2027 Best Value General English Literature Schools in Tennessee

[General English Literature](/majors/english-language-literature/general-english-language-literature/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general english literature education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 13 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value general english literature schools.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value General English Literature Schools in Tennessee
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general english literature, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General English Literature Schools
For return on investment in general english literature, no school beat Austin Peay State University this year. Located in the city of Clarksville, Austin Peay State University is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,006, with out-of-state students paying around $14,766. Typical student debt for general english literature graduates is $25,677. Early-career general english literature graduates make about $37,486. That is a strong return on a $25,677 median debt. Roughly 96% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Memphis came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value general english literature schools. Located in the city of Memphis, University Of Memphis is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $10,728 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $15,384. General English Literature graduates carry a median of $23,708 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general english literature degree recipients from University Of Memphis generally make around $25,948. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Memphis admits about 72% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes Middle Tennessee State University one of the best values for general english literature. Middle Tennessee State University is a very large public school located in the city of Murfreesboro. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,266, compared with $31,574 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general english literature graduates is $24,045. General English Literature 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.
Students looking for strong value in general english literature will find it at Vanderbilt University, which ranked #4. Set in the city of Nashville, Vanderbilt University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $67,498. Typical student debt for general english literature graduates is $13,420. Soon after graduation, general english literature degree recipients from Vanderbilt University generally make around $34,633. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Vanderbilt University admits about 6% of applicants.
Tennessee Technological University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general english literature, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the town of Cookeville, Tennessee Technological University is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $11,376, with out-of-state students paying around $15,576. General English Literature graduates carry a median of $19,039 in student loans. Early-career general english literature graduates make about $46,981. That is a strong return on a $19,039 median debt. Roughly 76% of applicants are accepted.
The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga landed the #6 spot for general english literature value this year. Set in the city of Chattanooga, The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,448, while out-of-state students pay about $18,512. General English Literature graduates carry a median of $22,796 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general english literature degree recipients from The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga generally make around $22,999. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga admits about 81% of applicants.
Tennessee State University ranked #7 on our 2027 list of the best value general english literature schools. 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, while out-of-state students pay about $22,416. Typical student debt for general english literature graduates is $29,489. General English Literature graduates of Tennessee State University earn a median of $45,060 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 70% of applicants are accepted.
East Tennessee State University came in at #8 for value in general english literature this year. Set in the city of Johnson City, East Tennessee State University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,216, compared with $13,726 for out-of-state students. General English Literature graduates carry a median of $16,598 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general english literature degree recipients from East Tennessee State University generally make around $21,836. Set against $16,598 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 86%.
The University Of Tennessee placed #9 among the best values for general english literature. Set in the city of Knoxville, The University Of Tennessee is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $13,812, while out-of-state students pay about $33,256. Typical student debt for general english literature graduates is $22,990. General English Literature graduates of The University Of Tennessee earn a median of $26,476 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,990 median debt. Roughly 42% of applicants are accepted.
Lee University landed the #10 spot for general english literature value this year. Lee University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Cleveland. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $23,790. Typical student debt for general english literature graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, general english literature degree recipients from Lee University generally make around $30,977. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 70% of applicants are accepted.
Lipscomb University ranked #11 on our 2027 list of the best value general english literature schools. Located in the city of Nashville, Lipscomb University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $40,572. General English Literature graduates carry a median of $23,529 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general english literature degree recipients from Lipscomb University generally make around $48,949. That is a strong return on a $23,529 median debt. Roughly 68% of applicants are accepted.
Rhodes College earned the #12 position for value in general english literature this year. Rhodes College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Memphis. In-state tuition and fees average $57,110. Typical student debt for general english literature graduates is $21,545. Soon after graduation, general english literature degree recipients from Rhodes College generally make around $40,807. Set against $21,545 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 50%.
Belmont University earned the #13 position for value in general english literature this year. Located in the city of Nashville, Belmont University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $42,540 in tuition and fees. General English Literature graduates carry a median of $24,250 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general english literature degree recipients from Belmont University generally make around $22,360. Set against $24,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Belmont University admits about 95% of applicants.
More General English Literature Rankings
View All General English Literature Rankings >
Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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.