Best colleges for psychology in Tennessee
Vanderbilt University ranks first in Tennessee for psychology value (#5 nationally, value score 90.2): graduates earn $71,584 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 · 20 Tennessee colleges ranked · Updated November 4, 2026
Best psychology colleges in Tennessee
Vanderbilt University ranks first in Tennessee for psychology value (#5 nationally, value score 90.2): graduates earn $71,584 4 years after the bachelor's degree, and the average net price is $15,497 a year. 20 Tennessee colleges qualify. At the median one, psychology graduates earn $45,200 and the average net price is $16,836 a year.
Source: U.S. College Scorecard field of study, 2025
What the data shows
Key findings
- 20 Tennessee colleges qualify. At the median one, psychology graduates earn $45,200 and the average net price is $16,836 a year.
- The lowest average net price among them is at Austin Peay State University: $9,049 a year.
- Median earnings
- $45,200
- National: $51,007
- Median net price
- $16,836
- National: $18,874
- Median federal debt
- $20,194
- psychology graduates
- Public colleges
- 8 of 20
- in this list
20 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.
- Earnings
- $71,584
- Net price
- $15,497
- Federal debt
- $11,250
- Graduation rate
- 93%
- Rank in Tennessee 2
The University of the South Sewanee
Sewanee, TN · Private nonprofit · #179 nationally
64.7Value- Earnings
- $58,715
- Net price
- $31,931
- Federal debt
- $20,194
- Graduation rate
- 79%
- Rank in Tennessee 3
Memphis, TN · Private nonprofit · #425 nationally
48.9Value- Earnings
- $50,180
- Net price
- $16,842
- Federal debt
- $21,250
- Graduation rate
- 55%
- Earnings
- $52,172
- Net price
- $32,648
- Federal debt
- $20,500
- Graduation rate
- 71%
- Rank in Tennessee 5
Nashville, TN · Private nonprofit · #476 nationally
45.4Value- Earnings
- $49,989
- Net price
- $19,828
- Federal debt
- $20,000
- Graduation rate
- 51%
- Rank in Tennessee 6
The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga
Chattanooga, TN · Public · #487 nationally
44.6Value- Earnings
- $44,700
- Net price
- $15,026
- Federal debt
- $16,344
- Graduation rate
- 56%
- Earnings
- $47,933
- Net price
- $23,178
- Federal debt
- $18,750
- Graduation rate
- 71%
- Rank in Tennessee 8
Middle Tennessee State University
Murfreesboro, TN · Public · #532 nationally
41.8Value- Earnings
- $43,826
- Net price
- $12,562
- Federal debt
- $18,296
- Graduation rate
- 54%
- Earnings
- $45,700
- Net price
- $12,192
- Federal debt
- $21,250
- Graduation rate
- 53%
- Rank in Tennessee 10
Tennessee Technological University
Cookeville, TN · Public · #556 nationally
40.1Value- Earnings
- $44,043
- Net price
- $16,830
- Federal debt
- $17,000
- Graduation rate
- 56%
- Rank in Tennessee 11
East Tennessee State University
Johnson City, TN · Public · #587 nationally
38.0Value- Earnings
- $42,358
- Net price
- $14,208
- Federal debt
- $18,000
- Graduation rate
- 55%
- Earnings
- $42,713
- Net price
- $15,965
- Federal debt
- $17,250
- Graduation rate
- 45%
- Earnings
- $46,721
- Net price
- $12,154
- Federal debt
- $27,000
- Graduation rate
- 34%
- Rank in Tennessee 14
The University of Tennessee-Martin
Martin, TN · Public · #662 nationally
33.2Value- Earnings
- $36,507
- Net price
- $10,211
- Federal debt
- $17,375
- Graduation rate
- 51%
- Earnings
- $47,549
- Net price
- $23,601
- Federal debt
- $21,500
- Graduation rate
- 53%
- Rank in Tennessee 16
Cleveland, TN · Private nonprofit · #685 nationally
31.5Value- Earnings
- $46,719
- Net price
- $21,034
- Federal debt
- $26,541
- Graduation rate
- 62%
- Earnings
- $41,303
- Net price
- $9,049
- Federal debt
- $23,809
- Graduation rate
- 42%
- Rank in Tennessee 18
Jefferson City, TN · Private nonprofit · #773 nationally
21.7Value- Earnings
- $37,992
- Net price
- $18,130
- Federal debt
- $21,324
- Graduation rate
- 54%
- Rank in Tennessee 19
Greeneville, TN · Private nonprofit · #800 nationally
16.7Value- Earnings
- $37,934
- Net price
- $20,508
- Federal debt
- Not reported
- Graduation rate
- 39%
- Rank in Tennessee 20
Bristol, TN · Private nonprofit · #802 nationally
15.1Value- Earnings
- $40,796
- Net price
- $22,416
- Federal debt
- $23,250
- Graduation rate
- 44%
Method: the same value score as the national psychology 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 psychology colleges in Tennessee
What are the best colleges for psychology in Tennessee?
By CollegesRef value score, the top 3 Tennessee colleges for psychology are Vanderbilt University (value score 90.2), The University of the South Sewanee (value score 64.7) and Christian Brothers University (value score 48.9). The score weighs graduate earnings, debt relative to earnings, average net price and graduation rate.
Which Tennessee college has the highest earnings for psychology graduates?
Vanderbilt University: its psychology graduates have median earnings of $71,584 4 years after the bachelor's degree.
What is the most affordable psychology 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 psychology?
20 Tennessee colleges have a psychology 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.