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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Education (Income $30-$48k) in Tennessee

30 Ranked Colleges
1,556 Degrees Awarded
$14,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor's in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Education is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 4th of all the majors we analyze. In 2019-2020, 310,601 degrees were awarded to students with this major. In 2017-2018, education graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $43,887 and had an average of $30,244 in loans still to pay off.

Across Tennessee, there were 5,271 education graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,556 education graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 30 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in education. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great education programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the education program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

The education school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k”.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Education (Income $30-$48k) in Tennessee

#1

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, Tennessee
#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Vanderbilt University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. Vanderbilt University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Nashville, Tennessee. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 56 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Vanderbilt did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. The estimated yearly cost for Vanderbilt University is $6,017 for tennessee bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Read full report on Education at Vanderbilt University

#4 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k. UT Chattanooga is located in Chattanooga, Tennessee and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 131 bachelors’s education degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UT Chattanooga, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UT Chattanooga is $10,515 for tennessee bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Education at The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga

#3

Middle Tennessee State University

Murfreesboro, Tennessee
#7 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Middle Tennessee State University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k. Middle Tennessee State University is a public institution located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The school has a large population, and it awarded 139 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Middle Tennessee State University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. The estimated yearly cost for Middle Tennessee State University is $10,637 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Middle Tennessee State University Education Report

#4

Tennessee Technological University

Cookeville, Tennessee
#2 in overall quality

Out of the 30 schools in the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Tennessee Technological University landed the #4 spot on the list. Tennessee Tech University is located in Cookeville, Tennessee and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 212 bachelors’s education degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Tennessee Tech University, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Tennessee Technological University is $13,421 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Education at Tennessee Tech University

#5

Tennessee Wesleyan University

Athens, Tennessee
#18 in overall quality

Out of the 30 schools in the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Tennessee Wesleyan University landed the #5 spot on the list. This small school is located in Athens, Tennessee, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

TWU also took the #18 spot in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for TWU is $11,867 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Education at Tennessee Wesleyan University

#14 in overall quality

The University of Tennessee - Martin came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Martin, Tennessee, this medium-sized public school awarded 73 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s education students in 2019-2020.

UT Martin also made our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list, coming in at #14. It costs about $9,855 for tennessee bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UT Martin.

Read full report on Education at UT Martin

#7

East Tennessee State University

Johnson City, Tennessee
#19 in overall quality

East Tennessee State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #7. East Tennessee State University is a public institution located in Johnson City, Tennessee. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 76 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

ETSU also took the #19 spot in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for ETSU is $12,703 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Education at ETSU

#8

University of Memphis

Memphis, Tennessee
#16 in overall quality

University of Memphis ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Memphis is a large public school situated in Memphis, Tennessee. It awarded 147 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UofM, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UofM is $12,264 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Education at UofM

#9

Christian Brothers University

Memphis, Tennessee
#24 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, Christian Brothers University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. Christian Brothers University is a small school located in Memphis, Tennessee that handed out 3 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

Christian Brothers not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #24 on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. It costs about $12,165 for tennessee bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Christian Brothers.

Full Christian Brothers University Education Report

#10

Tennessee State University

Nashville, Tennessee
#21 in overall quality

Tennessee State University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Nashville, Tennessee, this medium-sized public school awarded 53 degrees to qualified bachelors’s education students in 2019-2020.

Tennessee State University also took the #21 spot in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Tennessee State University is $11,711 for tennessee bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Education at Tennessee State University

#11

Freed-Hardeman University

Henderson, Tennessee
#6 in overall quality

Freed-Hardeman University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Henderson, Tennessee, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 38 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s education students in 2019-2020.

FHU also took the #6 spot in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Freed-Hardeman University is $13,318 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Education at Freed-Hardeman University

#12 in overall quality

The University of Tennessee - Knoxville came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. The University of Tennessee - Knoxville is a public institution located in Knoxville, Tennessee. The school has a large population, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our tennessee bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $30-$48k list, UT Knoxville has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for The University of Tennessee - Knoxville is $13,745 for tennessee bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full The University of Tennessee - Knoxville Education Report

#13

Lee University

Cleveland, Tennessee
#11 in overall quality

With a ranking of #13, Lee University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. Cleveland, Tennessee is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s education degrees to 103 students in 2019-2020.

Lee University also made our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list, coming in at #11. The estimated yearly cost for Lee University is $15,543 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Education at Lee University

#14

Lincoln Memorial University

Harrogate, Tennessee
#17 in overall quality

Lincoln Memorial University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #14. Lincoln Memorial University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Harrogate, Tennessee. It awarded 16 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

LMU also took the #17 spot in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. It costs about $12,893 for tennessee bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend LMU.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Education at LMU

#15

Maryville College

Maryville, Tennessee
#10 in overall quality

With a ranking of #15, Maryville College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Maryville, Tennessee, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 21 degrees to qualified bachelors’s education students in 2019-2020.

Maryville College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. It costs about $16,041 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Maryville College.

Read full report on Education at Maryville College

#16

Johnson University

Knoxville, Tennessee
#15 in overall quality

Johnson University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. Johnson University is located in Knoxville, Tennessee and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 17 bachelors’s education degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our tennessee bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $30-$48k list, Johnson University has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Johnson University is $16,404 for tennessee bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $30-$48k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Education at Johnson University

#17

Austin Peay State University

Clarksville, Tennessee
#22 in overall quality

Austin Peay State University landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Clarksville, Tennessee is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s education degrees to 67 students in 2019-2020.

Austin Peay State University also took the #22 spot in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Austin Peay State University is $12,298 for tennessee bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Education at Austin Peay State University

#18

Carson - Newman University

Jefferson City, Tennessee
#13 in overall quality

Carson - Newman University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Carson - Newman is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Jefferson City, Tennessee. It awarded 55 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Carson - Newman, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. It costs about $14,044 for tennessee bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Carson - Newman University.

Full Carson - Newman University Education Report

#19

Trevecca Nazarene University

Nashville, Tennessee
#20 in overall quality

With a ranking of #19, Trevecca Nazarene University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. TNU is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Nashville, Tennessee. It awarded 19 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

TNU also made our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list, coming in at #20. The yearly cost to attend TNU is $15,172 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Education at Trevecca Nazarene University

#20

Belmont University

Nashville, Tennessee
#3 in overall quality

Belmont University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. Belmont University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Nashville, Tennessee. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 24 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Belmont also took the #3 spot in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Belmont is $26,275 for tennessee bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Belmont University Education Report

#21

Tusculum University

Greeneville, Tennessee

Tusculum University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #21. This small school is located in Greeneville, Tennessee, and it awarded 24 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Tusculum University is $18,111 for tennessee bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Tusculum University Education Report

#22

Welch College

Gallatin, Tennessee

Welch College ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. Welch is a private not-for-profit institution located in Gallatin, Tennessee. The school has a small population, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Welch College is $17,912 for tennessee bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $30-$48k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Education at Welch College

#23

Milligan University

Milligan College, Tennessee

With a ranking of #23, Milligan University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. Milligan is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Milligan College, Tennessee. It awarded 12 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Milligan is $15,411 for tennessee bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low student loan default rate of 3.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Education at Milligan

#24

Bethel University

McKenzie, Tennessee

With a ranking of #24, Bethel University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. This small school is located in McKenzie, Tennessee, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Bethel University is $13,225 for tennessee bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Education at Bethel

#25

Southern Adventist University

Collegedale, Tennessee
#9 in overall quality

Southern Adventist University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Southern Adventist is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Collegedale, Tennessee. It awarded 22 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

Southern Adventist did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. The yearly cost to attend Southern Adventist is $19,618 for tennessee bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Southern Adventist Education Report

Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Horadrim.

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