2027 Best Value English Schools in Tennessee
[English](/majors/english-language-literature/general-english-language-literature/english/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong english education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 13 schools to find the best return on investment for english students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value English Schools in Tennessee
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the english degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value English Schools
For return on investment in english, no school beat Austin Peay State University this year. Set in the city of Clarksville, Austin Peay State University is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,006, compared with $14,766 for out-of-state students. English graduates carry a median of $25,677 in student loans. English graduates of Austin Peay State University earn a median of $37,486 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,677 median debt. The acceptance rate is 96%.
University Of Memphis is a great value for students pursuing a degree in english, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Memphis, University Of Memphis is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $10,728, while out-of-state students pay about $15,384. English graduates carry a median of $23,708 in student loans. Early-career english graduates make about $25,948. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Middle Tennessee State University earned it the #3 place for english. Set in the city of Murfreesboro, Middle Tennessee State University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $10,266, compared with $31,574 for out-of-state students. English graduates carry a median of $24,045 in student loans. English graduates of Middle Tennessee State University earn a median of $31,554 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,045 median debt. Middle Tennessee State University admits about 69% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Vanderbilt University earned it the #4 place for english. 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. Typical student debt for english graduates is $13,420. Soon after graduation, english degree recipients from Vanderbilt University generally make around $34,633. That is a strong return on a $13,420 median debt. Vanderbilt University admits about 6% of applicants.
Tennessee Technological University came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value english schools. 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, while out-of-state students pay about $15,576. English graduates carry a median of $19,039 in student loans. Soon after graduation, english degree recipients from Tennessee Technological University generally make around $46,981. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 76% of applicants are accepted.
The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga landed the #6 spot for english value this year. Set in the city of Chattanooga, The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,448, with out-of-state students paying around $18,512. Typical student debt for english graduates is $22,796. English graduates of The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga earn a median of $22,999 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,796 median debt. Roughly 81% of applicants are accepted.
Tennessee State University landed the #7 spot for english value this year. Set in the city of Nashville, Tennessee State University is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $8,616, while out-of-state students pay about $22,416. Students borrow a median of $29,489 to complete the english program here. Soon after graduation, english degree recipients from Tennessee State University generally make around $45,060. That is a strong return on a $29,489 median debt. The acceptance rate is 70%.
East Tennessee State University placed #8 among the best values for english. East Tennessee State University is a large public school located in the city of Johnson City. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,216, compared with $13,726 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $16,598 to complete the english program here. Early-career english graduates make about $21,836. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
The University Of Tennessee came in at #9 for value in english this year. 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, while out-of-state students pay about $33,256. English graduates carry a median of $22,990 in student loans. Soon after graduation, english degree recipients from The University Of Tennessee generally make around $26,476. That is a strong return on a $22,990 median debt. The acceptance rate is 42%.
Lee University placed #10 among the best values for english. Lee University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Cleveland. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $23,790. Typical student debt for english graduates is $27,000. English graduates of Lee University earn a median of $30,977 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Lee University admits about 70% of applicants.
Lipscomb University landed the #11 spot for english value this year. Lipscomb University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Nashville. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $40,572. Typical student debt for english graduates is $23,529. Early-career english graduates make about $48,949. That is a strong return on a $23,529 median debt. The acceptance rate is 68%.
Rhodes College came in at #12 for value in english this year. Located in the city of Memphis, Rhodes College is a small private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $57,110. Students borrow a median of $21,545 to complete the english program here. Early-career english graduates make about $40,807. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 50%.
Belmont University came in at #13 for value in english this year. Set in the city of Nashville, Belmont University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $42,540 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for english graduates is $24,250. English graduates of Belmont University earn a median of $22,360 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,250 median debt. Roughly 95% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 13 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 13 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.
