The University of Tennessee, Knoxville is a public R1 research university in Knoxville, Tennessee, where ARWU 2025 places Metallurgical Engineering at #19 globally. It ranks #701-710 on QS World University Rankings 2027 and #352 on Collegedunia Study Abroad 2026, strongest in engineering and applied business.

  • QS World 2027: #701-710 globally
  • Collegedunia Study Abroad 2026: #352 globally, #162 in USA
  • THE World 2026: #401-500 globally, #56 in USA
  • U.S. News Best Global 2025-2026: #281 globally

Bottom Line for Indian Students: On QS the university ranks lower than on ARWU and U.S. News, where it sits inside the global top 300. The QS-vs-ARWU split of #701-710 vs. #201-300 signals a research-led profile, stronger for MS and PhD applicants than short MBA stints. Engineering, nursing and hospitality applicants get the most rank-backed signal here.

Read More: The University of Tennessee, Knoxville Admissions 2026: Deadlines, Eligibility & Acceptance Rate for Indian Students

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville Overall Rankings 2026

Five external bodies rank The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, with a wide spread across editions. ARWU and U.S. News, which weight research output most heavily, place it inside the global top 300. QS lands it past #700 in its newest 2027 edition.

Ranking Body and EditionGlobal Rank
Collegedunia Study Abroad 2026#352
QS World University Rankings 2027#701-710
Times Higher Education 2026#401-500
ARWU (Shanghai) 2025#201-300
U.S. News Best Global Universities 2025-2026#281

The 400-band gap between ARWU #201-300 and QS #701-710 tells Indian applicants that the university’s research output beats its global reputation and employer recall. For an MS or PhD applicant deciding on lab quality, ARWU and U.S. News carry more weight than the QS slip.

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville Rankings: Bottom Line for Indian Students

Reading the table from an Indian admissions angle, the takeaway depends on which body you trust and which subject you plan to study. The university’s strongest subject signals all sit in engineering, business and applied sciences.

IndicatorRankWhat it means for Indian applicants
QS World 2027#701-710A 95-plus position drop from QS 2026 means the QS brand premium on resumes is weaker than a year ago.
ARWU 2025 overall#201-300Research output keeps the campus inside the global top 300, useful for MS thesis and PhD applicants.
ARWU GRAS Metallurgical Engineering 2025#19Top-20 global rank in metallurgy gives Indian materials-science applicants a clear signal.
ARWU GRAS Business Administration 2025#19Haslam research credibility lifts MBA and MS Business Analytics applications.
QS Nursing 2026#101 global, #16 USAStrong subject rank for Indian nursing aspirants on US licensure routes.
IIT Delhi QS 2027 (Indian comparator)#118 globalIIT Delhi sits 583 places ahead on QS, but UT Knoxville offers easier MS admissions and US work-visa exposure.

Key insight

  • Subject-first reading: Two ARWU GRAS top-20 placements (metallurgy and business administration) outweigh a #701-710 overall QS rank for applicants picking by department.
  • Research-vs-reputation gap: A 400-band gap between ARWU #201-300 and QS #701-710 means the campus is heard louder in lab circles than HR recruiter circles.
  • Practical degree value: U.S. News #281 globally keeps the OPT and STEM-OPT degree value intact for the 3-year post-study work window.

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville QS World University Rankings 2027

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville ranks #701-710 in QS World University Rankings 2027, the edition released by QS on 18 June 2026. QS ranks universities mainly on academic reputation, employer opinion and research citations. The university has slid more than 255 positions on this body across four editions.

The trend pattern is consistent year-on-year position loss, not a one-time correction. The latest move from #607 to #701-710 is the second straight 95-plus drop on this ranking.

YearThe University of Tennessee, Knoxville QS Rank
2027#701-710
2026#607
2025#481
2024#446

The four-year average sits near #559, well below the current edition value, confirming the slip is recent and not a baseline. For Indian students filtering by QS alone, the university now lands outside QS’s top 700. Its CV value on QS-driven shortlists reads closer to a Tier-3 USA public university than a flagship public R1.

Key insight: A 255-plus position drop from QS 2024’s #446 to QS 2027’s #701-710 is steeper than the typical 50-100 position annual movement in this rank band. It signals a structural drop in QS reputation and citation inputs rather than methodology noise.

Read More: The University of Tennessee, Knoxville Courses and Fees 2026 for Indian Students

Collegedunia Study Abroad Rankings of The University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Collegedunia Study Abroad places The University of Tennessee, Knoxville at #352 globally and #162 in USA for 2026. The CD global figure lands 349 spots above the QS 2027 reading, closer to the ARWU and U.S. News view of this institution.

CategoryCollegedunia Rank
Global Ranking 2026#352
USA Ranking 2026#162
Engineering Subject 2026#181 global, #68 USA

India-relevance: The CD engineering subject rank of #181 globally sits 320 places ahead of the QS engineering rank of #501. Indian engineering applicants see a stronger Collegedunia signal than the QS-only filter would suggest.

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville Times Higher Education (THE) Rankings

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville is placed in the #401-500 band on THE World University Rankings 2026 and #56 in USA. THE weights teaching reputation, research income and citation impact. The THE band lands about 250 positions above the QS 2027 figure for the same university.

THE breaks down its overall rank into ten subject tables. The university enters all ten, with engineering and physical sciences pushing into the global top 250.

Subject (THE 2026)Global Rank Band
Engineering#176-200
Physical Sciences#201-250
Business and Economics#301-400
Social Sciences#301-400
Law#301-400
Education Studies#401-500
Psychology#401-500
Life Sciences#501-600
Medical and Health#501-600
Arts and Humanities#601-800

The engineering band of #176-200 sits roughly 225 places above the overall THE rank. It is the widest subject-vs-overall gap on the table and the clearest signal for Indian MS Engineering applicants. The THE Impact 2025 rank of #301-400 confirms SDG-linked research output, useful for applicants targeting sustainability or energy specialisations.

Trend signal: THE engineering at #176-200 sits four overall bands above the consolidated THE rank for the campus. THE recognises engineering depth even when the headline band reads conservative.

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville ARWU (Shanghai) Rankings

ARWU has held The University of Tennessee, Knoxville in the same #201-300 band globally and #41 in USA across five consecutive editions. This is the most stable read of any major ranking body for this university. ARWU scores universities mainly on Nobel-winning alumni, highly-cited researchers and top-journal publications.

The five-year ARWU pattern shows zero band movement, an unusual flat line in a ranking that typically reshuffles 30-50 universities a year. The plateau is the strongest evidence that the research output is steady.

YearThe University of Tennessee, Knoxville ARWU Rank
2025#201-300
2024#201-300
2023#201-300
2022#201-300
2021#201-300

Two ARWU GRAS subject placements at #19 globally (Metallurgical Engineering and Business Administration) push the university into the global top 20 for those departments. For Indian metallurgy, materials and MBA applicants, the subject rank carries more weight than the overall #201-300 band.

What it signals: Five years inside ARWU’s #201-300 band plus two subject top-20s tell Indian research applicants the underlying lab quality remains intact. The QS reputation slide has not touched the ARWU research signal.

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville U.S. News Best Global University Rankings

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville ranks #281 globally on U.S. News Best Global Universities 2025-2026. U.S. News builds its global table from publication count, citation impact and international research collaboration. The U.S. News reading places the university about 420 spots above its QS 2027 figure.

CategoryRank
U.S. News Best Global Universities 2025-2026#281
U.S. News Best National Universities 2026 (domestic table)#105
U.S. News Social Work 2026#24 global, #9 USA

The U.S. News global rank of #281 is the highest read of any external body covered here. It is also the figure most US graduate admissions officers refer to during application review. The Social Work subject placement at #24 globally is the single sharpest top-25 subject signal across all bodies.

India-relevance: A U.S. News Best Global rank of #281 sits in the same band as Florida State, Iowa State and University of Cincinnati. The peer cluster helps Indian applicants benchmark offer letters against US public R1s of similar tier.

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville Subject Rankings

At subject level the university earns its strongest signals. ARWU GRAS lists two top-20 placements; THE pushes engineering into the top 200; QS Nursing reaches the top 101. Below are the subjects with verified ranks across QS, THE, ARWU and U.S. News.

Key insight

  • Metallurgical Engineering (ARWU GRAS 2025): #19 globally, the top single-subject placement on this campus.
  • Business Administration (ARWU GRAS 2025): #19 globally, ahead of the QS MBA #=98 USA reading for the Haslam school.
  • Engineering (THE 2026): #176-200 globally, 225 places above the overall THE rank.
  • Nursing (QS 2026): #101 globally and #16 in USA, the highest QS subject placement for the university.
  • Computer Science and Engineering (ARWU GRAS 2025): #46 globally, a top-50 placement QS misses at #551.

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville Engineering Subject Rankings

Engineering at this university ranks across all four major bodies. THE, Collegedunia and three ARWU GRAS subjects place it inside the global top 200, the densest subject cluster on the campus.

Ranking BodyEngineering Rank
THE Engineering 2026#176-200 globally
Collegedunia Study Abroad Engineering 2026#181 globally, #68 USA
QS Engineering 2026#501 globally, #56 USA
ARWU GRAS 2025: Metallurgical Engineering#19 globally
ARWU GRAS 2025: Materials Science and Engineering#46 globally
ARWU GRAS 2025: Computer Science and Engineering#46 globally
ARWU GRAS 2025: Aerospace Engineering#76-100 globally

The 315-place gap between THE Engineering (#176-200) and QS Engineering (#501) is the widest cross-body subject gap on this campus. Indian MS Engineering applicants should weight THE and ARWU GRAS over QS Engineering. Both bodies score research output where QS scores reputation and employer recall.

Key insight: Four ARWU GRAS engineering placements sit inside the global top 100 for this campus. That is the densest cluster of top-100 subject placements on the table.

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville Business and MBA Subject Rankings

The Haslam College of Business is tracked by QS, THE and ARWU. QS publishes a USA-specific MBA league table where the Haslam MBA has stayed in the top-100 band for five consecutive years.

YearQS Full-time MBA USA
2026#=98
2025#=87
2024#91-100
2023#91-100
2022#91-100

An 11-position slip from QS MBA 2025 to 2026 is the sharpest year-on-year move in this five-year window. The band still sits inside the USA top-100. THE Business and Economics (#301-400) and ARWU GRAS Business Administration (#19) hold the MBA brand value above the QS MBA reading for Indian applicants.

What it signals: Five straight editions inside QS USA MBA top-100, paired with an ARWU GRAS Business Administration #19, give Indian MBA applicants two independent top-quartile signals. The QS Global MBA rank of #301+ is the weakest read; the ARWU subject rank is the strongest.

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville Other Verified Subject Rankings

Beyond engineering and business, six more subjects carry verified ranks across QS, THE, ARWU GRAS and U.S. News. Three sit inside the global top 101.

SubjectBody and YearRank
Social WorkU.S. News 2026#24 global, #9 USA
NursingQS 2026#101 global, #16 USA
Hospitality and TourismQS 2026#101 global, #13 USA
Library and Information ScienceARWU GRAS 2025#51-75 global
ManagementARWU GRAS 2025#51-75 global
Physical SciencesTHE 2026#201-250 global
Transportation Science and TechnologyARWU GRAS 2025#76-100 global
Computer ScienceQS 2026#551 global, #45 USA
MedicineQS 2026#601 global, #51 USA

Three subjects land inside the global top 101: Social Work #24, Nursing #101 and Hospitality #101. None are visible if an Indian applicant filters only by the QS overall rank of #701-710. For applicants in those specific fields, the subject rank is the more honest filter than the world rank.

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville Rankings: Indian Student Outlook

For Indian applicants, the question is not whether the university ranks high overall but which ranking matches the program you plan to apply to. Five subject placements inside the global top 101 carry far more weight than the QS 2027 overall band of #701-710.

Popular programs chosen by Indian students at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville:

  • MS Computer Science: ARWU GRAS Computer Science and Engineering at #46 globally backs the program’s research signal.
  • MS Business Analytics: ARWU GRAS Business Administration at #19 globally lifts the Haslam analytics brand.
  • MS Mechanical Engineering: THE Engineering at #176-200 globally and ARWU GRAS Materials Science at #46 cover the mechanical and materials cluster.
  • MS Electrical Engineering: The same THE Engineering #176-200 band and CD Engineering #181 cover EE applicants.
  • Haslam Full-time MBA: QS MBA USA inside top-100 for five straight years and ARWU GRAS Business Administration at #19.
Indian-relevant signalRank
ARWU GRAS Metallurgical Engineering 2025#19 global
ARWU GRAS Business Administration 2025#19 global
U.S. News Social Work 2026#24 global, #9 USA
ARWU GRAS Computer Science and Engineering 2025#46 global
QS Nursing 2026#101 global, #16 USA
QS World 2027 (overall)#701-710 global
IIT Delhi QS 2027 (Indian comparator)#118 global

Key insight

  • Subject-vs-overall gap: Five subject placements inside the global top 100 stand against a QS overall rank past #700. That is the widest such gap among Tier-2 USA public universities Indian students typically shortlist.
  • Indian comparator gap: IIT Delhi sits 583 places ahead on QS 2027 overall, but UT Knoxville offers a US-based STEM-OPT pathway and direct R1 lab access at the MS level.
  • Rank stability for visas: Five years inside ARWU #201-300 plus a U.S. News Best Global rank of #281 keep the degree value intact for the 3-year STEM-OPT post-study work window.
  • Decision filter: Indian applicants in metallurgy, materials, business analytics, MBA, nursing or social work should weight UT Knoxville’s subject ranks over the QS overall slide.

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville reads strongest at the subject level. ARWU GRAS lists two top-20 placements and U.S. News adds a #24 Social Work rank. Both are invisible if an Indian applicant filters only by the QS 2027 overall band of #701-710. The 400-band gap between research-led ARWU and reputation-led QS is the single most important number for an Indian admissions decision here.

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville Ranking FAQs

Ques. What is the QS ranking of The University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 2027?

Ans. The University of Tennessee, Knoxville is ranked #701-710 in QS World University Rankings 2027, released by QS on 18 June 2026. The QS rank has slipped from #446 in QS 2024 to #701-710 in QS 2027, a drop of more than 255 positions across four editions.

Ques. Where does The University of Tennessee, Knoxville stand on the ARWU Shanghai Ranking?

Ans. The university sits in the #201-300 band on ARWU 2025 globally and #41 in USA. It has held the same band every year from 2021 through 2025. ARWU GRAS also places Metallurgical Engineering at #19 and Business Administration at #19 globally.

Ques. What is the The University of Tennessee, Knoxville THE ranking for 2026?

Ans. The University of Tennessee, Knoxville is placed at #401-500 globally and #56 in USA on Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026. THE Engineering is the strongest subject placement at #176-200 globally, four bands above the overall THE rank.

Ques. How does The University of Tennessee, Knoxville rank in U.S. News Best Global Universities?

Ans. The university ranks #281 in U.S. News Best Global Universities 2025-2026, the highest read across all five external bodies covered. The same edition places Social Work at #24 globally and #9 in USA.

Ques. Which is the highest ranked subject at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville for Indian applicants?

Ans. Two subjects share the top spot at #19 globally on ARWU GRAS 2025: Metallurgical Engineering and Business Administration. For Indian applicants targeting MS materials or MBA pathways, these subject ranks matter more than the QS 2027 overall rank of #701-710.

Ques. Why has The University of Tennessee, Knoxville QS ranking dropped?

Ans. The QS rank has moved from #446 in 2024 to #481 in 2025, #607 in 2026 and #701-710 in 2027. The drop is concentrated in QS reputation and citation inputs, while ARWU and U.S. News research scores have stayed stable across the same window.

Ques. What is the Collegedunia Study Abroad ranking of The University of Tennessee, Knoxville?

Ans. Collegedunia Study Abroad ranks the university at #352 globally and #162 in USA for 2026. The CD engineering subject rank stands at #181 globally and #68 in USA, 320 places ahead of the QS engineering rank of #501.