2026 Best Value Finance Schools in Tennessee
[Finance](/majors/business-management-marketing-sales/finance-financial-management/finance/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 22 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value finance schools.
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2026 Best Value Finance Schools in Tennessee
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in finance, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Finance Schools
Our analysis ranked The University Of Tennessee Martin the best value for a degree in finance in Tennessee. Located in the town of Martin, The University Of Tennessee Martin is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,560, with out-of-state students paying around $16,600. Typical student debt for finance graduates is $20,500. Soon after graduation, finance degree recipients from The University Of Tennessee Martin generally make around $45,325. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes Middle Tennessee State University one of the best values for finance. Set in the city of Murfreesboro, Middle Tennessee State University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,266, with out-of-state students paying around $31,574. Students borrow a median of $22,700 to complete the finance program here. Soon after graduation, finance degree recipients from Middle Tennessee State University generally make around $46,505. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 69%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga earned it the #3 place for finance. The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga is a large public school located in the city of Chattanooga. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,448, while out-of-state students pay about $18,512. Typical student debt for finance graduates is $23,324. Soon after graduation, finance degree recipients from The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga generally make around $50,000. Set against $23,324 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga admits about 81% of applicants.
Tennessee Technological University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in finance, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the town of Cookeville, Tennessee Technological University is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $11,376, with out-of-state students paying around $15,576. Typical student debt for finance graduates is $16,087. Soon after graduation, finance degree recipients from Tennessee Technological University generally make around $41,176. That is a strong return on a $16,087 median debt. Tennessee Technological University admits about 76% of applicants.
A rank of #5 makes University Of Memphis one of the best values for finance. Set in the city of Memphis, University Of Memphis is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $10,728, with out-of-state students paying around $15,384. Typical student debt for finance graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, finance degree recipients from University Of Memphis generally make around $44,395. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Memphis admits about 72% of applicants.
Austin Peay State University placed #6 among the best values for finance. Located in the city of Clarksville, Austin Peay State University is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,006, with out-of-state students paying around $14,766. Typical student debt for finance graduates is $17,500. Finance graduates of Austin Peay State University earn a median of $48,264 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $17,500 median debt. Roughly 96% of applicants are accepted.
East Tennessee State University placed #7 among the best values for finance. East Tennessee State University is a large public school located in the city of Johnson City. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,216, with out-of-state students paying around $13,726. Typical student debt for finance graduates is $18,125. Soon after graduation, finance degree recipients from East Tennessee State University generally make around $39,936. Set against $18,125 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. East Tennessee State University admits about 86% of applicants.
The University Of Tennessee ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best value finance schools. Located in the city of Knoxville, The University Of Tennessee is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,812, while out-of-state students pay about $33,256. Finance graduates carry a median of $23,250 in student loans. Finance graduates of The University Of Tennessee earn a median of $53,826 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,250 median debt. The acceptance rate is 42%.
Lee University ranked #9 on our 2026 list of the best value finance schools. Set in the city of Cleveland, Lee University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $23,790 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for finance graduates is $26,422. Soon after graduation, finance degree recipients from Lee University generally make around $38,249. That is a strong return on a $26,422 median debt. The acceptance rate is 70%.
Southern Adventist University came in at #10 for value in finance this year. Southern Adventist University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Collegedale. Students from in state pay about $27,300 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for finance graduates is $25,498. Soon after graduation, finance degree recipients from Southern Adventist University generally make around $61,366. That is a strong return on a $25,498 median debt. Southern Adventist University admits about 66% of applicants.
Lipscomb University placed #11 among the best values for finance. Located in the city of Nashville, Lipscomb University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $40,572. Finance graduates carry a median of $23,529 in student loans. Soon after graduation, finance degree recipients from Lipscomb University generally make around $48,949. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 68%.
Sewanee The University Of The South placed #12 among the best values for finance. Sewanee The University Of The South is a small private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Sewanee. Students from in state pay about $56,120 in tuition and fees. Finance graduates carry a median of $22,091 in student loans. Soon after graduation, finance degree recipients from Sewanee The University Of The South generally make around $36,927. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 57% of applicants are accepted.
Belmont University earned the #13 position for value in finance this year. Located in the city of Nashville, Belmont University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $42,540. Finance graduates carry a median of $23,447 in student loans. Early-career finance graduates make about $49,699. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 95%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 22 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 11 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
