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2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k

15 Ranked Colleges
9,163 Degrees Awarded
$7,200 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2019-2020, 559,661 liberal arts general studies students received their degree, making the major the 1st most popular in the country. In 2017-2018, liberal arts general studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $26,786 and had an average of $16,538 in loans still to pay off.

Across Tennessee, there were 10,620 liberal arts general studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $27,038 and $17,881 respectively. At the associate degree level specifically, there were 9,163 liberal arts general studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 15 colleges that offered a degree in liberal arts general studies. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent liberal arts general studies programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the liberal arts general studies program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

The liberal arts school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k”.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 15 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies (Income $0-$30k) in Tennessee

Out of the 15 schools in the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Southwest Tennessee Community College landed the #1 spot on the list. Memphis, Tennessee is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s liberal arts degrees to 654 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Southwest, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. It costs about $4,721 for Tennessee Associate Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Southwest Tennessee Community College.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Southwest

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Pellissippi State Community College. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k. Pellissippi State Community College is a medium-sized school located in Knoxville, Tennessee that handed out 1,065 associates’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Pellissippi State Community College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. The yearly cost to attend Pellissippi State Community College is $4,880 for Tennessee Associate Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Pellissippi State Community College

#3

Motlow State Community College

Tullahoma, Tennessee

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Motlow State Community College. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k list. Motlow is a public institution located in Tullahoma, Tennessee. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 923 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Motlow not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. The yearly cost to attend Motlow is $6,004 for tennessee associate degree liberal arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Motlow

#4

Roane State Community College

Harriman, Tennessee

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Roane State Community College. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k list. Roane State Community College is a medium-sized school located in Harriman, Tennessee that handed out 600 associates’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Roane State Community College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. The estimated yearly cost for Roane State Community College is $3,322 for Tennessee Associate Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Roane State Community College Liberal Arts General Studies Report

#5

Walters State Community College

Morristown, Tennessee

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Walters State Community College. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Morristown, Tennessee, this medium-sized public school handed out 631 diplomas to qualified associates’s liberal arts students in 2019-2020.

WSCC also made our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in Tennessee” list, coming in at #11. The yearly cost to attend Walters State Community College is $2,897 for tennessee associate degree liberal arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Walters State Community College Liberal Arts General Studies Report

#6

Columbia State Community College

Columbia, Tennessee

With a ranking of #6, Columbia State Community College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k list. Columbia State Community College is a medium-sized school located in Columbia, Tennessee that handed out 625 associates’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Columbia State Community College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. The yearly cost to attend Columbia State Community College is $5,816 for tennessee associate degree liberal arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Columbia State Community College

Volunteer State Community College ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k list. Volunteer State Community College is a public institution located in Gallatin, Tennessee. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 841 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

VSCC also made our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in Tennessee” list, coming in at #5. The estimated yearly cost for Volunteer State Community College is $6,368 for tennessee associate degree liberal arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Volunteer State Community College

#8

Nashville State Community College

Nashville, Tennessee

Nashville State Community College landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Nashville State Community College is a medium-sized public school situated in Nashville, Tennessee. It awarded 625 associates’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Nashville State Community College also made our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in Tennessee” list, coming in at #7. The estimated yearly cost for Nashville State Community College is $7,139 for Tennessee Associate Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Nashville State Community College Liberal Arts General Studies Report

#9

Chattanooga State Community College

Chattanooga, Tennessee

Chattanooga State Community College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and it awarded 539 associates’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Chattanooga State Community College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. The yearly cost to attend Chattanooga State Community College is $5,986 for tennessee associate degree liberal arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Chattanooga State Community College Liberal Arts General Studies Report

#10

Jackson State Community College

Jackson, Tennessee

With a ranking of #10, Jackson State Community College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k list. JSCC is located in Jackson, Tennessee and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 340 associates’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at JSCC, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The yearly cost to attend JSCC is $7,421 for Tennessee Associate Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Jackson State Community College Liberal Arts General Studies Report

#11

Northeast State Community College

Blountville, Tennessee

With a ranking of #11, Northeast State Community College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k list. Northeast State Community College is a medium-sized school located in Blountville, Tennessee that handed out 576 associates’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Northeast State Technical Community College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. It costs about $5,680 for tennessee associate degree liberal arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Northeast State Community College.

Full Northeast State Technical Community College Liberal Arts General Studies Report

#12

Dyersburg State Community College

Dyersburg, Tennessee

Dyersburg State Community College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. DSCC is a public institution located in Dyersburg, Tennessee. The school has a small population, and it awarded 197 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our tennessee associate degree liberal arts students whose families make $0-$30k list, DSCC has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The yearly cost to attend DSCC is $5,881 for tennessee associate degree liberal arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Dyersburg State Community College

#13

Cleveland State Community College

Cleveland, Tennessee

Cleveland State Community College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k list. This small school is located in Cleveland, Tennessee, and it awarded 237 associates’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Cleveland State Community College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. The yearly cost to attend Cleveland State Community College is $4,278 for tennessee associate degree liberal arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Cleveland State Community College

#14

Austin Peay State University

Clarksville, Tennessee

With a ranking of #14, Austin Peay State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k list. Austin Peay State University is a fairly large public school situated in Clarksville, Tennessee. It awarded 1,040 associates’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Austin Peay State University also took the #9 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Austin Peay State University is $10,909 for Tennessee Associate Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Austin Peay State University

#15

Union University

Jackson, Tennessee
#3 in overall quality

Union University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Jackson, Tennessee is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out associates’s liberal arts degrees to 31 students in 2019-2020.

Union also made our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in Tennessee” list, coming in at #3. It costs about $26,079 for Tennessee Associate Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Union University.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low student loan default rate of 4.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Union

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Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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