2026 Best Value General Engineering Schools in Tennessee
[General Engineering](/majors/engineering/general-engineering/other-general-engineering/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general engineering education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 12 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for general engineering students.
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2026 Best Value General Engineering Schools in Tennessee
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Engineering Schools
Tennessee State University tops our 2026 list of the best value general engineering schools in Tennessee. 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, with out-of-state students paying around $22,416. Students borrow a median of $29,489 to complete the general engineering program here. General Engineering graduates of Tennessee State University earn a median of $45,060 early in their careers. Set against $29,489 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 70% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga earned it the #2 place for general engineering. Located in the city of Chattanooga, The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,448, compared with $18,512 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,324 to complete the general engineering program here. Early-career general engineering graduates make about $50,000. Set against $23,324 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 81%.
University Of Memphis came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value general engineering schools. Set in the city of Memphis, University Of Memphis is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,728, while out-of-state students pay about $15,384. Typical student debt for general engineering graduates is $26,315. Early-career general engineering graduates make about $48,890. That is a strong return on a $26,315 median debt. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Tennessee Technological University earned it the #4 place for general engineering. Located in the town of Cookeville, Tennessee Technological University is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $11,376 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $15,576. Typical student debt for general engineering graduates is $17,580. General Engineering graduates of Tennessee Technological University earn a median of $46,981 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 76% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #5 makes Vanderbilt University one of the best values for general engineering. 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 general engineering program here. Early-career general engineering graduates make about $77,997. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 6%.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 12 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.
