2027 Best Value Physics Schools in Tennessee
[Physics](/majors/physical-sciences/physics/) 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.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for physics students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value Physics Schools in Tennessee
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the physics degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Physics Schools
Our analysis ranked Vanderbilt University the best value for a degree in physics in Tennessee. 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 physics program here. Soon after graduation, physics degree recipients from Vanderbilt University generally make around $77,997. Set against $13,975 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 6%.
Middle Tennessee State University came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value physics schools. Located in the city of Murfreesboro, Middle Tennessee State University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $10,266 in tuition and fees, compared with $31,574 for out-of-state students. Physics graduates carry a median of $22,754 in student loans. Physics graduates of Middle Tennessee State University earn a median of $43,575 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,754 median debt. Roughly 69% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes The University Of Tennessee one of the best values for physics. Set in the city of Knoxville, The University Of Tennessee is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,812, compared with $33,256 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for physics graduates is $25,344. Physics graduates of The University Of Tennessee earn a median of $49,826 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,344 median debt. Roughly 42% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #4 makes Rhodes College one of the best values for physics. Set in the city of Memphis, Rhodes College is a small private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $57,110 in tuition and fees. Physics graduates carry a median of $23,078 in student loans. Early-career physics graduates make about $40,807. That is a strong return on a $23,078 median debt. The acceptance rate is 50%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
