2026 Best Value Industrial & Organizational Psychology Schools in Tennessee
[Industrial & Organizational Psychology](/majors/psychology/clinical-counseling-applied-psychology/industrial-and-organizational-psychology/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools to find the best return on investment for industrial & organizational psychology students.
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2026 Best Value Industrial & Organizational Psychology Schools in Tennessee
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in industrial & organizational psychology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Industrial & Organizational Psychology Schools
Middle Tennessee State University tops our 2026 list of the best value industrial & organizational psychology schools in Tennessee. Located in the city of Murfreesboro, Middle Tennessee State University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,266, with out-of-state students paying around $31,574. Industrial & Organizational Psychology graduates carry a median of $23,375 in student loans. Industrial & Organizational Psychology graduates of Middle Tennessee State University earn a median of $35,159 early in their careers. Set against $23,375 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 69% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga earned it the #2 place for industrial & organizational psychology. Set in the city of Chattanooga, The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,448, compared with $18,512 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,324 to complete the industrial & organizational psychology program here. Industrial & Organizational Psychology graduates of The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga earn a median of $50,000 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,324 median debt. The acceptance rate is 81%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Austin Peay State University earned it the #3 place for industrial & organizational psychology. Austin Peay State University is a large public school located in the city of Clarksville. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,006, compared with $14,766 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for industrial & organizational psychology graduates is $24,530. Soon after graduation, industrial & organizational psychology degree recipients from Austin Peay State University generally make around $57,354. Set against $24,530 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 96% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #4 makes Vanderbilt University one of the best values for industrial & organizational psychology. Located in the city of Nashville, Vanderbilt University is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $67,498. Industrial & Organizational Psychology graduates carry a median of $13,975 in student loans. Industrial & Organizational Psychology graduates of Vanderbilt University earn a median of $77,997 early in their careers. Set against $13,975 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 6%.
Southern Adventist University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in industrial & organizational psychology, landing the #5 spot this year. Southern Adventist University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Collegedale. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $27,300. Industrial & Organizational Psychology graduates carry a median of $25,498 in student loans. Industrial & Organizational Psychology graduates of Southern Adventist University earn a median of $61,366 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Southern Adventist University admits about 66% of applicants.
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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 · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
