Rankings and Statistics

Year after year, CBU earns recognition for excellence by some of the best college and university-ranking publications. Read more about this year’s rankings and statistics in this CBU news story.

University Rankings

• U.S. News & World Report’s 2024 rankings place CBU in the top 13 Best Southern Universities. It also ranks CBU in the top 3 of Best-Value Universities in the South, a Top Performer on Social Mobility, one of the region’s Best Undergraduate Teaching Programs, and among the Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs.
• Colleges of Distinction recognized CBU as a 2024-2025 “College of Distinction.” Programs receive the College of Distinction honor for adhering to the Four Distinctions: engaged students, great teaching, vibrant community, and successful outcomes. CBU earned special recognition in business, education, engineering, nursing, and career development
• The New York Times Magazine ranks CBU in the top 20 U.S. Colleges with the Greatest Economic Diversity in its newly published College-Access Index (2023).
• The Princeton Review ranked CBU among its 2024 best regional (Southeast) colleges.
• Forbes magazine ranked CBU among its 2023 Top Colleges list in the nation.
• SR Education Group selected CBU as the #1 Best Online College in Tennessee.
• Listed in Peterson’s Competitive Colleges.
• Listed in Michael Viollt’s Great Colleges for the Real World.
• Best Value Schools ranks CBU as the best value among colleges and universities in Tennessee, 2018.
• Niche.com ranks CBU among the top three 2024 Best Colleges in Tennessee and highly in categories such as location, value, student life, diversity, and athletics—nationally and by state.
• Zippia.com ranks CBU in the 10 Best Colleges for Jobs in Tennessee for 2019.

Program Rankings

Arts

• Best Value Schools ranks CBU’s psychology program a best value – #2 of 25 on its list of The Best Small Colleges for a Psychology Degree.
• Best Value Schools ranks CBU’s English program a best value – #2 of 15 on its list of 15 Best Value Small Colleges for an English Degree 2022.
• BestCounselingDegrees.net ranks CBU’s art therapy program #28 of 41 on its list of The Best Undergraduate Degrees in Art Therapy Ranked by Affordability 2018.
• Animation Career Review ranks CBU’s art therapy program #8 of 10 on its list of Top 10 Graphic Design School Programs in Tennessee – 2019 College Rankings.
• Niche.com ranks CBU’s psychology program #13 of 25 on its list of 2024 Best Colleges for Psychology in Tennessee.

Business

• CollegeFactual.com ranks CBU’s finance program a best value – #28 of 378 on its list of 2019 Best Finance & Financial Management Colleges for the Money.
• CollegeFactual.com ranks CBU’s marketing program #49 of 402 nationwide in its list of 2019 Best Marketing Colleges for the Money.
• Colleges of Distinction recognizes CBU’s School of Business as a top school for business majors.

Engineering

• BestColleges.com ranks CBU’s Online Masters in Engineering Management at #12, calling the program “ideal for working professionals.”
• College Choice, a leading authority in college and university rankings and resources, also named CBU’s Online Master’s in Engineering Management in the Top 20 for affordability, and #27 overall.
• U.S. News & World Report ranked CBU’s School of Engineering among the Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs.
• Colleges of Distinction commended the CBU Engineering program for excellence.
• Best Value Schools ranks CBU #4 of 20 best-value small colleges for electrical engineering, 2022.
• Best Value Schools ranked CBU’s chemical engineering program #1 of 10 best-value small colleges for chemical and biomedical engineering degrees in 2022.

Science

• Best Value Schools ranks CBU’s biology program #2 of 35 best value colleges for biology, 2021.
• Zippia ranks CBU in the top 10 best colleges for Biology Majors in Tennessee for 2019.