by our College Data Analytics Team
[History](/majors/history/) 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.
College Factual analyzed 10 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value history schools.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in history, balancing cost against outcomes.
Austin Peay State University earned the #1 spot for value among history schools in Tennessee. Set in the city of Clarksville, Austin Peay State University is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,006, while out-of-state students pay about $14,766. Typical student debt for history graduates is $19,750. Early-career history graduates make about $34,456. Set against $19,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 96% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at The University Of Tennessee Martin earned it the #2 place for history. The University Of Tennessee Martin is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Martin. In-state tuition and fees average $10,560, while out-of-state students pay about $16,600. Students borrow a median of $23,770 to complete the history program here. Early-career history graduates make about $40,400. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 88%.
A rank of #3 makes University Of Memphis one of the best values for history. 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, compared with $15,384 for out-of-state students. History graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, history degree recipients from University Of Memphis generally make around $30,652. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. University Of Memphis admits about 72% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in history will find it at Vanderbilt University, which ranked #4. Vanderbilt University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Nashville. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $67,498. History graduates carry a median of $15,000 in student loans. Early-career history graduates make about $46,856. That is a strong return on a $15,000 median debt. Vanderbilt University admits about 6% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Middle Tennessee State University earned it the #5 place for history. 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. Students borrow a median of $18,500 to complete the history program here. History graduates of Middle Tennessee State University earn a median of $35,208 early in their careers. Set against $18,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 69%.
The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga earned the #6 position for value in history 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. Typical student debt for history graduates is $23,324. Soon after graduation, history degree recipients from The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga generally make around $26,952. Set against $23,324 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga admits about 81% of applicants.
Tennessee Technological University ranked #7 on our 2027 list of the best value history schools. Tennessee Technological University is a large public school located in the town of Cookeville. In-state tuition and fees average $11,376, with out-of-state students paying around $15,576. History graduates carry a median of $17,194 in student loans. History graduates of Tennessee Technological University earn a median of $24,659 early in their careers. Set against $17,194 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 76%.
East Tennessee State University earned the #8 position for value in history this year. Located in the city of Johnson City, East Tennessee State University is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $10,216, with out-of-state students paying around $13,726. Typical student debt for history graduates is $20,500. Soon after graduation, history degree recipients from East Tennessee State University generally make around $27,799. That is a strong return on a $20,500 median debt. East Tennessee State University admits about 86% of applicants.
The University Of Tennessee earned the #9 position for value in history this year. Set in the city of Knoxville, The University Of Tennessee is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $13,812 in tuition and fees, compared with $33,256 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for history graduates is $19,000. Soon after graduation, history degree recipients from The University Of Tennessee generally make around $28,713. Set against $19,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 42%.
Sewanee The University Of The South landed the #10 spot for history value this year. Sewanee The University Of The South is a small private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Sewanee. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $56,120. Students borrow a median of $22,750 to complete the history program here. Early-career history graduates make about $36,927. That is a strong return on a $22,750 median debt. The acceptance rate is 57%.
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 · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 10 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.