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2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee

30 Ranked Colleges
1,556 Degrees Awarded
$18,200 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor's in Tennessee

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee” ranking is part of that endeavor.

With 310,601 degrees handed out in 2019-2020, education is the 4th most popular major in the United States. In 2017-2018, education graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $43,887 and had an average of $30,244 in loans still to pay off.

Across Tennessee, there were 5,271 education graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,556 education graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee” ranking analyzed 30 colleges that offered a degree in education. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great education programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the education program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Education Schools

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Education in Tennessee

#1

Tennessee Technological University

Cookeville, Tennessee
#2 in overall quality

Out of the 30 schools in the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee that were part of this year’s ranking, Tennessee Technological University landed the #1 spot on the list. Cookeville, Tennessee is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s education degrees to 212 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our tennessee bachelor’s degree education students list, Tennessee Tech University has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. It costs about $15,929 for tennessee bachelor’s degree education students per year to attend Tennessee Technological University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Education at Tennessee Technological University

#4 in overall quality

Out of the 30 schools in the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee that were part of this year’s ranking, The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Chattanooga, Tennessee, this fairly large public school awarded 131 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s education students in 2019-2020.

UT Chattanooga not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. The estimated yearly cost for The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga is $12,952 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Education students.

Full UT Chattanooga Education Report

#3

Middle Tennessee State University

Murfreesboro, Tennessee
#7 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Middle Tennessee State University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee list. This large school is located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and it awarded 139 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

Middle Tennessee State University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. The estimated yearly cost for Middle Tennessee State University is $12,464 for tennessee bachelor’s degree education students.

Full Middle Tennessee State University Education Report

#14 in overall quality

Out of the 30 schools in the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee that were part of this year’s ranking, The University of Tennessee - Martin landed the #4 spot on the list. UT Martin is a public institution located in Martin, Tennessee. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 73 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UT Martin also made our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list, coming in at #14. The estimated yearly cost for UT Martin is $10,955 for tennessee bachelor’s degree education students.

Full The University of Tennessee - Martin Education Report

#5

East Tennessee State University

Johnson City, Tennessee
#19 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend East Tennessee State University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee. ETSU is a public institution located in Johnson City, Tennessee. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 76 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at ETSU, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for ETSU is $14,332 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Education students.

Read full report on Education at East Tennessee State University

#6

Tennessee State University

Nashville, Tennessee
#21 in overall quality

Tennessee State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee ranking, coming in at #6. Tennessee State University is located in Nashville, Tennessee and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 53 bachelors’s education degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Tennessee State University, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Tennessee State University is $12,443 for tennessee bachelor’s degree education students.

Read more about Education at Tennessee State University

#7

University of Memphis

Memphis, Tennessee
#16 in overall quality

With a ranking of #7, University of Memphis did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee list. University of Memphis is a large school located in Memphis, Tennessee that handed out 147 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our tennessee bachelor’s degree education students list, UofM has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UofM is $13,248 for tennessee bachelor’s degree education students.

Read more about Education at University of Memphis

#12 in overall quality

The University of Tennessee - Knoxville came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee ranking. This large school is located in Knoxville, Tennessee, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

UT Knoxville did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. It costs about $18,825 for tennessee bachelor’s degree education students per year to attend UT Knoxville.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full UT Knoxville Education Report

#9

Austin Peay State University

Clarksville, Tennessee
#22 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, Austin Peay State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee list. This fairly large school is located in Clarksville, Tennessee, and it awarded 67 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

Austin Peay State University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #22 on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. It costs about $13,692 for tennessee bachelor’s degree education students per year to attend Austin Peay State University.

Full Austin Peay State University Education Report

#10

Lee University

Cleveland, Tennessee
#11 in overall quality

Lee University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee ranking. Located in Cleveland, Tennessee, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 103 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s education students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Lee University, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. It costs about $17,696 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Education students per year to attend Lee University.

Full Lee University Education Report

#11

Johnson University

Knoxville, Tennessee
#15 in overall quality

Johnson University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee ranking. Johnson University is located in Knoxville, Tennessee and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 17 bachelors’s education degrees to qualified students.

Johnson University also made our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list, coming in at #15. The yearly cost to attend Johnson University is $18,915 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Education students.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Education at Johnson University

#12

Freed-Hardeman University

Henderson, Tennessee
#6 in overall quality

Freed-Hardeman University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee ranking. FHU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Henderson, Tennessee. The school has a small population, and it awarded 38 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

FHU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. It costs about $16,703 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Education students per year to attend FHU.

Read more about Education at FHU

#13

Southern Adventist University

Collegedale, Tennessee
#9 in overall quality

With a ranking of #13, Southern Adventist University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee list. Southern Adventist University is a small school located in Collegedale, Tennessee that handed out 22 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our tennessee bachelor’s degree education students list, Southern Adventist has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Southern Adventist is $22,661 for tennessee bachelor’s degree education students.

Full Southern Adventist University Education Report

#14

Union University

Jackson, Tennessee
#8 in overall quality

Union University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee ranking, coming in at #14. Jackson, Tennessee is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s education degrees to 21 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Union, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Union is $28,249 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Education students.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 4.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Education at Union University

#15

Welch College

Gallatin, Tennessee

Welch College landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee ranking. Welch is located in Gallatin, Tennessee and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 6 bachelors’s education degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $21,736 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Education students per year to attend Welch.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Welch Education Report

#16

Lincoln Memorial University

Harrogate, Tennessee
#17 in overall quality

Lincoln Memorial University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee list. Lincoln Memorial University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Harrogate, Tennessee. It awarded 16 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

LMU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. It costs about $15,180 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Education students per year to attend LMU.

The low student loan default rate of 3.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Education at Lincoln Memorial University

#17

Bethel University

McKenzie, Tennessee

Bethel University landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee ranking. Bethel University is a small school located in McKenzie, Tennessee that handed out 9 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Bethel University is $15,701 for tennessee bachelor’s degree education students.

Read full report on Education at Bethel University

#18

Tennessee Wesleyan University

Athens, Tennessee
#18 in overall quality

Tennessee Wesleyan University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee ranking, coming in at #18. TWU is a small school located in Athens, Tennessee that handed out 26 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

TWU also took the #18 spot in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The yearly cost to attend TWU is $13,636 for tennessee bachelor’s degree education students.

Full Tennessee Wesleyan University Education Report

#19

Cumberland University

Lebanon, Tennessee
#25 in overall quality

Cumberland University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee list. CU is a small school located in Lebanon, Tennessee that handed out 15 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

CU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #25 on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. The yearly cost to attend CU is $24,458 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Education students.

Read full report on Education at CU

#20

Carson - Newman University

Jefferson City, Tennessee
#13 in overall quality

Carson - Newman University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee ranking. Jefferson City, Tennessee is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s education degrees to 55 students in 2019-2020.

Carson - Newman did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. The estimated yearly cost for Carson - Newman is $17,471 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Education students.

Read more about Education at Carson - Newman

#21

Trevecca Nazarene University

Nashville, Tennessee
#20 in overall quality

Trevecca Nazarene University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee ranking, coming in at #21. Trevecca Nazarene University is a small school located in Nashville, Tennessee that handed out 19 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

TNU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. The yearly cost to attend Trevecca Nazarene University is $17,499 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Education students.

Read full report on Education at Trevecca Nazarene University

#22

Tusculum University

Greeneville, Tennessee

Tusculum University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee ranking. Tusculum University is located in Greeneville, Tennessee and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 24 bachelors’s education degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $17,537 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Education students per year to attend Tusculum.

Full Tusculum Education Report

#23

King University

Bristol, Tennessee
#23 in overall quality

With a ranking of #23, King University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee list. Bristol, Tennessee is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s education degrees to 30 students in 2019-2020.

King also took the #23 spot in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. It costs about $22,652 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Education students per year to attend King University.

Read more about Education at King

#24

Lipscomb University

Nashville, Tennessee
#5 in overall quality

Lipscomb University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee ranking, coming in at #24. Lipscomb University is located in Nashville, Tennessee and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 47 bachelors’s education degrees to qualified students.

Lipscomb also took the #5 spot in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. It costs about $24,749 for tennessee bachelor’s degree education students per year to attend Lipscomb.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Education at Lipscomb University

#25

Belmont University

Nashville, Tennessee
#3 in overall quality

Belmont University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee ranking, coming in at #25. Belmont is a private not-for-profit institution located in Nashville, Tennessee. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 24 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Belmont, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Belmont University is $35,548 for tennessee bachelor’s degree education students.

The low student loan default rate of 3.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Belmont Education Report

Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Horadrim.

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