2026 Best Value Value Schools in Tennessee
[Value](/majors/multi-interdisciplinary-studies/data-science/general/) 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.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 10 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for value students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Value Schools in Tennessee
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in value, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Value Schools
Middle Tennessee State University earned the #1 spot for value among value schools in Tennessee. Middle Tennessee State University is a very large public school located in the city of Murfreesboro. In-state tuition and fees average $10,266, with out-of-state students paying around $31,574. Students borrow a median of $22,754 to complete the value program here. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from Middle Tennessee State University generally make around $43,575. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 69%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Memphis earned it the #2 place for value. University Of Memphis is a very large public school located in the city of Memphis. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,728, compared with $15,384 for out-of-state students. Value graduates carry a median of $26,315 in student loans. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from University Of Memphis generally make around $48,890. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 72%.
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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 · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
