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2026 Best Value Youth Ministry Schools in Tennessee

[Youth Ministry](/majors/theology-and-religious-vocations/pastoral-counseling-specialized-ministries/youth-ministry/) 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.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 7 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for youth ministry students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Youth Ministry Schools in Tennessee

2026 Best Value Youth Ministry Schools in Tennessee

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in youth ministry, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Youth Ministry Schools

1

Lee University
Cleveland, TN

$23,790 In-State Tuition & Fees

$28,750 Avg Student Debt

$43,222 Median Earnings (10yr)

Lee University earned the #1 spot for value among youth ministry schools in Tennessee. Set in the city of Cleveland, Lee University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $23,790. Youth Ministry graduates carry a median of $28,750 in student loans. Early-career youth ministry graduates make about $35,189. That is a strong return on a $28,750 median debt. The acceptance rate is 70%.

2

Milligan College
Milligan, TN

$40,450 In-State Tuition & Fees

$26,150 Avg Student Debt

$46,641 Median Earnings (10yr)

Milligan College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in youth ministry, landing the #2 spot this year. Milligan College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Milligan. Students from in state pay about $40,450 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for youth ministry graduates is $26,150. Youth Ministry graduates of Milligan College earn a median of $64,327 early in their careers. Set against $26,150 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 72%.

View All Youth Ministry 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 · 7 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.