Tennessee Wesleyan University
Athens, TN · Private · Town (distant) · TWU
Private institution in Athens, TN · 832 undergraduates · 59% acceptance rate · $45,989 median earnings 10 years after entry.
- Top 25%Acceptance rate
Stats
College Scorecard figures, each with where this school sits nationally among institutions that report the same measure. A dash means the school does not report it.
Cost
- Average net price
- $14,879671st cheapest of 1,969 reporting
- In-state tuition & fees
- $29,2641,321st cheapest of 2,024 reporting
- Out-of-state tuition & fees
- $29,2641,218th cheapest of 2,024 reporting
- Cost of attendance
- $36,8281,135th cheapest of 1,969 reporting
- Median graduate debt
- $20,000625th lowest of 1,865 reporting
Outcomes
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $45,9891,295th highest of 1,954 reporting
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $45,987802nd highest of 1,950 reporting
- Graduation rate (4-year)
- 43.6%1,388th highest of 2,014 reporting
- Full-time retention
- 63.8%1,484th highest of 1,837 reporting
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 59.4%395th most selective of 1,596 reporting
- Average SAT
- 1051820th highest of 1,022 reporting
- Median ACT
- 21701st highest of 952 reporting
Campus
- Undergraduates
- 8321,461st largest of 2,144 reporting
- Student-faculty ratio
- 12.0:1782nd smallest of 2,141 reporting
- Pell Grant share
- 38.4%779th highest of 2,122 reporting
Nearest large-hub airport: 125 mi (ATL)
On 1 of our 111 lists
Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.
Best-paying fields of study
Median earnings one and two years after graduating, by field. Showing 12 of 39 reported programs.
| Field | Level | 1 yr | 2 yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingHealth Professions | bachelors | $52,733 | $50,401 |
| Business Administration, Management and OperationsBusiness | bachelors | $41,565 | $39,009 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsEducation | bachelors | $33,993 | $37,208 |
| Health and Physical Education/FitnessParks, Recreation & Fitness | bachelors | $24,421 | $25,194 |
| Accounting and Related ServicesBusiness | bachelors | — | $38,289 |
| Area StudiesArea & Ethnic Studies | bachelors | — | — |
| Behavioral SciencesMultidisciplinary Studies | bachelors | — | — |
| Biological and Physical SciencesMultidisciplinary Studies | bachelors | — | — |
| Biology, GeneralBiological Sciences | bachelors | — | — |
| ChemistryPhysical Sciences | bachelors | — | — |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied PsychologyPsychology | bachelors | — | — |
| Communication and Media StudiesCommunications | bachelors | — | — |
Campus facts
- Religious affiliation: United Methodistsource
- Founded in 1857source
- Athletic nickname: "Bulldogs"source
- Motto: "Lux et Veritas"source
- Formerly known as "{{collapsible list|"source
- Formerly known as "* Athens Female College" (1857–1866)source
- Formerly known as "* East Tennessee Wesleyan College" (1866–1967)source
- Formerly known as "* East Tennessee Wesleyan University" (1867–1886)source
- Formerly known as "* Grant Memorial University" (1886–1889)source
- Formerly known as "* U.S. Grant Memorial University" (1889–1906)source
- Formerly known as "* Athens School of the University of Chattanooga" (1906–1925)source
- Formerly known as "* Tennessee Wesleyan College" (1925–2016)source
- Formerly known as "}}"source
- Athletic conference: NAIAsource
Athletics — 10 sports
NAIA Division I · NAIA
Athletic scholarships allowed · Athletic aid $6,495,031 (M $3,681,171 · W $2,813,860)
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Bowling
- Golf
- Lacrosse
- Soccer
- Softball
- Tennis
- Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
- Volleyball
Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport.
Similar-size colleges
Nearest undergraduate enrollment to Tennessee Wesleyan University’s 832 (College Scorecard UGDS, compiled 2026-10-24). Size only — not a judgment of similarity or quality.
In TN
Elsewhere
- National American University-Rapid CityRapid City, SD · 832 undergrads
- Plaza CollegeForest Hills, NY · 829 undergrads
- Rochester UniversityRochester Hills, MI · 827 undergrads
- Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady UniversityBaton Rouge, LA · 826 undergrads
- Northwest CollegePowell, WY · 826 undergrads
- Shaw UniversityRaleigh, NC · 839 undergrads
Key links
- Official websitetnwesleyan.edu
- College ScorecardFederal source for every figure above (UNITID 221731)
- Compare colleges in TNRe-score with your weights
- The Most Selective Colleges in TennesseeEvery eligible four-year in this state, ranked by published admission rate
- Compare with The University of Tennessee SouthernSide by side on every Scorecard measure — closest in-state school by enrollment
- Showdown: Tennessee Wesleyan University vs The University of Tennessee SouthernHigher-or-lower on real Scorecard metrics — round 1 is these two
- Sports directoryAll 10 EADA programs at this school
- Build an admissions plan8th–12th grade actions for this college — sports, activities, timeline
- MethodologyWhat these figures do and do not capture
- How to read a school page end to endStats, standings, lists, athletics, news — one profile, many jobs. Know which panel answers which question.
- Sticker price is a trapPublished tuition is a starting rumor. Net price is closer to what families actually pay.
- What acceptance rate actually measuresSelectivity is a competition statistic — not a quality score, and not your personal odds.
- A plan from eighth grade — without fake certaintySchool-anchored milestones, sports scarcity honesty, and EC playbooks — not invented admit odds.