2027 Best Value Social Work Schools in Tennessee
[Social Work](/majors/social-services-public-administration/social-work/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 12 schools to find the best return on investment for social work students.
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2027 Best Value Social Work Schools in Tennessee
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the social work degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Social Work Schools
The University Of Tennessee Martin earned the #1 spot for value among social work schools in Tennessee. Set in the town of Martin, The University Of Tennessee Martin is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,560, compared with $16,600 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $25,653 to complete the social work program here. Early-career social work graduates make about $34,240. That is a strong return on a $25,653 median debt. The acceptance rate is 88%.
A rank of #2 makes Austin Peay State University one of the best values for social work. Located in the city of Clarksville, Austin Peay State University is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,006, compared with $14,766 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for social work graduates is $26,000. Early-career social work graduates make about $38,190. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Austin Peay State University admits about 96% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes University Of Memphis one of the best values for social work. Set in the city of Memphis, University Of Memphis is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,728 in tuition and fees, compared with $15,384 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $36,506 to complete the social work program here. Early-career social work graduates make about $41,864. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Memphis admits about 72% of applicants.
Middle Tennessee State University came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value social work schools. Set in the city of Murfreesboro, Middle Tennessee State University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,266, with out-of-state students paying around $31,574. Social Work graduates carry a median of $22,100 in student loans. Early-career social work graduates make about $43,102. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 69% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in social work will find it at The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga, which ranked #5. Located in the city of Chattanooga, The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,448, compared with $18,512 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for social work graduates is $20,043. Social Work graduates of The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga earn a median of $35,667 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 81% of applicants are accepted.
East Tennessee State University came in at #6 for value in social work this year. East Tennessee State University is a large public school located in the city of Johnson City. In-state tuition and fees average $10,216, while out-of-state students pay about $13,726. Students borrow a median of $23,000 to complete the social work program here. Social Work graduates of East Tennessee State University earn a median of $37,775 early in their careers. Set against $23,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
Tennessee State University landed the #7 spot for social work value this year. Set in the city of Nashville, Tennessee State University is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $8,616, compared with $22,416 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $31,500 to complete the social work program here. Soon after graduation, social work degree recipients from Tennessee State University generally make around $38,965. Set against $31,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 70% of applicants are accepted.
The University Of Tennessee landed the #8 spot for social work value this year. Located in the city of Knoxville, The University Of Tennessee is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,812, with out-of-state students paying around $33,256. Social Work graduates carry a median of $25,683 in student loans. Early-career social work graduates make about $43,853. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 42% of applicants are accepted.
King College ranked #9 on our 2027 list of the best value social work schools. King College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Bristol. Students from in state pay about $20,397 in tuition and fees. Social Work graduates carry a median of $28,732 in student loans. Soon after graduation, social work degree recipients from King College generally make around $34,380. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 100% of applicants are accepted.
Southern Adventist University earned the #10 position for value in social work this year. Southern Adventist University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Collegedale. In-state tuition and fees average $27,300. Typical student debt for social work graduates is $24,575. Early-career social work graduates make about $47,542. Set against $24,575 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 66%.
Union University came in at #11 for value in social work this year. Located in the city of Jackson, Union University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $37,398 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $39,415 to complete the social work program here. Social Work graduates of Union University earn a median of $41,049 early in their careers. Set against $39,415 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 60%.
Belmont University landed the #12 spot for social work value this year. Set in the city of Nashville, Belmont University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $42,540. Students borrow a median of $23,447 to complete the social work program here. Early-career social work graduates make about $49,699. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Belmont University admits about 95% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 12 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 12 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.
