2027 Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools in Tennessee
[Higher Education/Higher Education Administration](/majors/education/educational-administration/higher-education-higher-education-administration/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 6 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value higher education/higher education administration schools.
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2027 Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools in Tennessee
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the higher education/higher education administration degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of Memphis the best value for a degree in higher education/higher education administration in Tennessee. University Of Memphis is a very large public school located in the city of Memphis. In-state tuition and fees average $10,728, with out-of-state students paying around $15,384. Higher Education/higher Education Administration graduates carry a median of $26,315 in student loans. Soon after graduation, higher education/higher education administration degree recipients from University Of Memphis generally make around $74,676. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Tennessee Technological University earned it the #2 place for higher education/higher education administration. Set in the town of Cookeville, Tennessee Technological University is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,376, compared with $15,576 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $17,580 to complete the higher education/higher education administration program here. Higher Education/higher Education Administration graduates of Tennessee Technological University earn a median of $46,981 early in their careers. Set against $17,580 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Tennessee Technological University admits about 76% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes Vanderbilt University one of the best values for higher education/higher education administration. Vanderbilt University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Nashville. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $67,498. Students borrow a median of $13,975 to complete the higher education/higher education administration program here. Higher Education/higher Education Administration graduates of Vanderbilt University earn a median of $78,283 early in their careers. Set against $13,975 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 6% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in higher education/higher education administration will find it at South College, which ranked #4. Located in the city of Knoxville, South College is a very large private for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $18,535. Typical student debt for higher education/higher education administration graduates is $24,533. Early-career higher education/higher education administration graduates make about $51,389. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The University Of Tennessee is a great value for students pursuing a degree in higher education/higher education administration, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the city of Knoxville, The University Of Tennessee is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,812, with out-of-state students paying around $33,256. Higher Education/higher Education Administration graduates carry a median of $22,859 in student loans. Early-career higher education/higher education administration graduates make about $49,826. Set against $22,859 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The University Of Tennessee admits about 42% of applicants.
Union University earned the #6 position for value in higher education/higher education administration this year. Set in the city of Jackson, Union University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $37,398. Students borrow a median of $28,605 to complete the higher education/higher education administration program here. Soon after graduation, higher education/higher education administration degree recipients from Union University generally make around $64,839. Set against $28,605 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 60%.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.
