2026 Best Value School Nursing Schools in Tennessee
[School Nursing](/majors/health-care-professions/nursing/school-nursing/) 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 6 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value school nursing schools.
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2026 Best Value School Nursing Schools in Tennessee
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in school nursing, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value School Nursing Schools
Leading the list is Tennessee Technological University, our #1 best value for school nursing in Tennessee. Tennessee Technological University is a large public school located in the town of Cookeville. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,376, while out-of-state students pay about $15,576. School Nursing graduates carry a median of $18,349 in student loans. Soon after graduation, school nursing degree recipients from Tennessee Technological University generally make around $46,981. That is a strong return on a $18,349 median debt. Roughly 76% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in school nursing will find it at The University Of Tennessee, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Knoxville, The University Of Tennessee is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $13,812, while out-of-state students pay about $33,256. Typical student debt for school nursing graduates is $23,292. Early-career school nursing graduates make about $49,826. That is a strong return on a $23,292 median debt. The University Of Tennessee admits about 42% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes Vanderbilt University one of the best values for school nursing. Located in the city of Nashville, Vanderbilt University is a large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $67,498. Typical student debt for school nursing graduates is $13,975. Early-career school nursing graduates make about $125,565. Set against $13,975 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 6% of applicants are accepted.
King College came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value school nursing schools. Located in the city of Bristol, King College is a small private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $20,397 in tuition and fees. School Nursing graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Early-career school nursing graduates make about $77,837. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 100% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in school nursing will find it at Union University, which ranked #5. Set in the city of Jackson, Union University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $37,398. Students borrow a median of $29,127 to complete the school nursing program here. School Nursing graduates of Union University earn a median of $68,508 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $29,127 median debt. Union University admits about 60% of applicants.
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Notes and References
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 1 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.
