2026 Best Value Human Development & Family Studies Schools in Tennessee
[Human Development & Family Studies](/majors/family-consumer-human-sciences/human-development-family-studies/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 25 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for human development & family studies students.
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2026 Best Value Human Development & Family Studies Schools in Tennessee
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in human development & family studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Human Development & Family Studies Schools
For return on investment in human development & family studies, no school beat Dyersburg State Community College this year. Dyersburg State Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Dyersburg. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,758, compared with $18,060 for out-of-state students. Human Development & Family Studies graduates carry a median of $10,611 in student loans. Early-career human development & family studies graduates make about $41,177. Set against $10,611 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Northeast State Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in human development & family studies, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the rural area of Blountville, Northeast State Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $4,782 in tuition and fees, compared with $17,766 for out-of-state students. Human Development & Family Studies graduates carry a median of $6,404 in student loans. Early-career human development & family studies graduates make about $39,673. Set against $6,404 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Roane State Community College came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value human development & family studies schools. Located in the town of Harriman, Roane State Community College is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $4,998, while out-of-state students pay about $18,630. Students borrow a median of $9,408 to complete the human development & family studies program here. Human Development & Family Studies graduates of Roane State Community College earn a median of $36,933 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $9,408 median debt.
Nashville State Community College came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value human development & family studies schools. Set in the city of Nashville, Nashville State Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $4,730 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $17,714. Students borrow a median of $16,745 to complete the human development & family studies program here. Early-career human development & family studies graduates make about $41,456. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Tennessee Technological University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in human development & family studies, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the town of Cookeville, Tennessee Technological University is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,376, compared with $15,576 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for human development & family studies graduates is $17,580. Soon after graduation, human development & family studies degree recipients from Tennessee Technological University generally make around $46,981. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 76%.
East Tennessee State University landed the #6 spot for human development & family studies value this year. 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. Students borrow a median of $20,032 to complete the human development & family studies program here. Early-career human development & family studies graduates make about $33,301. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. East Tennessee State University admits about 86% of applicants.
The University Of Tennessee placed #7 among the best values for human development & family studies. Located in the city of Knoxville, The University Of Tennessee is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $13,812 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $33,256. Typical student debt for human development & family studies graduates is $22,790. Soon after graduation, human development & family studies degree recipients from The University Of Tennessee generally make around $39,911. That is a strong return on a $22,790 median debt. The acceptance rate is 42%.
Vanderbilt University came in at #8 for value in human development & family studies this year. Set in the city of Nashville, Vanderbilt University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $67,498 in tuition and fees. Human Development & Family Studies graduates carry a median of $13,975 in student loans. Soon after graduation, human development & family studies degree recipients from Vanderbilt University generally make around $77,997. That is a strong return on a $13,975 median debt. The acceptance rate is 6%.
Lee University ranked #9 on our 2026 list of the best value human development & family studies schools. Located in the city of Cleveland, Lee University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $23,790 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for human development & family studies graduates is $26,422. Early-career human development & family studies graduates make about $38,249. Set against $26,422 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 70% of applicants are accepted.
Miller Motte Technical College Chattanooga came in at #10 for value in human development & family studies this year. Located in the city of Chattanooga, Miller Motte Technical College Chattanooga is a moderately-sized private for-profit university. Students borrow a median of $20,598 to complete the human development & family studies program here. Early-career human development & family studies graduates make about $29,532. Set against $20,598 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
More Human Development & Family Studies Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 25 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.
