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2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Getting Aid

24 Ranked Colleges
10,620 Degrees Awarded
$11,400 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Getting Aid

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. 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 Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Getting Aid” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2019-2020, 559,661 liberal arts / sciences and humanities students received their degree, making the major the 3rd most popular in the country. In 2017-2018, liberal arts / sciences and humanities 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 / sciences and humanities graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Getting Aid” ranking, we looked at 24 colleges that offer a degree in liberal arts / sciences and humanities. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent liberal arts / sciences and humanities programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

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

One Size Does Not Fit All

The liberal arts / sciences & humanities school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Getting Aid”.

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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Getting Aid

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Getting Aid.

Top 24 Best Value Colleges for Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities in Tennessee (With Aid)

Out of the 24 schools in the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Southwest Tennessee Community College landed the #1 spot on the list. Southwest is a medium-sized school located in Memphis, Tennessee that handed out 654 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities 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 / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Southwest Tennessee Community College is $4,931 for Tennessee Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students with aid.

Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Southwest Tennessee Community College

Out of the 24 schools in the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Pellissippi State Community College landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Knoxville, Tennessee, this medium-sized public school awarded 1,065 diplomas to qualified ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities students in 2019-2020.

Pellissippi State Community College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” list. It costs about $5,744 for Tennessee Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students with aid per year to attend Pellissippi State Community College.

Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Pellissippi State Community College

Out of the 24 schools in the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Volunteer State Community College landed the #3 spot on the list. Volunteer State Community College is located in Gallatin, Tennessee and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 841 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to qualified students.

VSCC also took the #9 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for VSCC is $6,990 for Tennessee Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students with aid.

Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at VSCC

#4

Motlow State Community College

Tullahoma, Tennessee

Out of the 24 schools in the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Motlow State Community College landed the #4 spot on the list. Motlow State Community College is a medium-sized public school situated in Tullahoma, Tennessee. It awarded 923 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our tennessee liberal arts / sciences & humanities students with aid list, Motlow has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Motlow is $6,885 for Tennessee Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students with aid.

Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Motlow State Community College

#5

Roane State Community College

Harriman, Tennessee

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Roane State Community College. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Getting Aid list. Roane State Community College is a public institution located in Harriman, Tennessee. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 600 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Roane State Community College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” list. It costs about $4,104 for tennessee liberal arts / sciences & humanities students with aid per year to attend Roane State Community College.

Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Roane State Community College

#6

Nashville State Community College

Nashville, Tennessee

Nashville State Community College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Getting Aid ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Nashville, Tennessee, and it awarded 670 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

Nashville State Community College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” list. It costs about $7,669 for tennessee liberal arts / sciences & humanities students with aid per year to attend Nashville State Community College.

Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Nashville State Community College

#7

Walters State Community College

Morristown, Tennessee

Walters State Community College ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Getting Aid list. This medium-sized school is located in Morristown, Tennessee, and it awarded 631 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

WSCC also took the #18 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” ranking. It costs about $3,404 for tennessee liberal arts / sciences & humanities students with aid per year to attend Walters State Community College.

Full Walters State Community College Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report

#8

Columbia State Community College

Columbia, Tennessee

Columbia State Community College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Getting Aid list. Columbia State Community College is a medium-sized public school situated in Columbia, Tennessee. It awarded 625 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

Columbia State Community College also made our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” list, coming in at #12. The estimated yearly cost for Columbia State Community College is $6,452 for Tennessee Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students with aid.

Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Columbia State Community College

#9

Jackson State Community College

Jackson, Tennessee

Jackson State Community College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Getting Aid ranking. Jackson State Community College is located in Jackson, Tennessee and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 371 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at JSCC, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Jackson State Community College is $7,775 for tennessee liberal arts / sciences & humanities students with aid.

Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Jackson State Community College

#10

Chattanooga State Community College

Chattanooga, Tennessee

With a ranking of #10, Chattanooga State Community College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Getting Aid list. Chattanooga State Community College is a medium-sized public school situated in Chattanooga, Tennessee. It awarded 539 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our tennessee liberal arts / sciences & humanities students with aid list, Chattanooga State Community College has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Chattanooga State Community College is $6,742 for tennessee liberal arts / sciences & humanities students with aid.

Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Chattanooga State Community College

#11

Middle Tennessee State University

Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Middle Tennessee State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #11. Middle Tennessee State University is a public institution located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The school has a large population, and it awarded 253 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Middle Tennessee State University also made our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” list, coming in at #3. The yearly cost to attend Middle Tennessee State University is $12,464 for Tennessee Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students with aid.

Full Middle Tennessee State University Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report

#12

Northeast State Community College

Blountville, Tennessee

With a ranking of #12, Northeast State Community College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Getting Aid list. Northeast State Community College is a public institution located in Blountville, Tennessee. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 579 ’s 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 / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” list. The yearly cost to attend Northeast State Community College is $6,198 for Tennessee Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students with aid.

Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Northeast State Technical Community College

#13

Dyersburg State Community College

Dyersburg, Tennessee

With a ranking of #13, Dyersburg State Community College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Dyersburg, Tennessee, this small public school awarded 335 diplomas to qualified ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities students in 2019-2020.

DSCC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #23 on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” list. The yearly cost to attend Dyersburg State Community College is $6,448 for Tennessee Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students with aid.

Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at DSCC

#14

Tennessee State University

Nashville, Tennessee

Tennessee State University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Getting Aid 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 / sciences and humanities degrees to qualified students.

Tennessee State University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” list. The yearly cost to attend Tennessee State University is $12,443 for Tennessee Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students with aid.

Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Tennessee State University

#15

Cleveland State Community College

Cleveland, Tennessee

Cleveland State Community College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #15. Cleveland State Community College is a public institution located in Cleveland, Tennessee. The school has a small population, and it awarded 526 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our tennessee liberal arts / sciences & humanities students with aid list, Cleveland State Community College has also earned the #24 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Cleveland State Community College is $5,080 for tennessee liberal arts / sciences & humanities students with aid.

Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Cleveland State Community College

#16

Tennessee Technological University

Cookeville, Tennessee

Tennessee Technological University landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Getting Aid ranking. Cookeville, Tennessee is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to 43 students in 2019-2020.

Tennessee Tech University also took the #6 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” ranking. It costs about $15,929 for Tennessee Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students with aid 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 more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Tennessee Technological University

#17

University of Memphis

Memphis, Tennessee

University of Memphis came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Memphis, Tennessee, this large public school awarded 131 diplomas to qualified ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities students in 2019-2020.

UofM also took the #16 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” ranking. It costs about $13,248 for Tennessee Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students with aid per year to attend UofM.

Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at UofM

#18

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, Tennessee

With a ranking of #18, Vanderbilt University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Getting Aid list. Vanderbilt University is located in Nashville, Tennessee and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 16 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to qualified students.

Vanderbilt did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” list. It costs about $19,432 for tennessee liberal arts / sciences & humanities students with aid per year to attend Vanderbilt University.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Vanderbilt University

#19

East Tennessee State University

Johnson City, Tennessee

East Tennessee State University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Getting Aid ranking. Johnson City, Tennessee is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to 133 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at ETSU, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The yearly cost to attend East Tennessee State University is $14,332 for Tennessee Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students with aid.

Full ETSU Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report

#20

Austin Peay State University

Clarksville, Tennessee

Austin Peay State University landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Clarksville, Tennessee, this fairly large public school awarded 1,189 degrees to qualified ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities students in 2019-2020.

Austin Peay State University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” list. The estimated yearly cost for Austin Peay State University is $13,692 for Tennessee Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students with aid.

Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Austin Peay State University

The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #21. The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga is a fairly large school located in Chattanooga, Tennessee that handed out 18 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our tennessee liberal arts / sciences & humanities students with aid list, UT Chattanooga has also earned the #22 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” ranking. It costs about $12,952 for tennessee liberal arts / sciences & humanities students with aid per year to attend The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga.

Full The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report

#22

Lee University

Cleveland, Tennessee

Lee University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #22. Lee University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Cleveland, Tennessee. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 56 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Lee University also made our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” list, coming in at #14. The yearly cost to attend Lee University is $17,696 for tennessee liberal arts / sciences & humanities students with aid.

Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Lee University

#23

Union University

Jackson, Tennessee

Union University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #23. This small school is located in Jackson, Tennessee, and it awarded 40 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

Union also took the #7 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Union University is $28,249 for tennessee liberal arts / sciences & humanities students with aid.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. 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%.

Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Union University

#24

Belmont University

Nashville, Tennessee

Belmont University landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee For Those Getting Aid ranking. Belmont University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Nashville, Tennessee. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 31 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Belmont also took the #2 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Belmont is $35,548 for Tennessee Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Belmont Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report

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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.

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