Forbes Magazine’s America’s Top Colleges ranking has again named the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee’s top public university. The publication’s annual list showcases institutions that produce successful, high-earning and influential graduates from all economic backgrounds with less student debt.
UT’s rankings show significant gains since last year’s list. The university rose six spots to 56th among all public universities, climbed 10 spots to 94th among research universities, and rose 12 spots to 130th overall out of 500 public and private institutions.
“These rankings highlight not only the strength of our academic programs but also our commitment to preparing graduates who thrive professionally and contribute meaningfully to their communities,” said Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor John Zomchick. “UT’s recognition as Tennessee’s top public university by Forbes is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our UT community and our commitment to serve our state.”
The rankings are based on factors including graduation and retention rates and return on investment. Forbes also considers academic success, evaluating the scholastic performance of each school based on its number of national award winners and Ph.D. graduates.
This year UT produced three National Science Foundation graduate research fellows and three Goldwater Scholars, among other recipients of nationally recognized awards. The university has consistently been a top producer of Fulbright student award recipients, with 10 students and recent graduates receiving Fulbright scholarship offers for the 2025-26 academic year.
Over the past year, Forbes has named UT to its inaugural list of America’s Dream Employers and recognized the university as one of the nation’s best employers for new graduates and one of Tennessee’s top three employers.
About the Methodology
Forbes compiled the rankings after evaluating thousands of schools using data from federal education databases; PayScale, a Seattle-based software and data company; Third Way, a Washington, D.C.-based public policy think tank; the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics; and some of Forbes’s own lists.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Stacy Estep (865-974-8304, sestep3@utk.edu)