2026 Best Value Human Resource Management Schools in Tennessee
[Human Resource Management](/majors/business-management-marketing-sales/human-resource-management/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 15 schools to find the best return on investment for human resource management students.
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2026 Best Value Human Resource Management Schools in Tennessee
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the human resource management degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Human Resource Management Schools
For return on investment in human resource management, no school beat The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga this year. Located in the city of Chattanooga, The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $10,448 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $18,512. Human Resource Management graduates carry a median of $23,324 in student loans. Early-career human resource management graduates make about $50,000. Set against $23,324 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 81% of applicants are accepted.
Austin Peay State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in human resource management, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Clarksville, Austin Peay State University is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $9,006, compared with $14,766 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,530 to complete the human resource management program here. Early-career human resource management graduates make about $44,360. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 96% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes The University Of Tennessee one of the best values for human resource management. The University Of Tennessee is a very large public school located in the city of Knoxville. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,812, while out-of-state students pay about $33,256. Students borrow a median of $22,018 to complete the human resource management program here. Early-career human resource management graduates make about $56,879. Set against $22,018 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 42%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Vanderbilt University earned it the #4 place for human resource management. Set in the city of Nashville, Vanderbilt University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $67,498. Students borrow a median of $13,975 to complete the human resource management program here. Soon after graduation, human resource management degree recipients from Vanderbilt University generally make around $102,713. That is a strong return on a $13,975 median debt. Roughly 6% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Tusculum College earned it the #5 place for human resource management. Located in the town of Greeneville, Tusculum College is a small private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $29,250. Human Resource Management graduates carry a median of $25,278 in student loans. Human Resource Management graduates of Tusculum College earn a median of $49,954 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 15 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
