2022 Best Value Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies (Income $30-$48k) in Tennessee
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
With 559,661 degrees handed out in 2019-2020, liberal arts general studies is the 1st most popular major in the United States. In 2017-2018, liberal arts general studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $26,786 and had an average of $16,538 in loans still to pay off.
Across Tennessee, there were 10,620 liberal arts general studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $27,038 and $17,881 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 24 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in liberal arts general studies. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality liberal arts general studies programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.
Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the liberal arts general studies program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
Featured schools near , edit
One Size Does Not Fit All
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.
Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k.
Top 24 Best Value Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies (Income $30-$48k) in Tennessee
Out of the 24 schools in the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Vanderbilt University landed the #1 spot on the list. Vanderbilt University is a fairly large school located in Nashville, Tennessee that handed out 16 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Vanderbilt, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in Tennessee” ranking. It costs about $6,017 for tennessee liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Vanderbilt.
With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 1.0% 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%. 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.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Southwest Tennessee Community College. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k. This medium-sized school is located in Memphis, Tennessee, and it awarded 654 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Southwest, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Southwest is $5,511 for Tennessee Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Southwest Tennessee Community College
Out of the 24 schools in the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Pellissippi State Community College landed the #3 spot on the list. Pellissippi State Community College is located in Knoxville, Tennessee and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1,065 ’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.
Pellissippi State Community College also made our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in Tennessee” list, coming in at #8. It costs about $5,642 for tennessee liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Pellissippi State Community College.
Full Pellissippi State Community College Liberal Arts General Studies Report
Out of the 24 schools in the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Roane State Community College landed the #4 spot on the list. This medium-sized school is located in Harriman, Tennessee, and it awarded 600 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
Roane State Community College also took the #15 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Roane State Community College is $3,880 for tennessee liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.
Full Roane State Community College Liberal Arts General Studies Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Motlow State Community College. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. Motlow State Community College is a medium-sized school located in Tullahoma, Tennessee that handed out 923 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
Motlow did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in Tennessee” list. The yearly cost to attend Motlow is $6,953 for tennessee liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.
With a ranking of #6, Walters State Community College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. Walters State Community College is a public institution located in Morristown, Tennessee. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 631 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.
WSCC also took the #18 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in Tennessee” ranking. It costs about $3,076 for tennessee liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend WSCC.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Walters State Community College
With a ranking of #7, Columbia State Community College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. Columbia State Community College is a medium-sized school located in Columbia, Tennessee that handed out 625 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
Columbia State Community College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in Tennessee” list. The yearly cost to attend Columbia State Community College is $6,253 for Tennessee Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Columbia State Community College
Volunteer State Community College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Gallatin, Tennessee is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s liberal arts degrees to 841 students in 2019-2020.
VSCC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in Tennessee” list. It costs about $6,514 for tennessee liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend VSCC.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Volunteer State Community College
Nashville State Community College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Nashville State Community College is a medium-sized school located in Nashville, Tennessee that handed out 670 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
Nashville State Community College also made our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in Tennessee” list, coming in at #11. The estimated yearly cost for Nashville State Community College is $7,460 for Tennessee Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.
Full Nashville State Community College Liberal Arts General Studies Report
Jackson State Community College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #10. Located in Jackson, Tennessee, this small public school awarded 371 degrees to qualified ’s liberal arts students in 2019-2020.
JSCC also took the #10 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for JSCC is $7,591 for tennessee liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.
Chattanooga State Community College ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Chattanooga, Tennessee, this medium-sized public school awarded 539 degrees to qualified ’s liberal arts students in 2019-2020.
Chattanooga State Community College also made our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in Tennessee” list, coming in at #20. The estimated yearly cost for Chattanooga State Community College is $6,704 for tennessee liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Chattanooga State Community College
Northeast State Community College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #12. This medium-sized school is located in Blountville, Tennessee, and it awarded 579 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
Northeast State Technical Community College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #21 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in Tennessee” list. It costs about $6,176 for tennessee liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Northeast State Technical Community College.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Northeast State Community College
Middle Tennessee State University landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Middle Tennessee State University is a large school located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee that handed out 253 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
Middle Tennessee State University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in Tennessee” list. The estimated yearly cost for Middle Tennessee State University is $10,637 for Tennessee Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Middle Tennessee State University
With a ranking of #14, Dyersburg State Community College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Dyersburg, Tennessee, this small public school handed out 335 degrees to qualified ’s liberal arts students in 2019-2020.
DSCC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #23 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in Tennessee” list. It costs about $6,710 for Tennessee Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Dyersburg State Community College.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Dyersburg State Community College
Cleveland State Community College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #15. This small school is located in Cleveland, Tennessee, and it awarded 526 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
Cleveland State Community College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #24 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in Tennessee” list. The estimated yearly cost for Cleveland State Community College is $4,336 for tennessee liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Cleveland State Community College
With a ranking of #16, Tennessee Technological University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. Cookeville, Tennessee is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s liberal arts degrees to 43 students in 2019-2020.
Tennessee Tech University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in Tennessee” list. The yearly cost to attend Tennessee Technological University is $13,421 for Tennessee Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Tennessee Tech University
Tennessee State University landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Tennessee State University is located in Nashville, Tennessee and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 35 ’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our tennessee liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k list, Tennessee State University has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Tennessee State University is $11,711 for tennessee liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Tennessee State University
East Tennessee State University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. East Tennessee State University is located in Johnson City, Tennessee and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 133 ’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.
ETSU also took the #19 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for East Tennessee State University is $12,703 for tennessee liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at East Tennessee State University
University of Memphis ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Memphis, Tennessee, this large public school handed out 131 diplomas to qualified ’s liberal arts students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our tennessee liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k list, UofM has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Memphis is $12,264 for Tennessee Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at University of Memphis
With a ranking of #20, The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga is a public institution located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 18 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.
UT Chattanooga also took the #22 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UT Chattanooga is $10,515 for Tennessee Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.
Full The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga Liberal Arts General Studies Report
Austin Peay State University landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Austin Peay State University is located in Clarksville, Tennessee and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1,189 ’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.
Austin Peay State University also took the #17 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Austin Peay State University is $12,298 for tennessee liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Austin Peay State University
Lee University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. Lee University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Cleveland, Tennessee. It awarded 56 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
Lee University also took the #14 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Lee University is $15,543 for Tennessee Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.
Belmont University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #23. Belmont University is a medium-sized school located in Nashville, Tennessee that handed out 31 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our tennessee liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k list, Belmont has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Belmont University is $26,275 for tennessee liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.
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%.
Union University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $30-$48k list. Jackson, Tennessee is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s liberal arts degrees to 40 students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our tennessee liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k list, Union has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in Tennessee” ranking. It costs about $27,004 for tennessee liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Union.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. 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%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Focus on a Specific Degree Level
All Degree Levels
Best Value Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies (Income $30-$48k) in Tennessee
Bachelors
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies (Income $30-$48k) in Tennessee
Doctorate
Best Value Doctor's Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies (Income $30-$48k) in Tennessee
Narrow Results by State
North Carolina
Best Value Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies (Income $30-$48k) in North Carolina
Alabama
Best Value Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies (Income $30-$48k) in Alabama
Georgia
Best Value Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies (Income $30-$48k) in Georgia
Louisiana
Best Value Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies (Income $30-$48k) in Louisiana
South Carolina
Best Value Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies (Income $30-$48k) in South Carolina
Virginia
Best Value Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies (Income $30-$48k) in Virginia
West Virginia
Best Value Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies (Income $30-$48k) in West Virginia
Kentucky
Best Value Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies (Income $30-$48k) in Kentucky
Tennessee
Best Value Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies (Income $30-$48k) in Tennessee
Mississippi
Best Value Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies (Income $30-$48k) in Mississippi
Florida
Best Value Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies (Income $30-$48k) in Florida
Arkansas
Best Value Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies (Income $30-$48k) in Arkansas
- Best Value Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies (Income $30-$48k) in the Southeast Region
- Best Value Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies (Income $30-$48k)
Switch to a Different Ranking Method
Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in Tennessee
Liberal Arts General Studies students in the state of Tennessee
Most Focused Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies in Tennessee
Liberal Arts General Studies students in Tennessee
Most Popular Online Liberal Arts General Studies Schools
Liberal Arts General Studies students in Tennessee
Best Value Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies (Income $0-$30k) in Tennessee
Liberal Arts General Studies students with family income less than $30k in Tennessee
Best Value Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies (Income $48-$75k) in Tennessee
Liberal Arts General Studies students with family income $48-$75k in Tennessee
Best Value Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies (Income Over $110k) in Tennessee
Liberal Arts General Studies students with family income exceeding $110k in Tennessee
Highest Paid Liberal Arts General Studies Graduates in Tennessee
Liberal Arts General Studies students in Tennessee
Most Popular Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies in Tennessee
Liberal Arts General Studies students in Tennessee
Best Value Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies in Tennessee (With Aid)
Liberal Arts General Studies students getting aid in Tennessee
Best Value Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies (Income $30-$48k) in Tennessee
Liberal Arts General Studies students with family income $30-$48k in Tennessee
Best Value Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies (Income $75-$110k) in Tennessee
Liberal Arts General Studies students with family income $75-$110k in Tennessee
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.
Featured Liberal Arts Schools
Request Info |
Southern New Hampshire University
You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs ... Learn More > |