2026 Best Value Hospitality Management Schools in Tennessee
[Hospitality Management](/majors/business-management-marketing-sales/hospitality-management/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong hospitality management education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 15 schools to find the best return on investment for hospitality management students.
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2026 Best Value Hospitality Management Schools in Tennessee
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in hospitality management, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Hospitality Management Schools
For return on investment in hospitality management, no school beat Chattanooga State Community College this year. Set in the city of Chattanooga, Chattanooga State Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $4,772 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $17,756. Typical student debt for hospitality management graduates is $12,079. Soon after graduation, hospitality management degree recipients from Chattanooga State Community College generally make around $37,252. Set against $12,079 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Middle Tennessee State University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value hospitality management schools. Middle Tennessee State University is a very large public school located in the city of Murfreesboro. Students from in state pay about $10,266 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $31,574. Hospitality Management graduates carry a median of $22,754 in student loans. Hospitality Management graduates of Middle Tennessee State University earn a median of $43,575 early in their careers. Set against $22,754 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 69% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in hospitality management will find it at The University Of Tennessee, which ranked #3. The University Of Tennessee is a very large public school located in the city of Knoxville. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,812, with out-of-state students paying around $33,256. Students borrow a median of $22,500 to complete the hospitality management program here. Soon after graduation, hospitality management degree recipients from The University Of Tennessee generally make around $36,439. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 42% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Memphis earned it the #4 place for hospitality management. Set in the city of Memphis, University Of Memphis is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $10,728, with out-of-state students paying around $15,384. Hospitality Management graduates carry a median of $29,000 in student loans. Early-career hospitality management graduates make about $31,190. That is a strong return on a $29,000 median debt. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
More Hospitality Management Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 15 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
