2027 Best Value Engineering Schools in Tennessee
[Engineering](/majors/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 11 schools to find the best return on investment for engineering students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value Engineering Schools in Tennessee
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Engineering Schools
Chattanooga State Community College tops our 2027 list of the best value engineering schools in Tennessee. Set in the city of Chattanooga, Chattanooga State Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $4,772, compared with $17,756 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for engineering graduates is $16,500. Engineering graduates of Chattanooga State Community College earn a median of $37,252 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Christian Brothers University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in engineering, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Memphis, Christian Brothers University is a small private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $38,420 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for engineering graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, 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%.
Tennessee Technological University came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value 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 engineering graduates is $19,578. Soon after graduation, engineering degree recipients from Tennessee Technological University generally make around $65,749. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Tennessee Technological University admits about 76% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Memphis earned it the #4 place for engineering. Set in the city of Memphis, University Of Memphis is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $10,728, with out-of-state students paying around $15,384. Typical student debt for engineering graduates is $27,043. Early-career engineering graduates make about $66,639. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 72%.
The University Of Tennessee Martin came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value engineering schools. Set in the town of Martin, The University Of Tennessee Martin is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,560 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $16,600. Engineering graduates carry a median of $29,750 in student loans. Engineering graduates of The University Of Tennessee Martin earn a median of $63,746 early in their careers. Set against $29,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 88%.
Middle Tennessee State University placed #6 among the best values for engineering. Middle Tennessee State University is a very large public school located in the city of Murfreesboro. In-state tuition and fees average $10,266, compared with $31,574 for out-of-state students. Engineering graduates carry a median of $20,000 in student loans. Engineering graduates of Middle Tennessee State University earn a median of $71,664 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $20,000 median debt. Roughly 69% of applicants are accepted.
Vanderbilt University earned the #7 position for value in engineering this year. Set in the city of Nashville, Vanderbilt University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $67,498 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for engineering graduates is $16,167. Soon after graduation, engineering degree recipients from Vanderbilt University generally make around $74,902. That is a strong return on a $16,167 median debt. The acceptance rate is 6%.
The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga placed #8 among the best values for engineering. The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga is a large public school located in the city of Chattanooga. Students from in state pay about $10,448 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $18,512. Engineering graduates carry a median of $23,128 in student loans. Early-career engineering graduates make about $68,295. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 81%.
Tennessee State University came in at #9 for value in engineering this year. Tennessee State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Nashville. Students from in state pay about $8,616 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $22,416. Students borrow a median of $29,489 to complete the engineering program here. Early-career engineering graduates make about $58,828. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 70% of applicants are accepted.
The University Of Tennessee ranked #10 on our 2027 list of the best value engineering schools. Set in the city of Knoxville, The University Of Tennessee is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $13,812, with out-of-state students paying around $33,256. Engineering graduates carry a median of $22,801 in student loans. Soon after graduation, engineering degree recipients from The University Of Tennessee generally make around $70,218. That is a strong return on a $22,801 median debt. The acceptance rate is 42%.
Lipscomb University landed the #11 spot for engineering value this year. Located in the city of Nashville, Lipscomb University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $40,572 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for engineering graduates is $27,000. Engineering graduates of Lipscomb University earn a median of $67,725 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 68%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 11 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 11 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.
