2026 Best Value Public Policy Schools in Tennessee
[Public Policy](/majors/social-services-public-administration/public-policy/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong public policy education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for public policy students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Public Policy Schools in Tennessee
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in public policy, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Public Policy Schools
Our analysis ranked Tennessee State University the best value for a degree in public policy in Tennessee. Located in the city of Nashville, Tennessee State University is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,616, compared with $22,416 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $29,489 to complete the public policy program here. Public Policy graduates of Tennessee State University earn a median of $45,060 early in their careers. Set against $29,489 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Tennessee State University admits about 70% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in public policy will find it at Vanderbilt University, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Nashville, Vanderbilt University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $67,498 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $13,975 to complete the public policy program here. Public Policy graduates of Vanderbilt University earn a median of $60,174 early in their careers. Set against $13,975 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 6%.
More Public Policy Rankings
View All Public Policy Rankings >
Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 4 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.
