2027 Best Value Chemical Engineering Schools in Tennessee
[Chemical Engineering](/majors/engineering/chemical-engineering/) 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.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for chemical engineering students.
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2027 Best Value Chemical Engineering Schools in Tennessee
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in chemical engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Chemical Engineering Schools
Tennessee Technological University earned the #1 spot for value among chemical engineering schools in Tennessee. Located in the town of Cookeville, Tennessee Technological University is a large public university. 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 $13,500 to complete the chemical engineering program here. Chemical Engineering graduates of Tennessee Technological University earn a median of $60,300 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 76%.
A rank of #2 makes The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga one of the best values for chemical engineering. Located in the city of Chattanooga, The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $10,448 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $18,512. Typical student debt for chemical engineering graduates is $23,324. Early-career chemical engineering graduates make about $57,952. Set against $23,324 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 81%.
Students looking for strong value in chemical engineering will find it at Vanderbilt University, which ranked #3. Located in the city of Nashville, Vanderbilt University is a large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $67,498 in tuition and fees. Chemical Engineering graduates carry a median of $13,975 in student loans. Early-career chemical engineering graduates make about $75,639. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 6% of applicants are accepted.
The University Of Tennessee came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value chemical engineering schools. Set in the city of Knoxville, The University Of Tennessee is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,812, with out-of-state students paying around $33,256. Chemical Engineering graduates carry a median of $22,375 in student loans. Early-career chemical engineering graduates make about $76,302. That is a strong return on a $22,375 median debt. Roughly 42% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 4 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.
