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2022 Best Value Colleges for Social Sciences (Income $0-$30k) in Tennessee

13 Ranked Colleges
2,165 Degrees Awarded
$10,700 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2019-2020, 205,726 social sciences students received their degree, making the major the 5th most popular in the country. In 2017-2018, social sciences graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $34,801 and had an average of $23,466 in loans still to pay off.

Across Tennessee, there were 2,165 social sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 13 colleges that offered a degree in social sciences. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality social sciences 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 social sciences 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.

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 Social Sciences Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important 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 Social Sciences Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 13 Best Value Colleges for Social Sciences (Income $0-$30k) in Tennessee

#1

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, Tennessee

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Vanderbilt University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k. Vanderbilt is a private not-for-profit institution located in Nashville, Tennessee. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 680 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Vanderbilt not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Tennessee” list. The estimated yearly cost for Vanderbilt is $3,156 for tennessee social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. 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%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Vanderbilt University

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The University of Tennessee - Knoxville. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k. Knoxville, Tennessee is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social sciences degrees to 408 students in 2019-2020.

UT Knoxville also took the #4 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for The University of Tennessee - Knoxville is $10,224 for Tennessee Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Full The University of Tennessee - Knoxville Social Sciences Report

#3

Rhodes College

Memphis, Tennessee

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Rhodes College. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k list. Rhodes College is located in Memphis, Tennessee and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 104 ’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

Rhodes College also made our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Tennessee” list, coming in at #2. The yearly cost to attend Rhodes College is $16,870 for tennessee social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. 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. The low student loan default rate of 2.0% 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%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Rhodes College

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k list. UT Chattanooga is a fairly large school located in Chattanooga, Tennessee that handed out 85 ’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

UT Chattanooga did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Tennessee” list. It costs about $8,108 for tennessee social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UT Chattanooga.

Read more about Social Sciences at UT Chattanooga

#5

Middle Tennessee State University

Murfreesboro, Tennessee

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Middle Tennessee State University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k list. Middle Tennessee State University is located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 132 ’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our tennessee social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k list, Middle Tennessee State University has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Middle Tennessee State University is $8,919 for Tennessee Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Middle Tennessee State University

#6

Tennessee Technological University

Cookeville, Tennessee

Tennessee Technological University landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Tennessee Technological University is a fairly large public school situated in Cookeville, Tennessee. It awarded 92 ’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Tennessee Tech University also made our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Tennessee” list, coming in at #5. The estimated yearly cost for Tennessee Tech University is $11,641 for Tennessee Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 full report on Social Sciences at Tennessee Tech University

The University of Tennessee - Martin came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. The University of Tennessee - Martin is a medium-sized school located in Martin, Tennessee that handed out 19 ’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our tennessee social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k list, UT Martin has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UT Martin is $7,524 for Tennessee Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Social Sciences at The University of Tennessee - Martin

#8

University of Memphis

Memphis, Tennessee

University of Memphis ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Memphis, Tennessee, this large public school handed out 147 diplomas to qualified ’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

UofM also made our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Tennessee” list, coming in at #6. The estimated yearly cost for UofM is $10,256 for Tennessee Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Social Sciences at UofM

#9

East Tennessee State University

Johnson City, Tennessee

East Tennessee State University landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Johnson City, Tennessee is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social sciences degrees to 85 students in 2019-2020.

ETSU also made our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Tennessee” list, coming in at #12. The estimated yearly cost for ETSU is $10,632 for tennessee social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full ETSU Social Sciences Report

#10

Tennessee State University

Nashville, Tennessee

Tennessee State University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Tennessee State University is a medium-sized school located in Nashville, Tennessee that handed out 55 ’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Tennessee State University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Tennessee” list. The yearly cost to attend Tennessee State University is $11,015 for tennessee social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Tennessee State University Social Sciences Report

#11

Austin Peay State University

Clarksville, Tennessee

With a ranking of #11, Austin Peay State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k list. Austin Peay State University is a fairly large school located in Clarksville, Tennessee that handed out 59 ’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Austin Peay State University also took the #10 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Austin Peay State University is $10,909 for Tennessee Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Austin Peay State University

Sewanee - The University of the South did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #12. Sewanee, Tennessee is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s social sciences degrees to 107 students in 2019-2020.

Sewanee also took the #3 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Sewanee - The University of the South is $17,277 for tennessee social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Sewanee

#13

Lane College

Jackson, Tennessee
#13 in overall quality

Lane College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #13. Lane College is a small school located in Jackson, Tennessee that handed out 20 ’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Lane College, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Lane College is $12,963 for Tennessee Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Lane College

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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