Best Kinesiology Bachelor's Programs in Tennessee

What Bachelor's in Kinesiology Programs in Tennessee Cost and Who Gets In

All 12 Bachelor's in Kinesiology Programs in Tennessee, Ranked (2026)

Each bar shows where the program’s national score falls between 50 and 100, ticked at 75 for the middle of the range.

1. 01

   Rank 1: The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

   Kinesiology, BS

   Knoxville, TN · Public · city campus

   Our score

   95.7

   1st of 12 in Tennessee

   National rank 12 of 568

   UT Knoxville's Kinesiology, BS runs a lecture-and-lab Physiology of Exercise core inside a program large enough to confer 253 degrees a year, trading intimacy for scale.

   The University of Tennessee-Knoxville leads Tennessee at 95.7, ahead of the other 11 programs ranked here. In-state tuition of $11,560 is in the cheaper quarter of the state, where the published range runs $8,204 to $40,560. Its 74% graduation rate sits against a 35% to 74% spread across the 12 Tennessee schools that report one. It admits 42% of applicants, against 42% to 95% across Tennessee.

   It confers 253 bachelor's degrees a year, 22% of the 1,128 awarded across Tennessee at this level. Residency is worth $19,144 a year here, the gap between the in-state rate and the $30,704 out-of-state rate. Nationally it is 12th of the 568 bachelor's programs scored at this level.

   • American Kinesiology Association member department
   • Featured coursework includes Biomechanics of Human Movement
   • Named tracks in personal training and performance coaching
   • 42% admit rate

   Graduation rate

   74%

   Admit rate

   42%

   In-state tuition

   $11,560

   Out-of-state tuition

   $30,704

   Cost of attendance

   $35,064

   Undergrad enrollment

   30,564

   Degrees conferred

   253

   View University of Tennessee-Knoxville's Kinesiology, BS www.utk.edu

2. 02

   Rank 2: Union University

   Exercise Science

   Jackson, TN · Private nonprofit · city campus

   Our score

   85.1

   2nd of 12 in Tennessee

   National rank 70 of 568

   A 60% admit rate holds Union's selectivity at the 88th percentile among comparable exercise science programs, the single figure carrying the most weight in our score.

   Union University places 2nd of 12 in Tennessee at 85.1, with 1 program scoring above it. In-state tuition of $36,005 is in the dearer quarter of the state, where the published range runs $8,204 to $40,560. Its 66% graduation rate sits against a 35% to 74% spread across the 12 Tennessee schools that report one.

   It admits 60% of applicants, against 42% to 95% across Tennessee. It confers 11 bachelor's degrees a year, 1% of the 1,128 awarded across Tennessee at this level.

   • Physiology of Exercise required course
   • Strength, Conditioning and Human Performance course
   • Only 11 exercise science degrees conferred a year
   • 66% six-year graduation rate

   Graduation rate

   66%

   Admit rate

   60%

   In-state tuition

   $36,005

   Out-of-state tuition

   $36,005

   Cost of attendance

   $58,131

   Undergrad enrollment

   1,934

   Degrees conferred

   11

   View Union University's Exercise Science www.uu.edu

3. 03

   Rank 3: Middle Tennessee State University

   Exercise Science, B.S.

   Murfreesboro, TN · Public · city campus

   Our score

   81.6

   3rd of 12 in Tennessee

   National rank 118 of 568

   MTSU admits 69% of applicants, a tighter bar than the 80% median for the level, yet its 54% graduation rate trails the 55% median, the tradeoff behind an otherwise strong score.

   Middle Tennessee State University places 3rd of 12 in Tennessee at 81.6, with 2 programs scoring above it. In-state tuition of $8,204 is the lowest in the state, where the published range runs $8,204 to $40,560. Its 54% graduation rate sits against a 35% to 74% spread across the 12 Tennessee schools that report one.

   It admits 69% of applicants, against 42% to 95% across Tennessee. It confers 137 bachelor's degrees a year, 12% of the 1,128 awarded across Tennessee at this level. Residency is worth $21,308 a year here, the gap between the in-state rate and the $29,512 out-of-state rate.

   • True Blue Core plus 60-hour major
   • Two-semester Anatomy and Physiology sequence with labs
   • Pre-professional tracks: PT, OT, PA, medical
   • Career Development Center and Handshake board

   Graduation rate

   54%

   Admit rate

   69%

   In-state tuition

   $8,204

   Out-of-state tuition

   $29,512

   Cost of attendance

   $29,482

   Undergrad enrollment

   18,042

   Degrees conferred

   137

   View MTSU's Exercise Science, B.S. www.mtsu.edu

4. 04

   Rank 4: Lee University

   Exercise Science

   Cleveland, TN · Private nonprofit · city campus

   Our score

   79.3

   4th of 12 in Tennessee

   National rank 161 of 568

   Lee University posts a 79.3 in our scoring, in the same range as Middle Tennessee State University's 81.6 and Belmont University's 78, two other Tennessee programs at this level.

   Lee University places 4th of 12 in Tennessee at 79.3, with 3 programs scoring above it. In-state tuition of $23,040 is below the state midpoint, where the published range runs $8,204 to $40,560. Its 63% graduation rate sits against a 35% to 74% spread across the 12 Tennessee schools that report one.

   It admits 71% of applicants, against 42% to 95% across Tennessee. It confers 10 bachelor's degrees a year, 1% of the 1,128 awarded across Tennessee at this level.

   • 71% admit rate
   • 10 degrees conferred yearly
   • 3,271 undergraduates enrolled

   Graduation rate

   63%

   Admit rate

   71%

   In-state tuition

   $23,040

   Out-of-state tuition

   $23,040

   Cost of attendance

   $39,460

   Undergrad enrollment

   3,271

   Degrees conferred

   10

   View Lee University's Exercise Science www.leeuniversity.edu

5. 05

   Rank 5: Belmont University

   Exercise Science, B.S.

   Nashville, TN · Private nonprofit · city campus

   Our score

   78

   5th of 12 in Tennessee

   National rank 182 of 568

   Belmont's 3+3 pathway guarantees admission into its Occupational or Physical Therapy doctorate after just three years of Exercise Science coursework, a route worth shortlisting for anyone racing toward a clinical doctorate.

   Belmont University places 5th of 12 in Tennessee at 78, with 4 programs scoring above it. In-state tuition of $40,560 is the highest in the state, where the published range runs $8,204 to $40,560. Its 71% graduation rate sits against a 35% to 74% spread across the 12 Tennessee schools that report one.

   It admits 95% of applicants, against 42% to 95% across Tennessee. It confers 33 bachelor's degrees a year, 3% of the 1,128 awarded across Tennessee at this level.

   • 150-hour required internship
   • Internship partners include Vanderbilt Sports Medicine
   • Certification prep via ACSM, NSCA, Functional Range Systems
   • $40,560 annual tuition
   • 95% admit rate

   Graduation rate

   71%

   Admit rate

   95%

   In-state tuition

   $40,560

   Out-of-state tuition

   $40,560

   Cost of attendance

   $64,800

   Undergrad enrollment

   7,175

   Degrees conferred

   33

   View Belmont University's Exercise Science, B.S. www.belmont.edu

6. 06

   Rank 6: University of Memphis

   Exercise, Sport & Movement Sciences, B.S.

   Memphis, TN · Public · city campus · online option

   Our score

   77.9

   6th of 12 in Tennessee

   National rank 185 of 568

   A 240-hour senior-year internship anchors Memphis's Exercise, Sport & Movement Sciences degree, with a paid Cooperative Education alternative for students aiming at athletic training or physical therapy graduate programs.

   University of Memphis places 6th of 12 in Tennessee at 77.9, with 5 programs scoring above it. In-state tuition of $8,856 is in the cheaper quarter of the state, where the published range runs $8,204 to $40,560. Its 51% graduation rate sits against a 35% to 74% spread across the 12 Tennessee schools that report one. It is also the only one here flagged in IPEDS as offering an online option.

   It admits 72% of applicants, against 42% to 95% across Tennessee. It confers 392 bachelor's degrees a year, 35% of the 1,128 awarded across Tennessee at this level. Residency is worth $4,656 a year here, the gap between the in-state rate and the $13,512 out-of-state rate.

   • NSCA Education Recognition Program endorsement
   • Optional internship inside campus research labs
   • Paid rotations toward pre-AT or pre-PT tracks
   • 392 degrees conferred each year
   • 51% graduation rate

   Graduation rate

   51%

   Admit rate

   72%

   In-state tuition

   $8,856

   Out-of-state tuition

   $13,512

   Cost of attendance

   $29,644

   Undergrad enrollment

   15,770

   Degrees conferred

   392

   View University of Memphis' Exercise, Sport & Movement Sciences, B.S. www.memphis.edu

7. 07

   Rank 7: Lincoln Memorial University

   Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science

   Harrogate, TN · Private nonprofit · town campus

   Our score

   77.2

   7th of 12 in Tennessee

   National rank 198 of 568

   High schoolers ready to commit to occupational therapy can use Lincoln Memorial's Guaranteed Professional Admission track to enter its Doctor of Occupational Therapy program through a 3+3 pathway before finishing their bachelor's.

   Lincoln Memorial University places 7th of 12 in Tennessee at 77.2, with 6 programs scoring above it. In-state tuition of $26,448 is above the state midpoint, where the published range runs $8,204 to $40,560. Its 50% graduation rate sits against a 35% to 74% spread across the 12 Tennessee schools that report one.

   It admits 63% of applicants, against 42% to 95% across Tennessee. It confers 27 bachelor's degrees a year, 2% of the 1,128 awarded across Tennessee at this level.

   • Sport coaching concentration option
   • Sport therapy concentration option
   • GPA Pathway also covers medical and law school
   • 3.2 minimum high school GPA
   • $26,448 flat tuition regardless of residency

   Graduation rate

   50%

   Admit rate

   63%

   In-state tuition

   $26,448

   Out-of-state tuition

   $26,448

   Cost of attendance

   $44,839

   Undergrad enrollment

   1,668

   Degrees conferred

   27

   View Lincoln Memorial University's Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science www.lmunet.edu

8. 08

   Rank 8: Southern Adventist University

   BS Kinesiology

   Collegedale, TN · Private nonprofit · suburban campus

   Our score

   77.1

   8th of 12 in Tennessee

   National rank 202 of 568

   Southern Adventist admits just 65% of applicants, tighter than the exercise science group of comparable programs's 80% median, but only 49% of its students graduate on time against a 55% median.

   Southern Adventist University places 8th of 12 in Tennessee at 77.1, with 7 programs scoring above it. In-state tuition of $26,000 is above the state midpoint, where the published range runs $8,204 to $40,560. Its 49% graduation rate sits against a 35% to 74% spread across the 12 Tennessee schools that report one.

   It admits 65% of applicants, against 42% to 95% across Tennessee. It confers 26 bachelor's degrees a year, 2% of the 1,128 awarded across Tennessee at this level.

   • Housed in the PEHW department
   • Flat $26,000 tuition for residents and nonresidents
   • Pipeline into PT, OT, and athletic training graduate study
   • Minors in outdoor leadership and therapeutic recreation
   • 26 kinesiology degrees awarded annually

   Graduation rate

   49%

   Admit rate

   65%

   In-state tuition

   $26,000

   Out-of-state tuition

   $26,000

   Cost of attendance

   $42,300

   Undergrad enrollment

   2,929

   Degrees conferred

   26

   View Southern Adventist University's BS Kinesiology www.southern.edu

9. 09

   Rank 9: The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga

   Exercise and Health Sciences

   Chattanooga, TN · Public · city campus

   Our score

   75.7

   9th of 12 in Tennessee

   National rank 227 of 568

   UT Chattanooga confers 196 kinesiology degrees a year, the 96th percentile for program volume, fitting candidates who value scale over its 50% graduation rate.

   The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga places 9th of 12 in Tennessee at 75.7, with 8 programs scoring above it. In-state tuition of $8,458 is in the cheaper quarter of the state, where the published range runs $8,204 to $40,560. Its 50% graduation rate sits against a 35% to 74% spread across the 12 Tennessee schools that report one.

   It admits 81% of applicants, against 42% to 95% across Tennessee. It confers 196 bachelor's degrees a year, 17% of the 1,128 awarded across Tennessee at this level. Residency is worth $8,064 a year here, the gap between the in-state rate and the $16,522 out-of-state rate.

   • 81% admission rate
   • 11,775 total enrollment
   • $16,522 out-of-state tuition

   Graduation rate

   50%

   Admit rate

   81%

   In-state tuition

   $8,458

   Out-of-state tuition

   $16,522

   Cost of attendance

   $28,552

   Undergrad enrollment

   10,202

   Degrees conferred

   196

   View University of Tennessee-Chattanooga's Exercise and Health Sciences utc.edu

10. 10

    Rank 10: Maryville College

    Exercise Science

    Maryville, TN · Private nonprofit · suburban campus

    Our score

    73.5

    10th of 12 in Tennessee

    National rank 283 of 568

    Exercise science majors at Maryville work directly in the MC Training Room alongside every varsity team, handling rehabilitation and injury prevention typically reserved for graduate assistants at bigger schools.

    Maryville College places 10th of 12 in Tennessee at 73.5, with 9 programs scoring above it. In-state tuition of $38,370 is in the dearer quarter of the state, where the published range runs $8,204 to $40,560. Its 50% graduation rate sits against a 35% to 74% spread across the 12 Tennessee schools that report one.

    It admits 61% of applicants, against 42% to 95% across Tennessee. It confers 6 bachelor's degrees a year, 1% of the 1,128 awarded across Tennessee at this level.

    • Trademarked "Fit. Green. Happy." wellness initiative
    • ACSM Exercise is Medicine gold-level recognition
    • 61% admit rate
    • Mountain Challenge outdoor adventure ties

    Graduation rate

    50%

    Admit rate

    61%

    In-state tuition

    $38,370

    Out-of-state tuition

    $38,370

    Cost of attendance

    $56,598

    Undergrad enrollment

    1,132

    Degrees conferred

    6

    View Maryville College's Exercise Science www.maryvillecollege.edu

11. 11

    Rank 11: Bethel University

    Exercise Science, B.S.

    McKenzie, TN · Private nonprofit · town campus

    Our score

    68.9

    11th of 12 in Tennessee

    National rank 411 of 568

    Bethel pairs NSCA- and ACSM-aligned strength and conditioning coursework with a 35% graduation rate at just the 8th percentile of its field, the tradeoff for a relatively selective 60% admit rate and below-median tuition.

    Bethel University places 11th of 12 in Tennessee at 68.9, with 10 programs scoring above it. In-state tuition of $17,376 is below the state midpoint, where the published range runs $8,204 to $40,560. Its 35% graduation rate sits against a 35% to 74% spread across the 12 Tennessee schools that report one.

    It admits 60% of applicants, against 42% to 95% across Tennessee. It confers 12 bachelor's degrees a year, 1% of the 1,128 awarded across Tennessee at this level.

    • Housed in the College of Arts and Sciences
    • Internships and lab research built into the curriculum
    • Tuition undercuts 58% of comparable programs
    • 12 exercise science degrees conferred yearly

    Graduation rate

    35%

    Admit rate

    60%

    In-state tuition

    $17,376

    Out-of-state tuition

    $17,376

    Cost of attendance

    $32,465

    Undergrad enrollment

    2,674

    Degrees conferred

    12

    View Bethel University's Exercise Science, B.S. www.bethelu.edu

12. 12

    Rank 12: Carson-Newman University

    Exercise Science

    Jefferson City, TN · Private nonprofit · suburban campus

    Our score

    67.3

    12th of 12 in Tennessee

    National rank 447 of 568

    Carson-Newman's 90% admit rate, the 21st percentile among comparable programs, is the main reason our score puts it at 67.3, under the 73.3 median across 568 bachelor's programs in the field.

    Carson-Newman University places 12th of 12 in Tennessee at 67.3, with 11 programs scoring above it. In-state tuition of $34,700 is in the dearer quarter of the state, where the published range runs $8,204 to $40,560. Its 53% graduation rate sits against a 35% to 74% spread across the 12 Tennessee schools that report one.

    It admits 90% of applicants, against 42% to 95% across Tennessee. It confers 25 bachelor's degrees a year, 2% of the 1,128 awarded across Tennessee at this level.

    • Undergraduate work with varsity athletic teams
    • 120 credit hours, on campus or online
    • Internships at Jefferson Memorial Hospital
    • 53% graduation rate

    Graduation rate

    53%

    Admit rate

    90%

    In-state tuition

    $34,700

    Out-of-state tuition

    $34,700

    Cost of attendance

    $51,964

    Undergrad enrollment

    1,596

    Degrees conferred

    25

    View Carson-Newman University's Exercise Science www.cn.edu

Every Bachelor's in Kinesiology Program in Tennessee Compared

The same scores in one readout. Tuition is the published in-state rate before aid.

A blank cell means the institution did not file that figure with IPEDS.

What Kinesiology Careers Pay in Tennessee

Occupational medians for everyone in the job, not starting pay and not outcomes for any one program.

Exercise Physiologists in Tennessee

Tennessee median

$53,570

vs national

−$5,890

Employed in TN

140

10th to 90th

$40,620 – $73,360

Every Tennessee Occupation This Field Feeds, by Median Wage

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

Other Kinesiology Degree Levels in Tennessee

This page ranks bachelor's programs only. Tennessee reports programs at other levels too, and each level is compared only with programs at that same level.

• Master's Master's in Kinesiology in Tennessee 6 programs ranked
• Doctoral PhD in Kinesiology in Tennessee 2 programs ranked

What Careers Can You Get With a Bachelor's in Kinesiology?

These 5 occupations list this credential, or less, as their typical entry requirement. The other 3 need further study, and each page says what. Figures are Tennessee’s own BLS medians where published.

• Physical Therapist$100,140 median in Tennessee · needs doctoral degree
• Occupational Therapist$97,700 median in Tennessee · needs master's degree
• Physical Therapist Assistant$62,500 median in Tennessee · reachable at this level
• Athletic Trainer$59,850 median in Tennessee · needs master's degree
• Exercise Physiologist$53,570 median in Tennessee · reachable at this level
• Recreational Therapist$51,910 median in Tennessee · reachable at this level
• Fitness Trainer or Group Instructor$47,380 median in Tennessee · reachable at this level
• Coach or Scout$37,780 median in Tennessee · reachable at this level

Entry requirements are O*NET’s typical-entry field; wages are BLS OEWS. Neither is a guarantee about any individual program’s graduates.

Rank 1 here is highest scoring in Tennessee, not nationally; each card carries its national rank as well. Every program on this site is ranked the same way — see how we compare them.

Sources for this page

• U.S. Dept. of Education (IPEDS)
• BLS OOH: Exercise Physiologists
• BLS OEWS May 2025 (SOC 29-1128)
• CAAHEP / CoAES accredited exercise science programs

Bachelor's in Kinesiology Programs Near Tennessee

The same ranking, filtered to one state at a time. The number is how many programs that state ranks.

• Alabama 8
• Arkansas 10
• Delaware 1
• Florida 10
• Georgia 12
• Kentucky 7