Strayer University-Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee · Private For-Profit
ROI Score: 11/100 · Poor Value
Strayer University-Tennessee earns a CampusROI score of 11 -- one of the lowest in the dataset and the kind of result that defines the for-profit-college red flag. Sticker tuition is $13,920 against a net price of $11,645. Median earnings are $38,400 at six years and $40,092 at ten years -- showing virtually zero wage growth over four years, the signature pattern of adult-learner credentialing where students were already working at similar wages before enrolling. The crushing number is debt: $40,621 in median debt produces a 1.058 debt-to-earnings ratio (subscore 4) and a 36.6-year payback period. Completion is reported as 0% (subscore 0) -- a data point that may reflect Scorecard methodology around the Tennessee campus's small first-time-student cohort, but is alarming on its face. Three-year repayment is just 42.4% (subscore 4), and seven-year repayment falls to 37%. Strayer-TN enrolls 1,784 students with an 86.9% Pell rate -- one of the highest in the dataset, signaling the school predominantly serves low-income adult learners who are taking on massive debt loads relative to wage outcomes.
The data raises concerns about Strayer University-Tennessee
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score11/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- Debt-to-earnings1.06 - Advisors recommend total student debt stay below one year of salary (ratio under 1.0).
- 6-year graduation rate0.0% - Well below the 60% national average. Non-completion is the fastest route to negative ROI.
- Payback period36.6 years - Most 4-year schools we track have payback periods of 4-10 years.
Strayer University-Tennessee
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $13,920/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $13,920/yr |
| Average net price | $11,645/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $46,580 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $40,092 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $38,400 |
| Median debt at graduation | $40,621 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $431 |
| Estimated payback period | 36.6 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 0.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,784 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Strayer University-Tennessee is $13,920/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $11,645/year, or roughly $46,580 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $3,078/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $20,213/year. The school provides substantial aid to low-income students, making it significantly more affordable than the sticker price suggests.
The median graduate leaves with $40,621 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $431 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $40,092 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 1.06 - above the recommended threshold where total debt should not exceed first-year salary.
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 | $3,078 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | N/A |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | N/A |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | N/A |
| $110,001+ | $20,213 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-30,000 pay $3,078 per year, totaling about $12,312 over four years -- among the lowest reported net prices. But the median debt of $40,621 tells a different story: actual borrowing is multiples of the reported net price, suggesting living expenses, certificate-stacking, or other costs are loaded onto loans. With $38,400 in median earnings, the math fails completely. This is the structural for-profit-college warning.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Net price for middle-income brackets ($30,001-110,000) is unreported -- null in the data. The school's enrollment model is so heavily skewed toward low-income Pell-eligible students that middle-income financial outcomes simply aren't statistically meaningful. Middle-income adult learners have far better options at Tennessee public universities.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $20,213 per year -- a substantially higher figure that reflects either limited aid for higher earners or self-selected employer-pay enrollment. Total four-year cost runs $80,852. For working professionals seeking specific certifications, employer tuition reimbursement might offset, but as a pure-pay proposition the math is indefensible.
Earnings by Major
Top 6 most popular majors at Strayer University-Tennessee with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management | $64,016 | F |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $53,916 | F |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $82,304 | D |
| Accounting | $66,108 | F |
| Information Science | $87,413 | D |
| Registered Nursing | $105,703 | B |
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.
Business Administration and Management
Business Administration is Strayer-TN's largest program with 130 graduates per year. Year-one earnings of $55,431 climbing to $64,016 at year four look respectable -- until you see median debt of $56,517 producing a 1.02 debt-to-earnings ratio and an F ROI grade. The wage outcomes likely reflect students who were already in management roles when they enrolled; the school's value-add is credentialing, not wage growth, and the debt burden makes the math fail.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice produces 27 graduates per year with year-one earnings of $43,405 and four-year earnings of $53,916. Median debt of $56,937 produces a 1.312 debt-to-earnings ratio and an F ROI grade -- debt exceeds annual income by 31%. Career paths in corrections, security, and federal screening offer stable wages, but the debt load from this program structurally prevents financial recovery.
Computer and Information Sciences
CS produces 18 graduates per year with year-one earnings of $67,315 and four-year earnings of $82,304 -- legitimately strong wage outcomes. But median debt of $50,737 produces a 0.754 debt-to-earnings ratio and a D ROI grade. The strong earnings make this Strayer-TN's most defensible program, but graduates still face heavy debt loads relative to similar credentials available from community colleges or state universities.
Accounting
Accounting produces 7 graduates per year with year-one earnings of $52,373 and four-year earnings of $66,108. Median debt of $54,989 yields a 1.05 debt-to-earnings ratio and an F ROI grade. The pattern repeats: respectable wages, crushing debt. Tennessee CPAs working at this wage level could complete equivalent credentials at the University of Memphis for one-quarter the cost.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 33.8% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 42.4% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 30.5% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 37.0% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Enrollment | 1,784 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 86.9% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,381 |
Admission rate is not reported in current Scorecard data -- Strayer operates on an essentially open-enrollment model for adult learners. SAT/ACT data are unreported and not relevant to the school's enrollment process. The 0% completion rate (likely a reporting artifact for the Tennessee campus specifically) combined with for-profit-status and 86.9% Pell rate is the strongest possible warning signal. Prospective students should treat this school's accessibility as a debt-marketing funnel rather than a genuine path to credential.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Strayer-TN's peer set includes Nossi College of Art and Design, Strayer University-Virginia, Strayer University-South Carolina, Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design, and Berkeley College-Woodland Park -- mostly other for-profit institutions. The Strayer-Virginia and Strayer-South Carolina campuses share the parent company's model and produce similar weak outcomes. Berkeley College and Rocky Mountain are also for-profit comparables. The entire peer cohort represents the for-profit-college sector's structural problem: high debt loads against modest wage gains. Strayer-TN's 11 score sits firmly in this troubled tier.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strayer University-Tennessee (this school) | 11 | $11,645 | $40,092 |
| Strayer University-Virginia | 11 | $19,578 | $40,092 |
| South University-Richmond | 11 | $30,442 | $34,421 |
| Colorado Technical University-Colorado Springs | 9 | $16,745 | $37,180 |
| Strayer University-Georgia | 9 | $18,318 | $40,092 |
| Strayer University-South Carolina | 9 | $17,979 | $40,092 |
Who Thrives Here
Strayer-Tennessee serves adult learners in the Memphis area, with 86.9% Pell enrollment indicating the school primarily markets to low-income working adults. The school's online-friendly schedule and flexible enrollment make it accessible, but the financial outcomes are alarming: median debt of $40,621 against $38,400 in median earnings. Strong-fit students are virtually nonexistent at standard ROI criteria. For working adults seeking credentialing, Tennessee Board of Regents community colleges and Tennessee State University offer dramatically better debt-to-earnings ratios.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Strayer University-Tennessee. With a net cost of $11,645 per year and median graduate earnings of only $40,092 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds 36.6 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Areas of concern include weak earnings relative to cost and a 0.0% graduation rate and high debt relative to what graduates earn and concerning loan repayment rates and a long payback period.
Median debt of $40,621 against $40,092 in earnings is concerning. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.01 exceeds the commonly recommended threshold. Major choice is critical here.
NewsletterCollege decisions are better with data.
New analyses, updated school profiles, and tools - when there’s something worth acting on.
Rankings & Links
Guides & Tools
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.