by our College Data Analytics Team
[Medicine](/majors/health-care-professions/medicine/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong medicine education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 6 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value medicine schools.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the medicine degrees they offer, see the list below.
Leading the list is East Tennessee State University, our #1 best value for medicine in Tennessee. Set in the city of Johnson City, East Tennessee State University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,216, compared with $13,726 for out-of-state students. Medicine graduates carry a median of $21,301 in student loans. Early-career medicine graduates make about $60,144. That is a strong return on a $21,301 median debt. The acceptance rate is 86%.
Lincoln Memorial University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value medicine schools. Located in the town of Harrogate, Lincoln Memorial University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $26,938. Typical student debt for medicine graduates is $20,693. Medicine graduates of Lincoln Memorial University earn a median of $61,666 early in their careers. Set against $20,693 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 63%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Vanderbilt University earned it the #3 place for medicine. 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. Typical student debt for medicine graduates is $13,975. Soon after graduation, medicine degree recipients from Vanderbilt University generally make around $66,933. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 6%.
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The ranking above is published 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 · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.