Best Criminal Justice Colleges in Tennessee2026 Rankings
Choosing the right Criminal Justice program in Tennessee means weighing more than just name recognition. We analyzed 24 colleges across the state, scoring each on the metrics that matter most to long-term career success: graduation rates, post-graduation earnings, net cost, and academic rigor.
The data tells an interesting story: King University leads on selectivity (54% acceptance rate), but selectivity is only one dimension of quality. Across Tennessee's Criminal Justice programs, the typical in-state price is $19,509 and the average graduation rate is 44%. Graduates of these programs earn a median of $38,745 within one year of completing their degree.
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| # | College | Value Score | Admit Rate | Grad Rate | Net Price | Median Earnings | Student:Faculty | Majors Offered | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lincoln Memorial UniversityPrivate | Strong· 36 | 59% | 54% | $19,591 | $54,326 | 9:1 | 35 | 1,487 |
| 2 | Tennessee Wesleyan UniversityPrivate | Strong· 36 | 59% | 44% | $14,610 | $41,284 | 12:1 | 39 | 832 |
| 3 | Le Moyne-Owen CollegePrivate | Strong· 36 | 97% | 25% | $9,198 | — | 9:1 | 25 | 571 |
| 4 | Christian Brothers UniversityPrivate | Strong· 35 | 88% | 56% | $12,547 | $50,114 | 9:1 | 60 | 953 |
| 5 | Lipscomb UniversityPrivate | Strong· 35 | 67% | 69% | $23,820 | $45,943 | 13:1 | 75 | 3,021 |
| 6 | The University of Tennessee SouthernPublic | Strong· 35 | 83% | 36% | $15,701 | $34,798 | 13:1 | 30 | 827 |
| 7 | Middle Tennessee State UniversityPublic | Strong· 34 | 68% | 54% | $12,840 | $37,952 | 17:1 | 72 | 16,115 |
| 8 | The University of Tennessee-ChattanoogaPublic | Strong· 34 | 77% | 53% | $12,478 | $37,403 | 17:1 | 47 | 9,878 |
| 9 | Tennessee State UniversityPublic | Good· 33 | 93% | 33% | $11,079 | $32,555 | 13:1 | 34 | 6,498 |
| 10 | Freed-Hardeman UniversityPrivate | Good· 33 | 91% | 68% | $19,533 | $39,905 | 13:1 | 39 | 1,244 |
| 11 | King UniversityPrivate | Good· 33 | 54% | 46% | $21,500 | $33,580 | 12:1 | 42 | 975 |
| 12 | The University of Tennessee-MartinPublic | Good· 32 | 87% | 55% | $12,457 | $32,167 | 15:1 | 39 | 4,600 |
| 13 | Trevecca Nazarene UniversityPrivate | Good· 31 | 70% | 55% | $12,303 | $43,262 | 22:1 | 51 | 1,697 |
| 14 | Austin Peay State UniversityPublic | Good· 31 | 96% | 45% | $16,365 | $36,749 | 15:1 | 40 | 7,365 |
| 15 | University of MemphisPublic | Good· 30 | 93% | 49% | $15,357 | $35,900 | 17:1 | 50 | 13,645 |
| 16 | Cumberland UniversityPrivate | Good· 30 | 67% | 47% | $17,891 | $45,223 | 18:1 | 31 | 2,053 |
| 17 | East Tennessee State UniversityPublic | Average· 29 | 87% | 50% | $16,944 | $30,097 | 18:1 | 51 | 9,807 |
| 18 | Tusculum UniversityPrivate | Average· 29 | 60% | 31% | $21,842 | $39,705 | 18:1 | 24 | 903 |
| 19 | Bethel UniversityPrivate | Average· 27 | 97% | 35% | $21,838 | $54,207 | 17:1 | 36 | 1,671 |
| 20 | Bryan College-DaytonPrivate | Average· 26 | — | 56% | $15,443 | $38,617 | 13:1 | 32 | 815 |
| 21 | Lane CollegePrivate | Weak· 18 | — | 17% | $23,608 | $35,917 | 17:1 | 16 | 822 |
| 22 | South CollegePrivate | Poor· 16 | — | 37% | $18,193 | $46,134 | 23:1 | 18 | 6,323 |
| 23 | Strayer University-TennesseePrivate | Very Poor· 7 | — | 0% | $23,838 | $43,405 | 39:1 | 9 | 2,670 |
| 24 | Remington College-Memphis CampusPrivate | Very Poor· 6 | — | — | $26,285 | $31,793 | 29:1 | 1 | 391 |