Tennessee State University
Nashville, Tennessee · Public · 70.1% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 17/100 · Poor Value
Tennessee State University, the state's flagship HBCU, earns an ROI score of 17 out of 100, one of the weakest results among public universities in our database. The financial picture is starkly mixed. In-state tuition is just $8,616 ($22,416 out-of-state), and net price is $15,796, producing a moderate $63,184 four-year all-in. But graduates earn just $31,200 six years out and $42,730 at ten years, with $27,000 median debt and a 0.87 debt-to-earnings ratio well above the federal warning line. The 26.3-year payback period reflects severely compressed earnings. The brutal numbers are completion at 34.0% and the repayment metrics, which are catastrophic: only 48.7% of borrowers are repaying within 3 years, and that figure actually drops to 36.5% at 5 years and 43.8% at 7 years, indicating widespread loan default risk. TSU has strong nursing, accounting, and engineering pipelines individually, but a wide tail of low-paying humanities and social science majors combined with the completion crisis pull the institutional aggregate sharply downward. The school's HBCU mission and Nashville location have real value; the financial outcomes need significant institutional attention.
The data raises concerns about Tennessee State University
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score17/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate34.0% - Well below the 60% national average. Non-completion is the fastest route to negative ROI.
- Payback period26.3 years - Most 4-year schools we track have payback periods of 4-10 years.
Tennessee State University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $8,616/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $22,416/yr |
| Average net price | $15,796/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $63,184 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $42,730 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $31,200 |
| Median debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $286 |
| Estimated payback period | 26.3 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 34.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 4,848 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Tennessee State University is $8,616/year ($22,416/year out-of-state). But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $15,796/year, or roughly $63,184 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $15,005/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $20,099/year.
The median graduate leaves with $27,000 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $286 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $42,730 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.86 - within the recommended range but worth monitoring.
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 | $15,005 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $15,840 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $15,579 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $20,624 |
| $110,001+ | $20,099 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $15,005, and the $30,001-$48,000 band pays $15,840. Combined with Pell Grant eligibility and Tennessee state aid (HOPE/TELS), in-state low-income students see meaningful aid coverage. Over four years, low-income families face roughly $60,000 in cost. The math depends entirely on major selection and completion.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-$75,000 band pays $15,579 (slight inversion below the $30,001-$48,000 bracket), then the $75,001-$110,000 band jumps to $20,624. Middle-income families face roughly $62,000-$82,000 over four years. The University of Tennessee Knoxville or Middle Tennessee State would deliver dramatically better financial outcomes for this bracket.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $20,099, slightly less than the $75,001-$110,000 bracket (mild inversion at the top). Over four years, high-income families absorb roughly $80,000 in net cost. For these families, UT Knoxville is dramatically the better financial choice; TSU is a values choice based on HBCU mission alignment.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Tennessee State University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $57,083 | D |
| Communication and Media Studies | $43,121 | F |
| Teacher Education | $45,886 | D |
| Health Professions, Residency Programs | $48,365 | D |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $46,062 | D |
| Psychology | $46,721 | D |
| Biology | $59,855 | D |
| Computer Science | $67,292 | C+ |
| Allied Health Diagnostic and Treatment | $63,629 | - |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $53,231 | D |
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, Management, and Operations
Business Administration is TSU's largest program at 115 graduates. First-year earnings of $40,077 climb to $57,083 at four years, with $30,875 median debt producing a 0.77 debt-to-earnings ratio and a D ROI grade. Earnings are reasonable for a public regional university but the high debt creates persistent friction. Nashville's business economy provides decent placement; the bachelor's-level wage premium is modest.
Communication and Media Studies
Communication and Media Studies graduates 51 students with $25,140 first-year earnings, recovering to $43,121 at four years. Median debt of $30,625 produces a 1.22 debt-to-earnings ratio and an F grade. The early-career compression is severe, and the debt load above 1.0 indicates median debt exceeds annual early earnings. Students should treat this as a difficult financial proposition.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education graduates 45 students with $34,756 first-year and $45,886 four-year earnings. Median debt of $29,000 produces a 0.83 debt-to-earnings ratio and a D grade. Tennessee teacher pay is among the lowest in the country, structurally capping the result. PSLF eligibility for public school teachers helps long-term, and Memphis and Nashville district pay is somewhat better than rural Tennessee.
Computer Science
Computer Science graduates 28 students with $50,628 first-year and $67,292 four-year earnings. Median debt of $27,724 produces a 0.55 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C+ ROI grade, one of TSU's strongest results. Nashville's growing tech sector absorbs graduates at reasonable wages, and this is one of the clearest pathways for students to escape the institutional aggregate's weak outcomes.
Allied Health Diagnostic and Treatment
Allied Health Diagnostic and Treatment graduates 26 students with $48,894 first-year and $63,629 four-year earnings. Median debt is unreported, which suppresses the ROI grade. Nashville's hospital systems (Vanderbilt, HCA, TriStar) absorb many graduates into imaging, lab, and diagnostic roles at strong wages. A defensible pathway.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 38.2% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 48.7% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 36.5% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 43.8% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 70.1% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 420-510 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 460-540 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 16-21 |
| Enrollment | 4,848 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 51.1% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,732 |
Tennessee State admits 70.1% of applicants, moderate selectivity for a public university. SAT mid-ranges of 420-510 in math and 460-540 in reading, plus an ACT mid-range of 16-21, place the academic profile well below national medians. The 34.0% completion rate is the direct consequence: most admitted students arrive academically underprepared, and the institution's support infrastructure does not bring the majority to graduation. TSU faces structural headwinds from chronic underfunding documented by federal investigations of Tennessee HBCU appropriations.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
TSU's peer set includes other regional publics and HBCUs. Austin Peay State University in Clarksville scores similarly low. East Tennessee State University performs meaningfully better with stronger completion and earnings. Albany State University in Georgia is another HBCU with similar structural challenges. University of Maine at Augusta and University of Guam are different geographic peers with similar Poor Value tier results. Against other Tennessee publics (UT Knoxville, MTSU), TSU underperforms significantly, partly reflecting the structural underfunding of the state's HBCU system.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee State University (this school) | 17 | $15,796 | $42,730 |
| Austin Peay State University | 36 | $9,735 | $44,301 |
| East Tennessee State University | 35 | $15,983 | $44,859 |
| University of Guam | 20 | $8,598 | $35,946 |
| University of Maine at Augusta | 15 | $10,924 | $40,342 |
| Albany State University | 14 | $11,898 | $40,674 |
Who Thrives Here
Tennessee State enrolls 4,848 students with a 51.1% Pell rate, marking it as a low-income access institution with a heavily working-class Black student body and a meaningful HBCU mission. The fit profile is a Tennessee resident, often first-generation college, seeking the HBCU experience and access to Nashville's job market. The 34.0% completion rate is a serious institutional failure that disproportionately harms the low-income students who depend on this school as their pathway. Students targeting nursing, accounting, mechanical engineering, or CS see vastly better outcomes than the institutional aggregate; students entering humanities or social sciences face very difficult financial math.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Tennessee State University. With a net cost of $15,796 per year and median graduate earnings of only $42,730 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds 26.3 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Areas of concern include weak earnings relative to cost and a 34.0% graduation rate and high debt relative to what graduates earn and concerning loan repayment rates and a long payback period.
Median debt of $27,000 against $42,730 in earnings is reasonable, though major choice matters significantly. Students in higher-earning programs will see better returns.
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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.