Middle Tennessee State University
Murfreesboro, Tennessee · Public · 69.1% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 46/100 · Below Average Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Middle Tennessee State University receives a CampusROI score of 46 (Below Average Value tier) under our methodology, alongside a 53.7% completion rate. Published tuition is $10,266 in state and $31,574 out of state, and the average net price is $13,359 per year, or $53,436 over four years of attendance (a cost figure, not a debt figure). The net price is higher than published tuition because it measures the full cost of attendance after grant aid, not tuition alone. Median debt at graduation is $20,000 against average earnings of $33,600 six years after entry, a 0.595 debt-to-earnings ratio, and median earnings reach $48,541 ten years after entry. Our model estimates a 14.3-year payback period. Three years after leaving, 64.0% of borrowers were making progress on repayment. Outcomes vary widely by program and by student, and these institution-level figures describe past cohorts rather than any individual result. Figures are from the 2024-2025 College Scorecard release.
Middle Tennessee State University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $10,266/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $31,574/yr |
| Average net price | $13,359/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $53,436 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $48,541 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $33,600 |
| Median debt at graduation | $20,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $212 |
| Estimated payback period | 14.3 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 53.7% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 16,301 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $10,266/year ($31,574/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $13,359/year, or roughly $53,436 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $9,289/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $19,046/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $20,000, which works out to about $212 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($33,600) and comes to 0.59, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $9,289 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $10,273 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $13,007 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $16,935 |
| $110,001+ | $19,046 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 report an average net price of $9,289 per year, about $37,200 over four years. Institutional and outside aid can change this figure significantly for individual students.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Families earning $30,001-$48,000 report an average net price of $10,273 per year, families earning $48,001-$75,000 report $13,007, and families earning $75,001-$110,000 report $16,935.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning over $110,000 report an average net price of $19,046 per year, about $76,200 over four years.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Middle Tennessee State University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $49,997 | C |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $63,928 | B |
| Psychology | $43,826 | C |
| Air Transportation | $80,424 | C+ |
| Music | $43,999 | D |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $55,481 | C |
| Biology | $56,659 | C |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $48,608 | D |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management | $46,349 | D |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $37,274 | C |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Construction Management
Construction Management has 49 graduates in the Scorecard program cohort and a B+ grade under our methodology. Median earnings are $71,762 in the first year and $98,967 by year four, against median debt of $22,050 (a 0.307 debt-to-earnings ratio).
Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering
Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering has 51 graduates in the Scorecard program cohort and a B+ grade under our methodology. Median earnings are $71,664 in the first year and $92,533 by year four, against median debt of $20,000 (a 0.279 debt-to-earnings ratio).
Air Transportation
Air Transportation has 212 graduates in the Scorecard program cohort and a C+ grade under our methodology. Median earnings are $43,909 in the first year and $80,424 by year four, against median debt of $21,992 (a 0.501 debt-to-earnings ratio).
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration, Management, and Operations has 271 graduates in the Scorecard program cohort and a B grade under our methodology. Median earnings are $44,608 in the first year and $63,928 by year four, against median debt of $20,000 (a 0.448 debt-to-earnings ratio).
Music
Music has 155 graduates in the Scorecard program cohort and a D grade under our methodology. Median earnings are $27,586 in the first year and $43,999 by year four, against median debt of $22,608 (a 0.82 debt-to-earnings ratio).
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 58.0% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 64.0% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 57.3% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 63.8% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Middle Tennessee State University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 69.1% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 490-600 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 520-630 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 20-26 |
| Enrollment | 16,301 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 31.8% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $9,739 |
MTSU admits 69.1% of applicants. SAT middle-50% ranges are 490-600 math and 520-630 reading; the ACT composite range is 20-26. The completion rate of 53.7% measures the share of first-time, full-time students who finish within 150% of normal time.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Tennessee State University (this school) | 46 | $13,359 | $48,541 |
| University of North Georgia | 61 | $9,823 | $50,135 |
| Mississippi State University | 54 | $17,595 | $51,513 |
| Miami University-Oxford | 54 | $28,384 | $55,076 |
| Austin Peay State University | 36 | $9,735 | $44,301 |
| East Tennessee State University | 35 | $15,983 | $44,859 |
Head-to-Head ROI Comparisons
See Middle Tennessee State University side by side with similar schools on ROI, cost, earnings, and debt.
Who Thrives Here
Students relying heavily on loans should compare the net price for their income bracket using MTSU's net price calculator.
The Verdict: Proceed With Caution
The money case for Middle Tennessee State University is mixed, and worth a hard look before you commit. At $13,359 per year after aid, the typical graduate earns $48,541 ten years after entry, which means it takes about 14.3 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years. Whether it's worth it comes down to your major and your aid package.
What to keep an eye on: a three-year loan repayment rate of 64.0% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $20,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $33,600 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.59, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Middle Tennessee State University: Common Questions
Is Middle Tennessee State University worth it?
In our view, the money case is mixed and worth a hard look before you commit. Middle Tennessee State University scores 46/100 on our ROI scale. At $13,359 a year after aid the typical graduate earns $48,541 ten years after entry, so it takes about 14.3 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Middle Tennessee State University cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $13,359 a year, or roughly $53,436 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Middle Tennessee State University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $48,541 ten years after enrolling, roughly $6,741 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Middle Tennessee State University?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 14.3 years for Middle Tennessee State University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Middle Tennessee State University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $20,000, against average earnings of $33,600 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.59. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Middle Tennessee State University?
The six-year graduation rate is 53.7%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.