2026 Best Value Public Administration Schools in Tennessee
[Public Administration](/majors/social-services-public-administration/public-administration/) 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.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 11 schools to find the best return on investment for public administration students.
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2026 Best Value Public Administration Schools in Tennessee
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in public administration, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Public Administration Schools
Our analysis ranked Tennessee State University the best value for a degree in public administration in Tennessee. Located in the city of Nashville, Tennessee State University is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $8,616, with out-of-state students paying around $22,416. Students borrow a median of $29,489 to complete the public administration program here. Early-career public administration graduates make about $45,060. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 70% of applicants are accepted.
Lincoln Memorial University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value public administration schools. Set in the town of Harrogate, Lincoln Memorial University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $26,938. Public Administration graduates carry a median of $20,693 in student loans. Early-career public administration graduates make about $64,307. That is a strong return on a $20,693 median debt. The acceptance rate is 63%.
Cumberland University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value public administration schools. Located in the town of Lebanon, Cumberland University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $27,840. Typical student debt for public administration graduates is $21,902. Soon after graduation, public administration degree recipients from Cumberland University generally make around $47,696. Set against $21,902 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 67%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Lipscomb University earned it the #4 place for public administration. Set in the city of Nashville, Lipscomb University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $40,572 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for public administration graduates is $23,529. Public Administration graduates of Lipscomb University earn a median of $48,949 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 68% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 11 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.
