By state

Tennessee colleges by SAT score

9 Tennessee schools with published score bands, from the U.S. Department of Education — highest band first.

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In short

Among Tennessee colleges in the federal dataset, Vanderbilt University has the highest enrolled-student SAT band at 1500–1570. The table below lists 9 Tennessee schools' middle-50% SAT and ACT ranges, highest first — each links to a page on setting a target for that school. Every figure is the enrolled middle 50% from College Scorecard, retrieved 2026-09-01.

Tennessee schools, by enrolled SAT band

Middle 50% of enrolled students (College Scorecard, 2026-09-01). A dash means the school reports no band for that test.
SchoolSAT (mid 50%)ACTUndergrads
Vanderbilt University1500–157034–357k
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville1200–137025–3130k
Belmont University1160–135024–307k
Tennessee Technological University1048–131020–279k
Middle Tennessee State University1010–123020–2616k
The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga1013–121020–2610k
East Tennessee State University980–120019–2610k
University of Memphis915–118018–2413k
Austin Peay State University843–112618–248k
How to read a middle 50%

A quarter of enrolled students scored below the band and a quarter above it. It describes who enrolled — not a cutoff, and not who was admitted.

Pick a school for the full picture — the section split, what the band means for a target, and where the figure comes from. Or browse every state.

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Frequently asked questions

Which Tennessee college has the highest SAT scores?

In the federal dataset, Vanderbilt University — an enrolled middle 50% of 1500–1570. Bands describe enrolled students, not cutoffs.

What SAT score do I need for college in Tennessee?

It spans the table above — from 843–1126 to 1500–1570 across 9 schools. Pick the schools you mean and aim at the upper half of their bands.

Where do these numbers come from?

The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (IPEDS), retrieved 2026-09-01. Each school's own page links its federal profile.

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Sources