Visual and Performing Arts colleges in Tennessee, ranked by graduates
20 colleges in Tennessee awarded at least 10 bachelor's degrees in visual and performing arts in 2023: 2,305 degrees, 7.5% of all bachelor's degrees at those colleges (4.3% across every college CollegeCalcAI tracks). Belmont University graduated the most (689, 42.8% of its class). 9 of the 20 are public universities. The median acceptance rate among them is 70%; the most selective is Vanderbilt University at 6%.
Visual and Performing Arts colleges in Tennessee
Every Tennessee college awarding at least 10 bachelor's degrees in visual and performing arts, ranked by 2023 graduates. Click a college for its visual and performing arts page.
| # | College | Type | Degrees (2023) | Share of grads | Acceptance rate | SAT 75th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Belmont University | Private | 689 | 42.8% | 95% | 1310 |
| 2 | Middle Tennessee State University | Public | 588 | 12% | 69% | 1150 |
| 3 | University of Memphis | Public | 136 | 4.6% | 72% | 1200 |
| 4 | University of Tennessee | Public | 134 | 2.2% | 42% | 1330 |
| 5 | Lipscomb University | Private | 104 | 14.3% | 68% | 1280 |
| 6 | University of Tennessee at Chattanooga | Public | 100 | 4.6% | 81% | 1200 |
| 7 | East Tennessee State University | Public | 90 | 4.1% | 86% | 1140 |
| 8 | Austin Peay State University | Public | 77 | 5.9% | 96% | 1100 |
| 9 | Tennessee Tech University | Public | 69 | 3.8% | 76% | 1180 |
| 10 | Vanderbilt University | Private | 68 | 3.7% | 6% | 1560 |
| 11 | Lee University | Private | 48 | 7% | 71% | 1150 |
| 12 | Freed-Hardeman University | Private | 45 | 11% | 60% | 1160 |
| 13 | UT Martin | Public | 31 | 3.1% | 88% | 1100 |
| 14 | Union University (TN) | Private | 25 | 6.1% | 60% | 1150 |
| 15 | Carson-Newman University | Private | 23 | 7.6% | 90% | 1150 |
| 16 | Tennessee State University | Public | 20 | 2.8% | 70% | 1050 |
| 17 | Sewanee - University of the South | Private | 19 | 4.7% | 57% | 1230 |
| 18 | Trevecca Nazarene University | Private | 17 | 4.5% | 69% | 1150 |
| 19 | Rhodes College | Private | 11 | 2.6% | 50% | 1370 |
| 20 | Cumberland University | Private | 11 | 3.8% | 67% | 1130 |
Questions about visual and performing arts colleges in Tennessee
What is the best college for visual and performing arts in Tennessee?
By bachelor's degrees awarded in 2023, the largest visual and performing arts programs in Tennessee are Belmont University (689), Middle Tennessee State University (588), University of Memphis (136). "Best" depends on your profile: this page ranks every Tennessee college in the field by output and shows each one's acceptance rate and admitted SAT so you can match it to your own numbers.
How many colleges in Tennessee offer visual and performing arts?
20 four-year colleges in Tennessee awarded 10 or more bachelor's degrees in visual and performing arts in 2023, 9 public and 11 private, for 2,305 graduates in total.
Is in-state status an advantage for visual and performing arts in Tennessee?
At the 9 public universities on this list, Tennessee residents are usually admitted at a higher rate than out-of-state applicants and pay in-state tuition. CollegeCalcAI applies the residency effect when you set your home state, and the per-major adjustment when you set the major.
Visual and Performing Arts elsewhere
The same field in other states, and the national ranking.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 Completions (bachelor's degrees, first majors, CIP 2-digit series), joined to CollegeCalcAI's admissions dataset. Built 2026-09-19. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are not predictions or guarantees.