for Education for a Doctorate that were part of this year’s ranking, Trevecca Nazarene University landed the #5 spot on the list. Nashville, Tennessee is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate’s education degrees to 157 students in 2020-2021.

TNU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Education Doctor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list.Of the 3,968 students enrolled at TNU, 152 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 98 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $9,987. On top of their other funding sources, 10 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Read More…

6
Middle Tennessee State University crest
Middle Tennessee State University
Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Middle Tennessee State University ranked #6 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Tennessee for Education for a Doctorate list. Middle Tennessee State University is a large public school situated in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. It awarded 19 doctorate’s education degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Middle Tennessee State University, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Education Doctor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking.Of the 22,080 students enrolled at Middle Tennessee State University, 1,284 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 799 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $7,132. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Middle Tennessee State University offers credit for military training for eligible students.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Middle Tennessee State University]](/colleges/middle-tennessee-state-university/student-life/veterans/)

7
UofM crest
University of Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee

University of Memphis landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Tennessee for Education for a Doctorate ranking. Memphis, Tennessee is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s education degrees to 35 students in 2020-2021.

UofM also made our “Best Education Doctor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list, coming in at #11.According to our most recent data, University of Memphis supports 22,205 students, and 766 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 446 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $7,772. To help with additional expenses, 4 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

[Read full report on veteran student life at UofM]](/colleges/university-of-memphis/student-life/veterans/)

8
LMU crest
Lincoln Memorial University
Harrogate, Tennessee

Lincoln Memorial University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in Tennessee for Education for a Doctorate ranking. Lincoln Memorial University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Harrogate, Tennessee. It awarded 31 doctorate’s education degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at LMU, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Education Doctor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 121 of the 4,885 students enrolled at Lincoln Memorial University were GI Bill® students, of which 60 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $13,838. During this same period, 3 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Lincoln Memorial University does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read More…

9

The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Tennessee for Education for a Doctorate ranking, coming in at #9. UT Chattanooga is a public institution located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 3 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UT Chattanooga did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Education Doctor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list.Among the 11,728 students enrolled at UT Chattanooga, 431 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 270 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $7,374. In addition to receiving other benefits, 1 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Read More…

10
FHU crest
Freed-Hardeman University
Henderson, Tennessee

Freed-Hardeman University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Tennessee for Education for a Doctorate ranking, coming in at #10. FHU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Henderson, Tennessee. The school has a small population, and it awarded 9 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.

FHU also took the #8 spot in our “Best Education Doctor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking.Of the 2,188 students enrolled at Freed-Hardeman University, 43 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 26 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $13,165. In addition to receiving other benefits, 1 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Freed-Hardeman University does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Freed-Hardeman University Veteran Student Life Report

11
Carson - Newman crest
Carson - Newman University
Jefferson City, Tennessee

Carson - Newman University landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Tennessee for Education for a Doctorate ranking. Carson - Newman is a small school located in Jefferson City, Tennessee that handed out 41 doctorate’s education degrees in 2020-2021.

Carson - Newman also made our “Best Education Doctor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list, coming in at #7.Our most recent data shows that 98 of the 2,911 students enrolled at Carson - Newman were GI Bill® students, of which 60 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $11,328. During this same period, 4 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read More…

12
Tennessee State University crest
Tennessee State University
Nashville, Tennessee

With a ranking of #12, Tennessee State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Tennessee for Education for a Doctorate list. Located in Nashville, Tennessee, this medium-sized public school handed out 28 degrees to qualified doctorate’s education students in 2020-2021.

Tennessee State University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best Education Doctor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list.According to our most recent data, Tennessee State University supports 7,615 students, and 249 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 102 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,829. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Full Tennessee State University Veteran Student Life Report

13
Vanderbilt crest
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, Tennessee

Vanderbilt University ranked #13 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Tennessee for Education for a Doctorate list. Vanderbilt is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Nashville, Tennessee. It awarded 49 doctorate’s education degrees in 2020-2021.

Vanderbilt did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Education Doctor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list.Of the 13,537 students enrolled at Vanderbilt, 13 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 3 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $17,769. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The undergraduate 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. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Vanderbilt]](/colleges/vanderbilt-university/student-life/veterans/)

14
Union crest
Union University
Jackson, Tennessee

Union University ranked #14 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Tennessee for Education for a Doctorate list. This small school is located in Jackson, Tennessee, and it awarded 13 doctorate’s education degrees in 2020-2021.

Union not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Education Doctor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list.According to our most recent data, Union supports 3,071 students, and 78 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 53 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $12,190. In addition to receiving other benefits, 13 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read More…

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

Credits

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options