2027 Best Value Agriculture & Agriculture Operations Schools in Tennessee

[Agriculture & Agriculture Operations](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 10 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value agriculture & agriculture operations schools.
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2027 Best Value Agriculture & Agriculture Operations Schools in Tennessee
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in agriculture & agriculture operations, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Agriculture & Agriculture Operations Schools
Columbia State Community College tops our 2027 list of the best value agriculture & agriculture operations schools in Tennessee. Set in the town of Columbia, Columbia State Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,948, compared with $17,772 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for agriculture & agriculture operations graduates is $12,674. Early-career agriculture & agriculture operations graduates make about $30,761. Set against $12,674 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Chattanooga State Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in agriculture & agriculture operations, landing the #2 spot this year. Chattanooga State Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Chattanooga. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,772, with out-of-state students paying around $17,756. Students borrow a median of $12,079 to complete the agriculture & agriculture operations program here. Early-career agriculture & agriculture operations graduates make about $26,992. That is a strong return on a $12,079 median debt.
Volunteer State Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in agriculture & agriculture operations, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Gallatin, Volunteer State Community College is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,756, while out-of-state students pay about $17,740. Students borrow a median of $12,462 to complete the agriculture & agriculture operations program here. Agriculture & Agriculture Operations graduates of Volunteer State Community College earn a median of $40,137 early in their careers. Set against $12,462 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Austin Peay State University earned it the #4 place for agriculture & agriculture operations. Located in the city of Clarksville, Austin Peay State University is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,006, compared with $14,766 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $18,625 to complete the agriculture & agriculture operations program here. Early-career agriculture & agriculture operations graduates make about $31,905. Set against $18,625 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Austin Peay State University admits about 96% of applicants.
A rank of #5 makes The University Of Tennessee Martin one of the best values for agriculture & agriculture operations. Set in the town of Martin, The University Of Tennessee Martin is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $10,560, compared with $16,600 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $19,919 to complete the agriculture & agriculture operations program here. Early-career agriculture & agriculture operations graduates make about $36,269. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
Middle Tennessee State University placed #6 among the best values for agriculture & agriculture operations. Set in the city of Murfreesboro, Middle Tennessee State University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,266, compared with $31,574 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for agriculture & agriculture operations graduates is $18,415. Early-career agriculture & agriculture operations graduates make about $37,686. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 69%.
Tennessee Technological University landed the #7 spot for agriculture & agriculture operations value this year. Set in the town of Cookeville, Tennessee Technological University is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $11,376, while out-of-state students pay about $15,576. Students borrow a median of $14,915 to complete the agriculture & agriculture operations program here. Soon after graduation, agriculture & agriculture operations degree recipients from Tennessee Technological University generally make around $33,508. Set against $14,915 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 76%.
Tennessee State University placed #8 among the best values for agriculture & agriculture operations. Tennessee State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Nashville. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,616, while out-of-state students pay about $22,416. Typical student debt for agriculture & agriculture operations graduates is $27,000. Early-career agriculture & agriculture operations graduates make about $34,255. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Tennessee State University admits about 70% of applicants.
The University Of Tennessee came in at #9 for value in agriculture & agriculture operations this year. Set in the city of Knoxville, The University Of Tennessee is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,812, while out-of-state students pay about $33,256. Agriculture & Agriculture Operations graduates carry a median of $21,805 in student loans. Early-career agriculture & agriculture operations graduates make about $34,889. Set against $21,805 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 42%.
Lincoln Memorial University ranked #10 on our 2027 list of the best value agriculture & agriculture operations schools. Lincoln Memorial University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Harrogate. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $26,938. Students borrow a median of $19,250 to complete the agriculture & agriculture operations program here. Early-career agriculture & agriculture operations graduates make about $98,489. That is a strong return on a $19,250 median debt. Lincoln Memorial University admits about 63% of applicants.
More Agriculture & Agriculture Operations Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 10 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.