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Lipscomb University
US News MBA Ranking: 122-133
Financial Times MBA Ranking: Unranked
QS MBA Ranking: Unranked
Lipscomb's Pfeffer Graduate School of Business integrates faith-based leadership with music business savvy through its Center for Business as Mission. The school's entertainment management program places students at Sony Music and Bridgestone Arena, while its healthcare MBA partners with HCA's corporate HQ. Unique January "business intensives" send students to study corporate ethics in Israel or fintech in London.
Pfeffer Graduate School of Business MBA website
University of Tennessee
US News MBA Ranking: 49
Financial Times MBA Ranking: Unranked
QS MBA Ranking: Unranked
Haslam dominates Southern business education with the nation's #1 supply chain program (partnering with FedEx and Amazon) and a top-10 public MBA. Its Baker School of Public Policy offers rare D.C. connections, while the Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship supports Appalachian startups. The school's 300+ corporate partners recruit heavily from its 18 research centers, including the new Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research.
Haslam College of Business MBA website
Union University
US News MBA Ranking: Unranked
Financial Times MBA Ranking: Unranked
QS MBA Ranking: Unranked
This Christian business school near Memphis combines biblical worldview with hands-on learning through its Center for Economic Education. McAfee's strengths lie in healthcare administration (partnering with Baptist Memorial) and family business programs. The school's "Business on the Mississippi" initiative connects students to river logistics firms, while its 8:1 student-faculty ratio ensures mentoring rare for a regional university.
McAfee School of Business Administration MBA website
Middle Tennessee State University
US News MBA Ranking: Unranked
Financial Times MBA Ranking: Unranked
QS MBA Ranking: Unranked
MTSU's Jones College stands out for its recording industry and concrete industry management programs - the only AACSB-accredited degrees of their kind in America. The school's aerospace program feeds graduates directly into Nashville's expanding aviation sector, while its Data Science Institute partners with HCA Healthcare on analytics projects. With 94% job placement and the state's most affordable AACSB tuition, Jones College serves as Middle Tennessee's workforce engine through its 50+ corporate advisory board members.
Jennings A. Jones College of Business MBA website
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
US News MBA Ranking: Unranked
Financial Times MBA Ranking: Unranked
QS MBA Ranking: Unranked
UTC's Rollins College of Business leverages its downtown Chattanooga location with hands-on programs in supply chain logistics (partnering with Volkswagen and Amazon) and fintech (through the SimCenter computational lab). The school's Gary W. Rollins College of Business building features a live trading floor and innovation hub where students consult for Tennessee Valley Authority energy projects. Its unique MBA options and Army ROTC business tracks provide accelerated career pathways for students.
Rollins College of Business MBA website
East Tennessee State University
US News MBA Ranking: Unranked
Financial Times MBA Ranking: Unranked
QS MBA Ranking: Unranked
ETSU specializes in healthcare administration and Appalachian business development through its Center for Rural Health Research. The school's unique "Bluegrass, Country Music, and Business" program connects students to Bristol's music economy, while its construction management degree partners with local contractors on building projects. ETSU's veteran-friendly MBA program serves students from nearby Tri-Cities military facilities.
College of Business and Technology MBA website
University of Memphis
US News MBA Ranking: Unranked
Financial Times MBA Ranking: Unranked
QS MBA Ranking: Unranked
Memphis' business school dominates logistics education through its FedEx Center for Supply Chain Management (#3 nationally ranked). Students work real projects for Fortune 500 firms along the Mississippi River corridor, while the school's music business program taps into Beale Street's entertainment industry.
Fogelman College of Business and Economics MBA website
Belmont University
US News MBA Ranking: Unranked
Financial Times MBA Ranking: Unranked
QS MBA Ranking: Unranked
Belmont's Massey School combines Nashville's music industry access with healthcare MBA programs connected to HCA and Vanderbilt Medical Center. The school's entertainment business program places students at Sony Music and BMI, while its Center for Entrepreneurship supports Christian social enterprises. Unique January "industry intensives" include songwriting finance workshops.
The Jack C. Massey Graduate School of Business MBA website
Vanderbilt University
US News MBA Ranking: 18
Financial Times MBA Ranking: 52
QS MBA Ranking: 101-110
Vanderbilt's elite Owen School offers the South's most selective MBA program (#1 for teaching quality) with signature healthcare and human resources specializations. The school's Turner Family Center for Social Ventures connects MBAs to Nashville nonprofits, while its 9:1 student-faculty ratio ensures Wall Street-caliber mentoring. Owen's accelerated 12-month MBA attracts career-changing professionals.