2026 Best Value Occupational Therapy/Therapist Schools in Tennessee
[Occupational Therapy/Therapist](/majors/health-care-professions/rehab-and-therapeutic-professions/occupational-therapy-therapist/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong occupational therapy/therapist education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 7 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value occupational therapy/therapist schools.
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2026 Best Value Occupational Therapy/Therapist Schools in Tennessee
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in occupational therapy/therapist, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Occupational Therapy/Therapist Schools
For return on investment in occupational therapy/therapist, no school beat Tennessee State University this year. Located in the city of Nashville, Tennessee State University is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $8,616 in tuition and fees, compared with $22,416 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $29,489 to complete the occupational therapy/therapist program here. Early-career occupational therapy/therapist graduates make about $67,436. Set against $29,489 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 70% of applicants are accepted.
The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga is a great value for students pursuing a degree in occupational therapy/therapist, landing the #2 spot this year. The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga is a large public school located in the city of Chattanooga. In-state tuition and fees average $10,448, with out-of-state students paying around $18,512. Occupational Therapy/therapist graduates carry a median of $23,324 in student loans. Occupational Therapy/therapist graduates of The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga earn a median of $72,301 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,324 median debt. The acceptance rate is 81%.
Tennessee Wesleyan College came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value occupational therapy/therapist schools. Tennessee Wesleyan College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Athens. In-state tuition and fees average $30,814. Students borrow a median of $29,750 to complete the occupational therapy/therapist program here. Occupational Therapy/therapist graduates of Tennessee Wesleyan College earn a median of $58,859 early in their careers. Set against $29,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 69%.
Lincoln Memorial University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value occupational therapy/therapist schools. Lincoln Memorial University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Harrogate. Students from in state pay about $26,938 in tuition and fees. Occupational Therapy/therapist graduates carry a median of $20,693 in student loans. Occupational Therapy/therapist graduates of Lincoln Memorial University earn a median of $64,307 early in their careers. Set against $20,693 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 63% of applicants are accepted.
Milligan College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in occupational therapy/therapist, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Milligan, Milligan College is a small private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $40,450. Occupational Therapy/therapist graduates carry a median of $26,150 in student loans. Soon after graduation, occupational therapy/therapist degree recipients from Milligan College generally make around $66,275. That is a strong return on a $26,150 median debt. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
Belmont University earned the #6 position for value in occupational therapy/therapist this year. Located in the city of Nashville, Belmont University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $42,540. Students borrow a median of $23,447 to complete the occupational therapy/therapist program here. Soon after graduation, occupational therapy/therapist degree recipients from Belmont University generally make around $73,552. That is a strong return on a $23,447 median debt. Roughly 95% of applicants are accepted.
More Occupational Therapy/Therapist Rankings
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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 · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.
