2026 Best Value General Public Health Schools in Tennessee

[General Public Health](/majors/health-care-professions/public-health/public-health-general/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 11 schools to find the best return on investment for general public health students.
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2026 Best Value General Public Health Schools in Tennessee
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general public health, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Public Health Schools
For return on investment in general public health, no school beat Tennessee State University 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. Typical student debt for general public health graduates is $29,489. Soon after graduation, general public health degree recipients from Tennessee State University generally make around $45,060. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Tennessee State University admits about 70% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes Middle Tennessee State University one of the best values for general public health. Set in the city of Murfreesboro, Middle Tennessee State University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,266 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $31,574. Typical student debt for general public health graduates is $27,758. Early-career general public health graduates make about $30,321. Set against $27,758 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 69%.
University Of Memphis is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general public health, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Memphis, University Of Memphis is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,728 in tuition and fees, compared with $15,384 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general public health graduates is $26,315. Early-career general public health graduates make about $52,391. That is a strong return on a $26,315 median debt. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in general public health will find it at East Tennessee State University, which ranked #4. 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 general public health graduates is $22,299. General Public Health graduates of East Tennessee State University earn a median of $46,940 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in general public health will find it at The University Of Tennessee, which ranked #5. The University Of Tennessee is a very large public school located in the city of Knoxville. In-state tuition and fees average $13,812, compared with $33,256 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $22,859 to complete the general public health program here. General Public Health graduates of The University Of Tennessee earn a median of $49,826 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,859 median debt. The acceptance rate is 42%.
Vanderbilt University landed the #6 spot for general public health value this year. 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. Students borrow a median of $13,975 to complete the general public health program here. General Public Health graduates of Vanderbilt University earn a median of $77,997 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Vanderbilt University admits about 6% of applicants.
More General Public Health Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 11 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.