Best colleges for education in Tennessee

    Vanderbilt University ranks first in Tennessee for education value (#34 nationally, value score 78.8): graduates earn $55,188 4 years after the bachelor's degree, and the average net price is $15,497 a year.

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition · Source: College Scorecard field of study, reporting year 2025 · 11 Tennessee colleges ranked · Updated November 4, 2026

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    Best education colleges in Tennessee

    Vanderbilt University ranks first in Tennessee for education value (#34 nationally, value score 78.8): graduates earn $55,188 4 years after the bachelor's degree, and the average net price is $15,497 a year. 11 Tennessee colleges qualify. At the median one, education graduates earn $45,886 and the average net price is $14,208 a year.

    Source: U.S. College Scorecard field of study, 2025

    What the data shows

    Key findings

    • 11 Tennessee colleges qualify. At the median one, education graduates earn $45,886 and the average net price is $14,208 a year.
    • The lowest average net price among them is at Austin Peay State University: $9,049 a year.
    Median earnings
    $45,886
    National: $48,822
    Median net price
    $14,208
    National: $17,201
    Median federal debt
    $20,625
    education graduates
    Public colleges
    8 of 11
    in this list

    11 colleges

    The Tennessee ranking

    Ordered by the national value score; the national rank is shown with each college. Earnings are medians 4 years after the bachelor's degree.

    1. Rank in Tennessee 1

      Vanderbilt University

      Nashville, TN · Private nonprofit · #34 nationally

      78.8Value
      Earnings
      $55,188
      Net price
      $15,497
      Federal debt
      Not reported
      Graduation rate
      93%
    2. Rank in Tennessee 2

      Austin Peay State University

      Clarksville, TN · Public · #240 nationally

      51.5Value
      Earnings
      $46,900
      Net price
      $9,049
      Federal debt
      $20,500
      Graduation rate
      42%
    3. Rank in Tennessee 3

      Middle Tennessee State University

      Murfreesboro, TN · Public · #259 nationally

      49.9Value
      Earnings
      $46,252
      Net price
      $12,562
      Federal debt
      $20,750
      Graduation rate
      54%
    4. Rank in Tennessee 4

      The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga

      Chattanooga, TN · Public · #268 nationally

      48.9Value
      Earnings
      $46,029
      Net price
      $15,026
      Federal debt
      $18,969
      Graduation rate
      56%
    5. Rank in Tennessee 5

      The University of Tennessee-Martin

      Martin, TN · Public · #276 nationally

      47.9Value
      Earnings
      $42,481
      Net price
      $10,211
      Federal debt
      $15,000
      Graduation rate
      51%
    6. Rank in Tennessee 6

      East Tennessee State University

      Johnson City, TN · Public · #277 nationally

      47.7Value
      Earnings
      $43,687
      Net price
      $14,208
      Federal debt
      $15,000
      Graduation rate
      55%
    7. Rank in Tennessee 7

      University of Memphis

      Memphis, TN · Public · #338 nationally

      42.5Value
      Earnings
      $44,293
      Net price
      $12,192
      Federal debt
      $21,500
      Graduation rate
      53%
    8. Rank in Tennessee 8

      Tennessee State University

      Nashville, TN · Public · #343 nationally

      41.7Value
      Earnings
      $45,886
      Net price
      $12,154
      Federal debt
      $22,000
      Graduation rate
      34%
    9. Rank in Tennessee 9

      Tennessee Technological University

      Cookeville, TN · Public · #362 nationally

      39.9Value
      Earnings
      $43,264
      Net price
      $16,830
      Federal debt
      $17,000
      Graduation rate
      56%
    10. Rank in Tennessee 10

      Lee University-Tennessee

      Cleveland, TN · Private nonprofit · #366 nationally

      39.5Value
      Earnings
      $48,382
      Net price
      $21,034
      Federal debt
      $27,000
      Graduation rate
      62%
    11. Rank in Tennessee 11

      Freed-Hardeman University

      Henderson, TN · Private nonprofit · #431 nationally

      31.5Value
      Earnings
      $43,057
      Net price
      $22,036
      Federal debt
      $21,541
      Graduation rate
      73%

    Method: the same value score as the national education ranking (earnings, debt relative to earnings, average net price and graduation rate, each a national percentile). Data: College Scorecard, reporting year 2025; 2026–27 edition, verified Nov 2026.

    Questions about education colleges in Tennessee

    What are the best colleges for education in Tennessee?

    By CollegesRef value score, the top 3 Tennessee colleges for education are Vanderbilt University (value score 78.8), Austin Peay State University (value score 51.5) and Middle Tennessee State University (value score 49.9). The score weighs graduate earnings, debt relative to earnings, average net price and graduation rate.

    Which Tennessee college has the highest earnings for education graduates?

    Vanderbilt University: its education graduates have median earnings of $55,188 4 years after the bachelor's degree.

    What is the most affordable education college in Tennessee on this list?

    Austin Peay State University has the lowest average net price of the ranked Tennessee colleges, $9,049 a year after grants. A family's own price depends on income and aid.

    How many Tennessee colleges are ranked for education?

    11 Tennessee colleges have a education bachelor's program with enough graduates and reported earnings, plus a published net price and graduation rate. Ranks shown are national; the state rank is their order within Tennessee.