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2026 Best Value General Public Policy Analysis Schools in Tennessee

[General Public Policy Analysis](/majors/social-services-public-administration/public-policy/public-policy-analysis-general/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for general public policy analysis students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value General Public Policy Analysis Schools in Tennessee

2026 Best Value General Public Policy Analysis Schools in Tennessee

If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general public policy analysis degrees they offer, see the list below.

Best Value General Public Policy Analysis Schools

1

Tennessee State University
Nashville, TN

$8,616 In-State Tuition & Fees

$29,489 Avg Student Debt

$42,730 Median Earnings (10yr)

Tennessee State University earned the #1 spot for value among general public policy analysis schools in Tennessee. Located in the city of Nashville, Tennessee State University is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $8,616, while out-of-state students pay about $22,416. Typical student debt for general public policy analysis graduates is $29,489. General Public Policy Analysis graduates of Tennessee State University earn a median of $45,060 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 70%.

2

Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN

$67,498 In-State Tuition & Fees

$13,975 Avg Student Debt

$91,565 Median Earnings (10yr)

Students looking for strong value in general public policy analysis will find it at Vanderbilt University, which ranked #2. Vanderbilt University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Nashville. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $67,498. Students borrow a median of $13,975 to complete the general public policy analysis program here. General Public Policy Analysis graduates of Vanderbilt University earn a median of $60,174 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 6%.

View All General Public Policy Analysis Rankings >

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 · 4 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.