2027 Best Value General Human Development & Family Studies Schools in Tennessee

[General Human Development & Family Studies](/majors/family-consumer-human-sciences/human-development-family-studies/human-development-and-family-studies-general/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 3 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for general human development & family studies students.
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2027 Best Value General Human Development & Family Studies Schools in Tennessee
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general human development & family studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Human Development & Family Studies Schools
Vanderbilt University tops our 2027 list of the best value general human development & family studies schools in Tennessee. Located in the city of Nashville, Vanderbilt University is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $67,498. General Human Development & Family Studies graduates carry a median of $13,975 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general human development & family studies degree recipients from Vanderbilt University generally make around $77,997. That is a strong return on a $13,975 median debt. Roughly 6% of applicants are accepted.
Lee University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general human development & family studies, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Cleveland, Lee University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $23,790. General Human Development & Family Studies graduates carry a median of $26,422 in student loans. Early-career general human development & family studies graduates make about $38,249. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Lee University admits about 70% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in general human development & family studies will find it at The University Of Tennessee, which ranked #3. The University Of Tennessee is a very large public school located in the city of Knoxville. In-state tuition and fees average $13,812, with out-of-state students paying around $33,256. Students borrow a median of $22,790 to complete the general human development & family studies program here. General Human Development & Family Studies graduates of The University Of Tennessee earn a median of $39,911 early in their careers. Set against $22,790 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 42% of applicants are accepted.
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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 · 3 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.