AP Physics 1 credit at Tennessee colleges
Every Tennessee college with a published AP Physics 1 credit policy — minimum score, credit hours, and the course it replaces.
Quick answer
16 of 30 Tennessee colleges (53%) award credit for AP Physics 1 at a score of 3. 14 require a 4 and 0 require a 5. The lowest bar in the state is a 3 at University of Memphis (8 credit hours). 30 of these colleges link to their own policy page below. Captured July 30, 2026.
| College | Min score | Credits | Counts as | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 University of Memphis Memphis | 3 | 8 | PHYS 1010, 1001 | Policy |
 The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Chattanooga | 3 | 4 | PHYS 1030/1030L | Policy |
 Tennessee State University Nashville | 3 | 4 | Physics 2010/2011 | Policy |
 Pellissippi State Community College Knoxville | 3 | 4 | PHYS 2010 | Policy |
| 3 | 4 | PHYS 2010 Non-Calculus Based Physics I | Policy | |
 Columbia State Community College Columbia | 3 | 4 | PHYS 2010 | Policy |
 Roane State Community College Harriman | 3 | 4 | PHYS 2010 | Policy |
 Lipscomb University Nashville | 3 | 3 | PH 1013 | Policy |
 Lee University Cleveland | 3 | 4 | GSCI-121 | Policy |
 Southern Adventist University Collegedale | 3 | — | — | Policy |
 Rhodes College Memphis | 3 | 4 | Physics 109 & 113 | Policy |
 Freed-Hardeman University Henderson | 3 | 4 | PHS201 | Policy |
| 3 | 4 | PHY 232 | Policy | |
 Bryan College-Dayton Dayton | 3 | 4 | PHYS 241 | Policy |
MU Milligan University Milligan | 3 | 4 | Gen Ed Lab Science (4 credits) | Policy |
 Johnson University Knoxville | 3 | 4 | “L” competency course or PHYS 2010 General Physics I or SCIN 3204 Science Concepts & Methods with Lab for Teacher Education students A minimum score of 4 is required to count towards a a student's professional major. | Policy |
| 4 | 4 | PHYS 221 | Policy | |
 Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro | 4 | 4 | PHYS 2010/2011* | Policy |
 East Tennessee State University Johnson City | 4 | 8 | PHYS 2010/11, 2020/21 | Policy |
 Austin Peay State University Clarksville | 4 | 4 | PHYS 2010/2011 | Policy |
 Belmont University Nashville | 4 | — | PHY 1110/ 1115 | Policy |
| 4 | — | PHYS 211 | Policy | |
 Union University Jackson | 4 | 4 | PHY 213 | Policy |
 The University of the South Sewanee | 4 | 4 | — | Policy |
 Lincoln Memorial University Harrogate | 4 | — | PHYS 211 | Policy |
 Carson-Newman University Jefferson City | 4 | 4 | Physics 103 | Policy |
 Maryville College Maryville | 4 | 4 | PHY101 | Policy |
 King University Bristol | 4 | 4 | Equivalency is dependent upon department review. | Policy |
| 4 | 4 | PHYS 201, 201L | Policy | |
 Fisk University Nashville | 4 | 4 | PHYS 130 & PHYS 130L | Policy |
AP Physics 1 credit in other states
How we ranked this
One row per Tennessee college: the lowest score that earns actual credit under the policy that applies to all students, and the largest credit award published at that score. Placement-only policies — permission to skip a course without earning credit hours — are excluded. Credit hours and course equivalents are reproduced exactly as the college published them; “—” means no value was published and we do not estimate one. A page is published for a state only when at least 8 colleges back it.
Frequently asked questions
Which Tennessee colleges give credit for AP Physics 1?+
30 colleges in Tennessee publish a credit-bearing policy for AP Physics 1. 16 of them (53%) award credit at a score of 3, 14 require a 4, and 0 require a 5. The full list, with credit hours and the course each exam replaces, is in the table on this page.
What is the lowest AP Physics 1 score that earns credit in Tennessee?+
3. University of Memphis in Memphis awards credit at a score of 3, worth 8 credit hours, counting as PHYS 1010, 1001. 16 Tennessee colleges in total set their bar at a 3 or lower.
Does in-state residency change AP credit in Tennessee?+
No. AP credit policy is set per institution and applies to admitted students regardless of residency — residency affects tuition rate, not credit awards. What does vary is the school within a university: engineering and nursing colleges commonly set higher bars than arts and sciences. The rules shown here are the ones that apply to all students at each college.
How do I verify these Tennessee AP credit policies?+
30 of the 30 colleges on this page link to their own published AP credit page in the Source column; our snapshot was taken July 30, 2026. The college's page is authoritative and can change between admission cycles, so confirm there before building a graduation plan around the credit.
Keep exploring
Data sources: Each college's own published AP / advanced-standing credit page (captured July 30, 2026) · IPEDS institution directory (names, control, location). Figures are the most recent values published in each federal dataset; cells with no published value are shown as “—” and never estimated. Education does not sell rankings or accept placement fees.