2026 Best Value Mechanical Engineering Schools in Tennessee
[Mechanical Engineering](/majors/engineering/me-mechanical-engineering/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong mechanical engineering education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 12 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value mechanical engineering schools.
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2026 Best Value Mechanical Engineering Schools in Tennessee
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in mechanical engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Mechanical Engineering Schools
Christian Brothers University tops our 2026 list of the best value mechanical engineering schools in Tennessee. Located in the city of Memphis, Christian Brothers University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $38,420. Typical student debt for mechanical engineering graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, mechanical engineering degree recipients from Christian Brothers University generally make around $71,112. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 87%.
A rank of #2 makes The University Of Tennessee Martin one of the best values for mechanical engineering. Located in the town of Martin, The University Of Tennessee Martin is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $10,560, with out-of-state students paying around $16,600. Typical student debt for mechanical engineering graduates is $23,770. Early-career mechanical engineering graduates make about $40,400. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The University Of Tennessee Martin admits about 88% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes Tennessee State University one of the best values for mechanical engineering. Set in the city of Nashville, Tennessee State University is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $8,616, compared with $22,416 for out-of-state students. Mechanical Engineering graduates carry a median of $29,489 in student loans. Early-career mechanical engineering graduates make about $58,828. Set against $29,489 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 70%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga earned it the #4 place for mechanical engineering. Set in the city of Chattanooga, The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,448 in tuition and fees, compared with $18,512 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,904 to complete the mechanical engineering program here. Soon after graduation, mechanical engineering degree recipients from The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga generally make around $66,517. Set against $24,904 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 81%.
University Of Memphis came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value mechanical engineering schools. University Of Memphis is a very large public school located in the city of Memphis. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,728, with out-of-state students paying around $15,384. Students borrow a median of $27,500 to complete the mechanical engineering program here. Soon after graduation, mechanical engineering degree recipients from University Of Memphis generally make around $69,386. Set against $27,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Memphis admits about 72% of applicants.
Tennessee Technological University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value mechanical engineering schools. Tennessee Technological University is a large public school located in the town of Cookeville. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,376, compared with $15,576 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for mechanical engineering graduates is $20,500. Soon after graduation, mechanical engineering degree recipients from Tennessee Technological University generally make around $66,228. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 76%.
The University Of Tennessee earned the #7 position for value in mechanical engineering this year. The University Of Tennessee is a very large public school located in the city of Knoxville. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,812, with out-of-state students paying around $33,256. Mechanical Engineering graduates carry a median of $23,250 in student loans. Early-career mechanical engineering graduates make about $65,756. That is a strong return on a $23,250 median debt. The University Of Tennessee admits about 42% of applicants.
Vanderbilt University came in at #8 for value in mechanical engineering this year. 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. Typical student debt for mechanical engineering graduates is $14,000. Soon after graduation, mechanical engineering degree recipients from Vanderbilt University generally make around $78,009. Set against $14,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 6% of applicants are accepted.
Milligan College placed #9 among the best values for mechanical engineering. Milligan College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Milligan. Students from in state pay about $40,450 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for mechanical engineering graduates is $26,150. Early-career mechanical engineering graduates make about $64,327. Set against $26,150 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Milligan College admits about 72% of applicants.
Lipscomb University came in at #10 for value in mechanical engineering this year. Located in the city of Nashville, Lipscomb University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $40,572. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the mechanical engineering program here. Early-career mechanical engineering graduates make about $67,725. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 68%.
More Mechanical Engineering Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 12 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 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.
