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2022 Best Value Colleges for Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities (Income $30-$48k) in Tennessee

24 Ranked Colleges
10,620 Degrees Awarded
$9,800 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

With 559,661 degrees handed out in 2019-2020, liberal arts / sciences and humanities is the 3rd most popular major in the United States. In 2017-2018, liberal arts / sciences and humanities 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 / sciences and humanities graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 24 colleges that offer a degree in liberal arts / sciences and humanities. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality liberal arts / sciences and humanities programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the liberal arts / sciences and humanities program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. 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 / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for tennessee liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 24 Best Value Colleges for Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities (Income $30-$48k) in Tennessee

#1

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, Tennessee

Out of the 24 schools in the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Vanderbilt University landed the #1 spot on the list. Vanderbilt University is a fairly large school located in Nashville, Tennessee that handed out 16 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our tennessee liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $30-$48k list, Vanderbilt has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” ranking. It costs about $6,017 for Tennessee Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Vanderbilt.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Vanderbilt Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Southwest Tennessee Community College. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k. This medium-sized school is located in Memphis, Tennessee, and it awarded 654 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our tennessee liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $30-$48k list, Southwest has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Southwest Tennessee Community College is $5,511 for tennessee liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities 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 #3 for the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k. Pellissippi State Community College is a medium-sized school located in Knoxville, Tennessee that handed out 1,065 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

Pellissippi State Community College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” list. It costs about $5,642 for Tennessee Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Pellissippi State Community College.

Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Pellissippi State Community College

#4

Roane State Community College

Harriman, Tennessee

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Roane State Community College. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k. Roane State Community College is a medium-sized school located in Harriman, Tennessee that handed out 600 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

Roane State Community College also took the #15 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Roane State Community College is $3,880 for Tennessee Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Roane State Community College

#5

Motlow State Community College

Tullahoma, Tennessee

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Motlow State Community College. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. Motlow is a public institution located in Tullahoma, Tennessee. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 923 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Motlow did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” list. The estimated yearly cost for Motlow State Community College is $6,953 for Tennessee Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Motlow

#6

Walters State Community College

Morristown, Tennessee

Walters State Community College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #6. Walters State Community College is a public institution located in Morristown, Tennessee. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 631 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at WSCC, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Walters State Community College is $3,076 for Tennessee Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full WSCC Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report

#7

Columbia State Community College

Columbia, Tennessee

Columbia State Community College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #7. Located in Columbia, Tennessee, this medium-sized public school handed out 625 diplomas to qualified ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities students in 2019-2020.

Columbia State Community College also took the #12 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Columbia State Community College is $6,253 for Tennessee Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Columbia State Community College

With a ranking of #8, Volunteer State Community College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. VSCC is a public institution located in Gallatin, Tennessee. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 841 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our tennessee liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $30-$48k list, VSCC has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for VSCC is $6,514 for tennessee liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Volunteer State Community College

#9

Nashville State Community College

Nashville, Tennessee

Nashville State Community College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #9. Located in Nashville, Tennessee, this medium-sized public school handed out 670 diplomas to qualified ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities students in 2019-2020.

Nashville State Community College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” list. It costs about $7,460 for tennessee liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Nashville State Community College.

Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Nashville State Community College

#10

Jackson State Community College

Jackson, Tennessee

Jackson State Community College landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Jackson, Tennessee, this small public school awarded 371 degrees to qualified ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities students in 2019-2020.

JSCC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” list. The estimated yearly cost for Jackson State Community College is $7,591 for Tennessee Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Jackson State Community College Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report

#11

Chattanooga State Community College

Chattanooga, Tennessee

Chattanooga State Community College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #11. Chattanooga State Community College is located in Chattanooga, Tennessee and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 539 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to qualified students.

Chattanooga State Community College also took the #20 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Chattanooga State Community College is $6,704 for Tennessee Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Chattanooga State Community College

#12

Northeast State Community College

Blountville, Tennessee

Northeast State Community College landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Blountville, Tennessee, this medium-sized public school handed out 579 diplomas to qualified ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities students in 2019-2020.

Northeast State Technical Community College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #21 on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” list. The yearly cost to attend Northeast State Community College is $6,176 for tennessee liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Northeast State Technical Community College

#13

Middle Tennessee State University

Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Middle Tennessee State University landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Murfreesboro, Tennessee is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to 253 students in 2019-2020.

Middle Tennessee State University also made our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” list, coming in at #3. It costs about $10,637 for tennessee liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Middle Tennessee State University.

Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Middle Tennessee State University

#14

Dyersburg State Community College

Dyersburg, Tennessee

Dyersburg State Community College ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. Dyersburg State Community College is a small public school situated in Dyersburg, Tennessee. It awarded 335 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

DSCC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #23 on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” list. It costs about $6,710 for Tennessee Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Dyersburg State Community College.

Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Dyersburg State Community College

#15

Cleveland State Community College

Cleveland, Tennessee

Cleveland State Community College ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. Cleveland State Community College is a public institution located in Cleveland, Tennessee. The school has a small population, and it awarded 526 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Cleveland State Community College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #24 on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” list. The yearly cost to attend Cleveland State Community College is $4,336 for Tennessee Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Cleveland State Community College

#16

Tennessee Technological University

Cookeville, Tennessee

Tennessee Technological University landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Cookeville, Tennessee is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to 43 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our tennessee liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $30-$48k list, Tennessee Tech University has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” ranking. It costs about $13,421 for tennessee liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Tennessee Technological University.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Tennessee Tech University

#17

Tennessee State University

Nashville, Tennessee

Tennessee State University landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Nashville, Tennessee is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to 35 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Tennessee State University, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Tennessee State University is $11,711 for Tennessee Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Tennessee State University Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report

#18

East Tennessee State University

Johnson City, Tennessee

With a ranking of #18, East Tennessee State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. ETSU is a public institution located in Johnson City, Tennessee. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 133 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

ETSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” list. The yearly cost to attend East Tennessee State University is $12,703 for Tennessee Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full ETSU Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report

#19

University of Memphis

Memphis, Tennessee

University of Memphis ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. UofM is a public institution located in Memphis, Tennessee. The school has a large population, and it awarded 131 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UofM also took the #16 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Memphis is $12,264 for Tennessee Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at UofM

The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. Chattanooga, Tennessee is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to 18 students in 2019-2020.

UT Chattanooga also made our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” list, coming in at #22. It costs about $10,515 for tennessee liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga.

Full UT Chattanooga Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report

#21

Austin Peay State University

Clarksville, Tennessee

With a ranking of #21, Austin Peay State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. Austin Peay State University is located in Clarksville, Tennessee and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1,189 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to qualified students.

Austin Peay State University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” list. The yearly cost to attend Austin Peay State University is $12,298 for Tennessee Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Austin Peay State University

#22

Lee University

Cleveland, Tennessee

Lee University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #22. Lee University is a medium-sized school located in Cleveland, Tennessee that handed out 56 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our tennessee liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $30-$48k list, Lee University has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” ranking. It costs about $15,543 for Tennessee Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Lee University.

Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Lee University

#23

Belmont University

Nashville, Tennessee

Belmont University ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. Belmont is a private not-for-profit institution located in Nashville, Tennessee. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 31 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Belmont, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Belmont University is $26,275 for Tennessee Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Belmont University

#24

Union University

Jackson, Tennessee

Union University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. This small school is located in Jackson, Tennessee, and it awarded 40 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

Union not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” list. The yearly cost to attend Union is $27,004 for tennessee liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Union Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report

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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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