2027 Best Value Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist Schools in Tennessee
[Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist](/majors/health-care-professions/allied-health-professions/respiratory-care-therapy-therapist/) 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.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 10 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for respiratory care therapy/therapist students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist Schools in Tennessee
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the respiratory care therapy/therapist degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist Schools
Leading the list is Roane State Community College, our #1 best value for respiratory care therapy/therapist in Tennessee. Roane State Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Harriman. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,998, while out-of-state students pay about $18,630. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates carry a median of $8,855 in student loans. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates of Roane State Community College earn a median of $41,121 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $8,855 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in respiratory care therapy/therapist will find it at Columbia State Community College, which ranked #2. Located in the town of Columbia, Columbia State Community College is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,948, while out-of-state students pay about $17,772. Typical student debt for respiratory care therapy/therapist graduates is $11,670. Soon after graduation, respiratory care therapy/therapist degree recipients from Columbia State Community College generally make around $54,641. That is a strong return on a $11,670 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in respiratory care therapy/therapist will find it at Chattanooga State Community College, which ranked #3. Chattanooga State Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Chattanooga. Students from in state pay about $4,772 in tuition and fees, compared with $17,756 for out-of-state students. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates carry a median of $16,348 in student loans. Soon after graduation, respiratory care therapy/therapist degree recipients from Chattanooga State Community College generally make around $52,014. Set against $16,348 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in respiratory care therapy/therapist will find it at Walters State Community College, which ranked #4. Walters State Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Morristown. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,752, compared with $17,736 for out-of-state students. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates carry a median of $10,210 in student loans. Soon after graduation, respiratory care therapy/therapist degree recipients from Walters State Community College generally make around $43,173. That is a strong return on a $10,210 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Jackson State Community College earned it the #5 place for respiratory care therapy/therapist. Set in the city of Jackson, Jackson State Community College is a mid-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,740, with out-of-state students paying around $17,724. Students borrow a median of $8,553 to complete the respiratory care therapy/therapist program here. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates of Jackson State Community College earn a median of $48,919 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Volunteer State Community College earned the #6 position for value in respiratory care therapy/therapist this year. Located in the suburb of Gallatin, Volunteer State Community College is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,756, with out-of-state students paying around $17,740. Students borrow a median of $10,906 to complete the respiratory care therapy/therapist program here. Soon after graduation, respiratory care therapy/therapist degree recipients from Volunteer State Community College generally make around $46,658. Set against $10,906 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Baptist Memorial College Of Health Sciences earned the #7 position for value in respiratory care therapy/therapist this year. Baptist Memorial College Of Health Sciences is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Memphis. Students from in state pay about $13,796 in tuition and fees. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates carry a median of $31,176 in student loans. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates of Baptist Memorial College Of Health Sciences earn a median of $57,633 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Baptist Memorial College Of Health Sciences admits about 82% of applicants.
Tennessee State University earned the #8 position for value in respiratory care therapy/therapist 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. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates carry a median of $29,489 in student loans. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates of Tennessee State University earn a median of $48,894 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Tennessee State University admits about 70% of applicants.
East Tennessee State University placed #9 among the best values for respiratory care therapy/therapist. East Tennessee State University is a large public school located in the city of Johnson City. Students from in state pay about $10,216 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $13,726. Typical student debt for respiratory care therapy/therapist graduates is $24,568. Early-career respiratory care therapy/therapist graduates make about $48,671. That is a strong return on a $24,568 median debt. East Tennessee State University admits about 86% of applicants.
Concorde Career College Memphis came in at #10 for value in respiratory care therapy/therapist this year. Concorde Career College Memphis is a mid-sized private for-profit school located in the city of Memphis. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates carry a median of $25,427 in student loans. Early-career respiratory care therapy/therapist graduates make about $46,724. Set against $25,427 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 95%.
More Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist Rankings
View All Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist Rankings >
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 10 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.
