by our College Data Analytics Team
If you’re seeking a diverse and multi-faceted college experience, you’ve come to the right place. This list highlights 122 colleges that stand out for their student bodies in Tennessee, using our 2026 methodology.
Our ranking weighs the racial and ethnic makeup of the student body. To help you decide, College Factual evaluated 122 colleges, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard). Learn more about our ranking methodology.
Diversity means different things to different students. Narrow your list by location, or explore the overall, racial-ethnic, gender, economic, and age diversity rankings, or other rankings below.
Want to compare schools head to head? We built a tool called College Combat to build custom comparisons using the factors most important to you.
Here are the top-ranked colleges:
Christian Brothers University tops our 2026 ranking of the most ethnically diverse colleges in Tennessee. Christian Brothers University scores 80.0 out of 100 for ethnic diversity. Its racial-ethnic diversity score is 80.0, with a gender-diversity score of 99.6.
Vanderbilt University came in at #2 on this year's Most Ethnically Diverse Colleges ranking in Tennessee. It scores 72.7 out of 100 for ethnic diversity. On racial-ethnic diversity it scores 72.7, with a gender-diversity score of 98.8.
Southern Adventist University came in at #3 on this year's Most Ethnically Diverse Colleges ranking in Tennessee. On ethnic diversity, it scores 71.8 out of 100. Racial-ethnic diversity scores 71.8, with a gender-diversity score of 99.0.
Pentecostal Theological Seminary came in at #4 on this year's Most Ethnically Diverse Colleges ranking in Tennessee. It scores 71.1 out of 100 for ethnic diversity. On racial-ethnic diversity it scores 71.1, alongside a 95.3 gender-diversity score.
You'll find a welcoming community at Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Nashville, which ranked #5 this year. It scores 70.3 out of 100 for ethnic diversity. On racial-ethnic diversity it scores 70.3, with a gender-diversity score of 92.0.
Visible Music College landed the #6 spot in Tennessee this year. Visible Music College scores 69.0 out of 100 for ethnic diversity. Racial-ethnic diversity scores 69.0, and gender diversity 100.0.
University of Memphis placed #7 among the most ethnically diverse colleges in Tennessee. On ethnic diversity, it scores 67.7 out of 100. Racial-ethnic diversity scores 67.7, and gender diversity 97.4.
Ross Medical Education Center - Johnson City ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the most ethnically diverse colleges. Ross Medical Education Center - Johnson City scores 65.4 out of 100 for ethnic diversity. Racial-ethnic diversity scores 65.4, with a gender-diversity score of 23.7.
Cumberland University ranked #9 on our 2026 list of the most ethnically diverse colleges. It scores 64.5 out of 100 for ethnic diversity. On racial-ethnic diversity it scores 64.5, with a gender-diversity score of 99.8.
Empire Beauty School-Nashville earned the #10 position in Tennessee. Empire Beauty School-Nashville scores 64.0 out of 100 for ethnic diversity. Racial-ethnic diversity scores 64.0, alongside a 16.3 gender-diversity score.
Trevecca Nazarene University ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the most ethnically diverse colleges. It scores 64.0 out of 100 for ethnic diversity. On racial-ethnic diversity it scores 64.0, alongside a 91.0 gender-diversity score.
Bethel University landed the #12 spot in Tennessee this year. The school's ethnic diversity score is 63.7 out of 100. On racial-ethnic diversity it scores 63.7, and gender diversity 98.6.
Austin Peay State University landed the #13 spot in Tennessee this year. Austin Peay State University scores 63.7 out of 100 for ethnic diversity. Racial-ethnic diversity scores 63.7, and gender diversity 97.1.
Nashville State Community College came in at #14 in this year's ranking. Nashville State Community College scores 63.2 out of 100 for ethnic diversity. On racial-ethnic diversity it scores 63.2, with a gender-diversity score of 94.3.
Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Murfreesboro placed #15 among the most ethnically diverse colleges in Tennessee. Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Murfreesboro scores 61.9 out of 100 for ethnic diversity. Racial-ethnic diversity scores 61.9, with a gender-diversity score of 92.1.
Galen Health Institutes-Nashville Campus placed #16 among the most ethnically diverse colleges in Tennessee. On ethnic diversity, it scores 61.8 out of 100. Racial-ethnic diversity scores 61.8, with a gender-diversity score of 45.2.
Ross Medical Education Center - Knoxville ranked #17 on our 2026 list of the most ethnically diverse colleges. It scores 61.3 out of 100 for ethnic diversity. Racial-ethnic diversity scores 61.3, alongside a 24.2 gender-diversity score.
Rhodes College came in at #18 in this year's ranking. On ethnic diversity, it scores 61.2 out of 100. Racial-ethnic diversity scores 61.2, and gender diversity 97.9.
Tusculum University earned the #19 position in Tennessee. It scores 58.8 out of 100 for ethnic diversity. Racial-ethnic diversity scores 58.8, with a gender-diversity score of 100.0.
Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Jackson ranked #20 on our 2026 list of the most ethnically diverse colleges. The school's ethnic diversity score is 58.6 out of 100. On racial-ethnic diversity it scores 58.6, with a gender-diversity score of 96.0.
William R Moore College of Technology landed the #21 spot in Tennessee this year. William R Moore College of Technology scores 58.5 out of 100 for ethnic diversity. Its racial-ethnic diversity score is 58.5, alongside a 37.9 gender-diversity score.
SAE Institute of Technology-Nashville placed #22 among the most ethnically diverse colleges in Tennessee. On ethnic diversity, it scores 58.2 out of 100. Its racial-ethnic diversity score is 58.2, alongside a 68.7 gender-diversity score.
The University of Tennessee Health Science Center ranked #23 on our 2026 list of the most ethnically diverse colleges. The school's ethnic diversity score is 58.1 out of 100. On racial-ethnic diversity it scores 58.1, alongside a 91.2 gender-diversity score.
South College placed #24 among the most ethnically diverse colleges in Tennessee. The school's ethnic diversity score is 57.8 out of 100. Its racial-ethnic diversity score is 57.8, and gender diversity 62.2.
Fortis Institute-Nashville placed #25 among the most ethnically diverse colleges in Tennessee. Fortis Institute-Nashville scores 57.7 out of 100 for ethnic diversity. Racial-ethnic diversity scores 57.7, and gender diversity 78.2.
Not far behind, these colleges also rank among the most ethnically diverse this year:
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This ranking is based on the racial and ethnic makeup of the student body. The racial-ethnic minorities percentage is calculated by taking the total number of students, subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity is unknown, and dividing by total enrollment.
These rankings are produced by College Factual, 2026 edition.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.
