2027 Best Value Divinity/Ministry Schools in Tennessee

[Divinity/Ministry](/majors/theology-and-religious-vocations/theological-ministerial-studies/divinity-ministry/) 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 5 schools to find the best return on investment for divinity/ministry students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value Divinity/Ministry Schools in Tennessee
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in divinity/ministry, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Divinity/Ministry Schools
Vanderbilt University tops our 2027 list of the best value divinity/ministry schools 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. Typical student debt for divinity/ministry graduates is $13,975. Divinity/ministry graduates of Vanderbilt University earn a median of $42,583 early in their careers. Set against $13,975 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 6%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Milligan College earned it the #2 place for divinity/ministry. Milligan College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Milligan. In-state tuition and fees average $40,450. Divinity/ministry graduates carry a median of $26,150 in student loans. Early-career divinity/ministry graduates make about $64,327. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Johnson University earned it the #3 place for divinity/ministry. Johnson University is a small private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Knoxville. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $21,122. Typical student debt for divinity/ministry graduates is $23,250. Divinity/ministry graduates of Johnson University earn a median of $37,989 early in their careers. Set against $23,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Johnson University admits about 65% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in divinity/ministry will find it at Lipscomb University, which ranked #4. Lipscomb University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Nashville. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $40,572. Typical student debt for divinity/ministry graduates is $23,529. Soon after graduation, divinity/ministry degree recipients from Lipscomb University generally make around $48,949. That is a strong return on a $23,529 median debt. The acceptance rate is 68%.
Sewanee The University Of The South is a great value for students pursuing a degree in divinity/ministry, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the rural area of Sewanee, Sewanee The University Of The South is a small private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $56,120. Typical student debt for divinity/ministry graduates is $22,091. Divinity/ministry graduates of Sewanee The University Of The South earn a median of $36,927 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,091 median debt. Sewanee The University Of The South admits about 57% of applicants.
More Divinity/Ministry Rankings
View All Divinity/Ministry Rankings >
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 · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.