Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
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Program Rankings · Tennessee

Best Parks, Recreation & Fitness Colleges in Tennessee

Ranked by a weighted composite of outcomes, affordability, selectivity, academic profile, and program depth. Based on NCES IPEDS 2023–24 completions data.

29
Colleges Ranked
29
4-Year Programs
10
Public Colleges
Belmont University
Top Ranked
Ranking Methodology: Each college earns a major score = 70% global composite score (outcomes 30%, affordability 25%, selectivity 20%, academic 15%, breadth 10%) + 30% program depth score (graduates in this major ÷ total enrollment, normalized across all US colleges).
1
54
Belmont University
Nashville · Private Nonprofit · 4-year
96% accept72% grad rate138 graduates/yr
#763 nationally
2
51
Union University
Jackson · Private Nonprofit · 4-year
47% accept71% grad rate30 graduates/yr
#1923 nationally
3
49
Lipscomb University
Nashville · Private Nonprofit · 4-year
67% accept69% grad rate60 graduates/yr
#2922 nationally
#4
49
Lee University
Cleveland · Private Nonprofit · 4-year
72% accept61% grad rate39 graduates/yr
#2925 nationally
#5
48
Southern Adventist University
Collegedale · Private Nonprofit · 4-year
67% accept62% grad rate66 graduates/yr
#3116 nationally
#6
47
Trevecca Nazarene University
Nashville · Private Nonprofit · 4-year
70% accept54% grad rate30 graduates/yr
#3292 nationally
#7
42
Tennessee State University
Nashville · Public · 4-year
93% accept34% grad rate$7,320 in-state78 graduates/yr
#3990 nationally
#8
41
Bryan College-Dayton
Dayton · Private Nonprofit · 4-year
54% grad rate54 graduates/yr
#302 nationally
#9
39
Welch College
Gallatin · Private Nonprofit · 4-year
58% grad rate15 graduates/yr
#559 nationally
#10
39
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Knoxville · Public · 4-year
46% accept73% grad rate$11,332 in-state939 graduates/yr
#768 nationally
#11
38
Freed-Hardeman University
Henderson · Private Nonprofit · 4-year
91% accept68% grad rate54 graduates/yr
#1045 nationally
#12
35
Johnson University
Knoxville · Private Nonprofit · 4-year
54% accept63% grad rate27 graduates/yr
#2347 nationally
#13
35
Milligan University
Milligan · Private Nonprofit · 4-year
70% accept60% grad rate63 graduates/yr
#2793 nationally
#14
34
King University
Bristol · Private Nonprofit · 4-year
54% accept47% grad rate63 graduates/yr
#2923 nationally
#15
32
Cumberland University
Lebanon · Private Nonprofit · 4-year
67% accept42% grad rate129 graduates/yr
#3288 nationally
About Parks, Recreation & Fitness Programs in Tennessee

Tennessee offers 29 accredited parks, recreation & fitness programs across public and private institutions. Our rankings use NCES IPEDS 2023–24 completions data to measure how many graduates each college produces in this field relative to its total enrollment, combined with overall college quality metrics.

The ranking formula weights overall college quality at 70% — covering graduation outcomes, net price affordability, admissions selectivity, and academic profile of enrolled students — and program-specific depth at 30%, rewarding schools that genuinely specialize in parks, recreation & fitness.

For in-state students, public colleges often offer significantly lower costs. Complete the FAFSA to determine need-based aid eligibility regardless of your income level. Aid availability can dramatically change the actual cost of attendance.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Based on our composite ranking — which weighs outcomes (graduation rates), affordability (net price), selectivity, academic profile, and program depth — the top-ranked college for Parks, Recreation & Fitness in Tennessee is Belmont University. We rank all accredited institutions offering this program using NCES IPEDS 2023–24 data.

Explore Other Majors in Tennessee