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2026 Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools in Tennessee

[Philosophy & Religious Studies](/majors/philosophy-and-religious-studies/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong philosophy & religious studies education at a price that pays off.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 29 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for philosophy & religious studies students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools in Tennessee

2026 Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools in Tennessee

If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the philosophy & religious studies degrees they offer, see the list below.

Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools

1

The University Of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN

$13,812 In-State Tuition & Fees

$25,000 Avg Student Debt

$60,249 Median Earnings (10yr)

The University Of Tennessee earned the #1 spot for value among philosophy & religious studies schools in Tennessee. Set in the city of Knoxville, The University Of Tennessee is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,812, compared with $33,256 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for philosophy & religious studies graduates is $25,000. Philosophy & Religious Studies graduates of The University Of Tennessee earn a median of $49,826 early in their careers. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 42%.

2

Johnson University
Knoxville, TN

$21,122 In-State Tuition & Fees

$23,819 Avg Student Debt

$40,596 Median Earnings (10yr)

Students looking for strong value in philosophy & religious studies will find it at Johnson University, which ranked #2. Set in the rural area of Knoxville, Johnson University is a small private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $21,122. Students borrow a median of $23,819 to complete the philosophy & religious studies program here. Philosophy & Religious Studies graduates of Johnson University earn a median of $34,290 early in their careers. Set against $23,819 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Johnson University admits about 65% of applicants.

View All Philosophy & Religious Studies Rankings >

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 · 29 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.