2027 Best Value Nursing Science Schools in Tennessee

[Nursing Science](/majors/health-care-professions/nursing/nursing-science/) 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.
College Factual analyzed 4 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value nursing science schools.
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2027 Best Value Nursing Science Schools in Tennessee
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in nursing science, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Nursing Science Schools
For return on investment in nursing science, no school beat University Of Memphis 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. Nursing Science graduates carry a median of $27,168 in student loans. Soon after graduation, nursing science degree recipients from University Of Memphis generally make around $86,186. That is a strong return on a $27,168 median debt. The acceptance rate is 72%.
Vanderbilt University came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value nursing science schools. 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 nursing science graduates is $13,975. Soon after graduation, nursing science degree recipients from Vanderbilt University generally make around $125,565. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 6% of applicants are accepted.
East Tennessee State University came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value nursing science schools. Set in the city of Johnson City, East Tennessee State University is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $10,216, compared with $13,726 for out-of-state students. Nursing Science graduates carry a median of $25,091 in student loans. Nursing Science graduates of East Tennessee State University earn a median of $89,640 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,091 median debt. The acceptance rate is 86%.
Students looking for strong value in nursing science will find it at The University Of Tennessee, which ranked #4. The University Of Tennessee is a very large public school located in the city of Knoxville. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,812, while out-of-state students pay about $33,256. Students borrow a median of $23,292 to complete the nursing science program here. Soon after graduation, nursing science degree recipients from The University Of Tennessee generally make around $97,755. That is a strong return on a $23,292 median debt. The University Of Tennessee admits about 42% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.