Law Schools in Tennessee + LSAT Prep (2026 Guide)

Tennessee has five ABA accredited law schools, led by Vanderbilt University and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, down to Lincoln Memorial University as the most accessible. Their median LSAT scores span 153 to 170 in the 2025 ABA 509 disclosures, so Tennessee offers a realistic seat from the low 150s to the elite range.

By Ali Unar, Georgetown Law, Founder of Lovare Institut.

Ali Unar is a Georgetown Law student and the founder of Lovare Institut, an admissions and LSAT-prep practice built on primary-source law school data.

Verified August 2026

What law schools are in Tennessee?

Tennessee is a solid state for legal education, with five ABA accredited law schools spread across its three grand divisions. The lineup runs from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, the state's national program, through the public University of Tennessee, Knoxville, to Belmont University, the University of Memphis, and Lincoln Memorial University at more accessible medians. The table below sets out the numbers that separate them.

School Median LSAT Acceptance rate Full-time tuition Vanderbilt University 170 13.3% $76,440 University of Tennessee, Knoxville 164 24.8% $16,696 Belmont University 161 37.6% $55,500 University of Memphis (Humphreys) 155 41.1% $18,634 Lincoln Memorial University (Duncan) 153 52.2% $48,861

Each figure in this Tennessee table, the median LSAT, the acceptance rate, and the full-time tuition, comes from that school's 2025 ABA Standard 509 disclosure for the fall 2025 entering class. The spread tells the story. Vanderbilt University posts the state's highest median LSAT at 170 and the highest full-time tuition at $76,440, while the two public schools deliver very different value: the University of Tennessee, Knoxville pairs a 164 median with tuition of just $16,696, and the University of Memphis pairs a 155 median with $18,634. The private options in the middle and lower tiers, Belmont University at $55,500 and Lincoln Memorial University at $48,861, cost far more than the two public schools, which is why price is central to any Tennessee decision.

It helps to read the five Tennessee schools by what they are built to do. Vanderbilt University is the national program, priced and positioned to place graduates across the country. The University of Tennessee, Knoxville and the University of Memphis are the two public schools, both low cost and both clearly oriented toward the Tennessee legal market. Belmont University and Lincoln Memorial University are private schools that compete on access and location rather than price, sitting at $55,500 and $48,861 in full-time tuition respectively. Understanding that structure matters because two schools with similar medians can point at very different careers: the University of Tennessee at a 164 median and the University of Memphis at a 155 median both feed Tennessee heavily, while Vanderbilt at 170 largely does not. Reading the three 2025 ABA 509 numbers together, median, acceptance rate, and tuition, is the fastest way to see where each Tennessee school fits.

What LSAT and GPA do you need for law school in Tennessee?

In Tennessee the median LSAT scores in the 2025 ABA 509 disclosures run from 153 to 170, a 17 point band that stretches from the elite range to the low 150s. Vanderbilt University sits at the top with a median of 170, and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville follows at 164. Belmont University is next at 161, then the University of Memphis at 155, with Lincoln Memorial University the most accessible at 153.

That spread means a Tennessee applicant can find a realistic target at almost any score. A 170 or higher is competitive at Vanderbilt University, a 164 lines up with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and a 161 with Belmont University. In the mid 150s you are in range for the University of Memphis, and a score around 153 matches Lincoln Memorial University's median. A lower score does not close Tennessee off, because Lincoln Memorial University admitted more than half its applicants in the 2025 cycle and the University of Memphis admitted more than 40%. The strategic point in Tennessee is that a few LSAT points can move you between schools that differ enormously in price, especially between the two low-cost public programs and the private options, so the exam is where the leverage lives.

Because Tennessee's price gaps are so large, a few LSAT points can be worth tens of thousands of dollars here, which makes retaking the exam a high-value move for many Tennessee applicants. Lifting a score into the University of Tennessee, Knoxville's range at 164, or into the University of Memphis's range at 155, can shift you from an expensive private option into a low-cost public seat with a similar or better median. Since law schools generally consider your highest LSAT, treating the exam as the central project of your Tennessee application is the rational strategy, especially given how much cheaper the two public schools are than the private field.

On grade point average, the 2025 ABA 509 figures in this guide report each school's median LSAT and the spread between its 25th percentile GPA and its median GPA, but this guide does not list a specific median GPA number for the Tennessee schools, so I will not state one. What the GPA spread tells you is how much room each school leaves below its GPA median for applicants whose numbers do not line up evenly, which is the splitter question the next section takes up directly for Tennessee.

Which Tennessee law schools are splitter friendly?

A splitter is an applicant with a high LSAT and a lower GPA, and a splitter friendly school is one that shows a willingness to reach below its GPA median for a strong LSAT. The clearest signal in the 2025 ABA 509 data is the spread between a school's 25th percentile GPA and its median GPA, because a wider spread means more room below the median. In Tennessee, four of the five schools read as splitter friendly on that measure.

Lincoln Memorial University shows the widest GPA 25th-to-median spread in the state at 0.36 in its 2025 ABA 509 disclosure, followed by the University of Memphis at 0.31, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville at 0.22, and Belmont University at 0.18. Lincoln Memorial and Memphis leave the most room below their GPA medians, which fits their more accessible profiles, while the University of Tennessee, Knoxville is the notable case of an upper-tier Tennessee public school that still leaves visible room for a strong LSAT to carry a softer GPA. Vanderbilt University is not flagged as splitter friendly here, so its GPA spread is narrower and a splitter should treat Vanderbilt as a reach where numbers need to line up tightly. The practical read for Tennessee: if your LSAT is strong but your GPA lags, the University of Tennessee, Belmont, Memphis, and Lincoln Memorial are the in-state schools that have shown they will look at you.

The mirror image, the reverse splitter with a high GPA and a lower LSAT, is not what these spreads flag. The 2025 ABA 509 spreads used here speak to LSAT strength offsetting GPA in Tennessee, so a reverse splitter should still work to lift the LSAT and treat a strong transcript as support rather than the lead.

What is the legal job market like in Tennessee?

Tennessee's dominant legal market is Nashville, the state capital and its largest metro, a center for state government, healthcare, music, and a fast-growing business community. Memphis anchors the west with a distinct market tied to logistics and commerce, Knoxville anchors the east near state government's judicial and university institutions, and Chattanooga rounds out the major metros. Where each Tennessee school places its graduates tells you which of these markets it feeds, and the ABA Class of 2024 employment data gives a clear in-state retention read for all five schools.

By the ABA Class of 2024 employment data, the University of Memphis keeps the largest share of its class in Tennessee at 76%, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville keeps 75%, and Belmont University keeps 71%, all strongly in-state programs feeding their regional markets. Lincoln Memorial University keeps 62%. Vanderbilt University keeps just 23% in Tennessee, the lowest in the state, which reflects its national reach: a Vanderbilt class scatters to major markets across the country rather than concentrating at home. The pattern is that Tennessee's public and regional private schools are built to staff Tennessee's own legal market, while Vanderbilt is a national school that happens to sit in Nashville. This guide does not include salary figures for Tennessee, so none are stated here.

The practical lesson for a Tennessee applicant is to match the school to the goal. If your plan is a career in Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, or Chattanooga, the four in-state focused schools all send a clear majority of graduates into Tennessee, with the University of Memphis and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville leading at 76% and 75% by the ABA Class of 2024 data. If your ambitions are national, Vanderbilt's low 23% in-state figure is a feature rather than a warning, since it signals a class that fans out to major markets nationwide. Because Tennessee currently administers the Uniform Bar Exam according to the NCBE, a qualifying score earned in state can support movement to other UBE jurisdictions, which is part of why some graduates leave. Either way, the retention numbers let you read each Tennessee school's real center of gravity before you apply.

Does Tennessee use the NextGen bar exam?

Tennessee has adopted the NextGen bar exam, according to the NCBE, with its first NextGen administration scheduled for July 2027. That is earlier than many states. Until that switch, Tennessee remains a current Uniform Bar Exam jurisdiction, so candidates sitting in the state right now take the UBE.

The timing has a Tennessee-specific wrinkle. Per the NCBE, the legacy UBE and the Multistate Bar Exam end nationally after the February 2028 administration, but Tennessee's first NextGen sitting comes earlier, in July 2027. That means a student entering a Tennessee law school in fall 2025 and graduating in spring 2028 should plan for the NextGen format in Tennessee, since the state moves ahead of the national legacy cutoff. If you expect to sit for the Tennessee bar in or after July 2027, prepare around NextGen rather than the legacy exam. NextGen is the NCBE's redesigned bar examination, and Tennessee is among the earlier adopters, so Tennessee students should track the July 2027 date closely.

Because Tennessee switches ahead of the national schedule, the practical risk for a Tennessee student is preparing for the wrong exam. A candidate who assumes the legacy Uniform Bar Exam will still be available in Tennessee through early 2028 could be caught out, since Tennessee begins NextGen in July 2027 according to the NCBE. The safe approach for anyone graduating from a Tennessee law school in 2027 or later is to build a study plan around the NextGen format from the outset and to confirm the current sitting details with the Tennessee board of law examiners, rather than relying on materials written for the older exam.

Where can you take the LSAT in Tennessee?

LSAT test centers are available in Tennessee's major metros, which include Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, and Chattanooga, the largest population and university centers in the state. Across the three grand divisions, most Tennessee candidates have a test location within a reasonable drive.

Specific test centers, their addresses, and their available dates change every cycle, and remote proctored testing shifts the picture further, so this guide will not invent a fixed list. For the current Tennessee test-center options and open dates, check the official LSAC list at lsac.org when you register, since that is the only source that stays current across cycles. Because the LSAT is also offered in a remote proctored format, a Tennessee candidate outside the major metros can usually test from home if the setup meets LSAC's technical requirements. Registering early gives Tennessee candidates the widest choice of nearby seats before popular Nashville and Memphis dates fill.

Which Tennessee universities feed law school?

Tennessee's flagship university is the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, and it is among the most common in-state pipelines into law school, both for its own College of Law and for programs elsewhere. Vanderbilt University in Nashville and the University of Memphis are the other large universities that send steady streams of pre-law applicants each year.

Beyond those, Middle Tennessee State University, East Tennessee State University, Tennessee State University, Belmont University, Lipscomb University, Rhodes College, and the University of the South at Sewanee all serve as common pre-law feeders in Tennessee, drawing on strong undergraduate programs in political science, history, and business. This is general background on where Tennessee pre-law students tend to come from, and this guide does not attribute a specific placement statistic to any of these universities, because none was provided in the source data.

Because Tennessee's five law schools sit in different corners of the state, geography often shapes where a Tennessee undergraduate applies. A student in Knoxville has the University of Tennessee's law school on the same campus system, a Memphis student has the University of Memphis in the same city, and a Nashville student has both Vanderbilt and Belmont nearby. That proximity, combined with the low tuition at the two public schools, is part of why so many Tennessee residents stay in state for law school. Still, the flagship University of Tennessee and Vanderbilt both draw pre-law applicants from across Tennessee and well beyond it, so a strong Tennessee candidate should build a list that reflects target markets rather than just the nearest campus.

Frequently asked questions about law school in Tennessee

How many law schools are in Tennessee?

Tennessee has five ABA accredited law schools: Vanderbilt University, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Belmont University, the University of Memphis, and Lincoln Memorial University. That makes Tennessee a solid state for legal education, with one national program, two low-cost public schools, and two private options at different price points. All five appear in the 2025 ABA 509 disclosures used throughout this Tennessee guide.

What is the easiest law school to get into in Tennessee?

By acceptance rate in the 2025 ABA 509 disclosures, Lincoln Memorial University is the most accessible law school in Tennessee at 52.2%, with a median LSAT of 153, and the University of Memphis is next at 41.1% with a median of 155. Belmont University follows at 37.6%. So the most open in-state doors for a Tennessee applicant with a low-to-mid 150s score are Lincoln Memorial and the University of Memphis.

What is the best law school in Tennessee?

By the numbers in the 2025 ABA 509 disclosures, Vanderbilt University is the most selective law school in Tennessee, with the state's highest median LSAT of 170 and a 13.3% acceptance rate. The University of Tennessee, Knoxville is the strongest public option at a 164 median and a 24.8% acceptance rate. Selectivity is only one measure of best, but on the ABA figures Vanderbilt leads Tennessee, while the University of Tennessee is far cheaper at $16,696 tuition.

What LSAT score do you need for law school in Tennessee?

In Tennessee the median LSAT scores in the 2025 ABA 509 disclosures run from 153 to 170. A 170 or higher is competitive at Vanderbilt University, 164 lines up with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and 161 with Belmont University. In the mid 150s you are in range for the University of Memphis, and around 153 for Lincoln Memorial University. Tennessee has a realistic target at almost every LSAT level.

How much does law school cost in Tennessee?

Full-time tuition in Tennessee ranges widely in the 2025 ABA 509 disclosures. The University of Tennessee, Knoxville lists $16,696 and the University of Memphis lists $18,634 at the low end, both public schools, while Lincoln Memorial University lists $48,861, Belmont University lists $55,500, and Vanderbilt University lists $76,440 at the high end. For a Tennessee applicant weighing price, the two public schools are dramatically cheaper than the private options.

Does Tennessee use the NextGen bar exam?

Tennessee has adopted the NextGen bar exam, according to the NCBE, with its first administration scheduled for July 2027, earlier than many states. Until then, Tennessee remains a Uniform Bar Exam jurisdiction. The legacy UBE and the Multistate Bar Exam end nationally after the February 2028 administration, but because Tennessee moves in July 2027, Tennessee graduates sitting in or after that date should prepare for the NextGen format.

Can you take the bar in Tennessee with an out-of-state degree?

Yes. A JD from any ABA accredited law school, in any state, generally qualifies you to sit for the Tennessee bar, so you do not have to attend one of the five Tennessee schools to practice in the state. Tennessee currently administers the Uniform Bar Exam, according to the NCBE, and transitions to NextGen in July 2027. Confirm current admission requirements with the Tennessee board of law examiners before you apply.

Which Tennessee law school has the best bar passage?

This Tennessee guide's source figures do not include a school-by-school bar passage rate, so I will not state one. Bar passage results are reported in each school's ABA Standard 509 disclosure and in the Tennessee board of law examiners releases, which are the right places to compare Vanderbilt, the University of Tennessee, Belmont, the University of Memphis, and Lincoln Memorial on that measure. Use those primary sources rather than an estimate for Tennessee.

Are there part-time or evening law programs in Tennessee?

The tuition figures in this Tennessee guide are full-time figures from the 2025 ABA 509 disclosures, and this guide does not confirm part-time or evening tracks at any of the five Tennessee schools. Program formats change, so if an evening or part-time schedule is essential to you, verify the current offering directly with each Tennessee school before applying rather than assuming one exists. The full-time numbers are the reliable comparison this guide supports.

Where can you take the LSAT in Tennessee?

LSAT test centers operate in Tennessee's largest metros, including Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, and Chattanooga. Exact centers and dates change every cycle and remote testing is also offered, so this guide points you to the official LSAC test-center list at lsac.org for the current Tennessee options rather than listing addresses that may be out of date. Registering early gives Tennessee candidates the best choice of nearby seats.

Which Tennessee law schools are splitter friendly?

Four of Tennessee's five law schools read as splitter friendly in the 2025 ABA 509 data. Lincoln Memorial University shows a GPA 25th-to-median spread of 0.36, the University of Memphis 0.31, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville 0.22, and Belmont University 0.18. Those spreads mean a strong LSAT can offset a GPA below the median. Vanderbilt University is not flagged, so its spread is narrower and its numbers line up more tightly.

Do you have to go to law school in Tennessee to practice there?

No. You can earn a JD at any ABA accredited law school and then sit for the Tennessee bar, so attending an in-state school is not required to practice in Tennessee. That said, the ABA Class of 2024 employment data shows the University of Memphis keeps 76% of its class in Tennessee and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville keeps 75%, so several in-state schools feed the local market heavily.

Which Tennessee law school keeps the most graduates in state?

By the ABA Class of 2024 employment data, the University of Memphis keeps the largest share of its class in Tennessee at 76%, just ahead of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville at 75% and Belmont University at 71%. Lincoln Memorial University keeps 62%, and Vanderbilt University keeps 23%, the lowest, reflecting its national reach. For a Tennessee career, the University of Memphis and the University of Tennessee show the strongest in-state pull.

Which Tennessee law school is the best value?

On the 2025 ABA 509 disclosures, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville is the standout value in Tennessee, pairing a strong 164 median LSAT with public full-time tuition of just $16,696. The University of Memphis is the other low-cost public option at $18,634 with a 155 median. Between selectivity and cost, the University of Tennessee offers the strongest combination of the two among Tennessee law schools.

Why does Vanderbilt keep so few graduates in Tennessee?

By the ABA Class of 2024 employment data, Vanderbilt University keeps 23% of its class in Tennessee, the lowest of the state's five schools. That is not a weakness but a reflection of its national profile: with a 170 median LSAT in the 2025 ABA 509 disclosures, Vanderbilt draws and places graduates across the country. If your goal is a Tennessee career, the four in-state focused schools fit better; if it is national, Vanderbilt's reach is the point.

Sources

Median LSAT, acceptance rate, and full-time tuition for each school: American Bar Association Standard 509 disclosures, https://www.abarequireddisclosures.org/

NextGen bar exam and Uniform Bar Exam status for Tennessee: National Conference of Bar Examiners, https://www.ncbex.org

LSAT test-center locations and dates: Law School Admission Council, https://www.lsac.org

Ready to see exactly where your numbers land across Vanderbilt, the University of Tennessee, Belmont, the University of Memphis, and Lincoln Memorial? Get your free Tennessee law school profile evaluation and get a clear read on your in-state options.