The University of Tennessee-Martin
Martin, Tennessee · Public · 88.2% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 37/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
UT Martin earns a 37 ROI score (Below Benchmark), a result driven entirely by weak earnings outcomes - not cost. In-state tuition is $10,560 with average net price of just $10,701 and a remarkably low total four-year cost of $42,804. The problem is the back end: earnings of $30,800 at six years grow only to $44,213 at ten, against $21,024 median debt and a $223/month payment. That produces a 19.8-year payback period and a 0.683 debt-to-earnings ratio. Completion sits at 52.5% and three-year repayment at 68.6%. Earnings premium of 0.215 reflects the rural West Tennessee labor market more than any deficiency in the school itself. UT Martin works financially when in-state students target nursing or engineering and finish in four years; the headline numbers reflect a heavy concentration of agriculture, education, kinesiology, and liberal-arts grads facing modest regional wages.
How The University of Tennessee-Martin scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- ROI Score37/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period19.8 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
The University of Tennessee-Martin
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $10,560/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $16,600/yr |
| Average net price | $10,701/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $42,804 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $44,213 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $30,800 |
| Median debt at graduation | $21,024 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $223 |
| Estimated payback period | 19.8 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 52.5% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 4,866 |
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: $10,560/year ($16,600/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 $10,701/year, or roughly $42,804 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 $7,151/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $15,827/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $21,024, which works out to about $223 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($30,800) and comes to 0.68, 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 | $7,151 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $8,961 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $11,640 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $15,343 |
| $110,001+ | $15,827 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families at $0-$30,000 pay just $7,151 net; $30,001-$48,000 pay $8,961. Total four-year cost lands around $29K-$36K. That's exceptionally affordable for a Pell-eligible household. Federal aid plus state programs (Tennessee Promise/HOPE, etc.) cover most of it. The 19.8-year payback period is still a real concern, but at this price level the absolute borrowing is minimal - the worst-case loss is contained.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
$48,001-$75,000 households pay $11,640 and $75,001-$110,000 pay $15,343. Total four-year cost ranges $47K-$61K. For middle-income West Tennessee families this is genuinely affordable, and the math works out reasonably for STEM/nursing/accounting majors. Liberal-arts and education majors face the steeper payback - the modest cost just barely keeps them above water.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $15,827 (~$63K over four years). Bracket pricing rises smoothly through all five tiers (no inversions to flag).
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at The University of Tennessee-Martin with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Business and Management | $36,242 | C |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $49,817 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $54,552 | C |
| Teacher Education | $42,481 | C+ |
| Agriculture, General | $47,956 | C+ |
| Psychology | $36,507 | D |
| Registered Nursing | $77,092 | B |
| Finance and Financial Management | $64,840 | C+ |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $46,142 | D |
| Marketing | $48,255 | 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.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is the standout: 41 graduates, $71,727 first-year earnings rising to $77,092 at year four against $25,231 median debt (0.352 ratio, B grade). West Tennessee's healthcare systems - regional hospitals plus Memphis-area placements - absorb graduates well. For a student certain about nursing, this is the clearest high-confidence ROI path at UT Martin.
Agricultural Business and Management
Ag business is the largest program with 102 graduates, but earns only a C grade. First-year earnings of $36,242 against $19,928 debt produces a 0.55 ratio. Regional ag wages are modest, but the program is mission-aligned for the school and graduates often return to family operations - they may value the credential differently than the wage data suggests.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology pulls 85 graduates with a D grade. First-year earnings of $30,587 grow to $49,817 by year four, but with $23,938 median debt the 0.783 debt-to-earnings ratio is challenging. As with many kinesiology programs, this is a launch pad to PT/OT/chiropractic graduate work; as a terminal degree it tends to under-earn.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business management posts a C grade with 80 graduates: $41,279 first-year earnings rising to $54,552 by year four, $26,157 debt, 0.634 ratio. Still a defensible path for in-state students with a clear post-college plan.
Teacher Education
Teacher education enrolls 69 graduates with a C+ grade. Tennessee teacher salaries combined with PSLF eligibility make this a sustainable education path.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 60.5% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 68.6% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 58.6% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 65.6% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How The University of Tennessee-Martin’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 | 88.2% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 470-600 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 500-610 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 19-25 |
| Enrollment | 4,866 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 34.4% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,367 |
UT Martin admits 88.2% of applicants with SAT mid-ranges of 470-600 math and 500-610 reading; ACT composite is 19-25. The 52.5% completion rate is consistent with a school that admits a wide preparation range; well-prepared in-state students, especially those entering with clear majors, finish at materially higher rates than the headline number.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| The University of Tennessee-Martin (this school) | 37 | $10,701 | $44,213 |
| Dalton State College | 41 | $5,012 | $40,251 |
| University of North Alabama | 38 | $12,170 | $45,415 |
| Northwestern State University of Louisiana | 38 | $13,606 | $47,021 |
| Austin Peay State University | 36 | $9,735 | $44,301 |
| East Tennessee State University | 35 | $15,983 | $44,859 |
Who Thrives Here
UT Martin fits West Tennessee in-state students - many from farming and small-town backgrounds - who want an affordable rural campus experience. Pell rate is 34.4%, enrollment 4,866. The agricultural programs (102 ag-business graduates, 67 ag general grads) reflect the regional identity. Strong outcomes cluster in nursing (B, $71K first-year), accounting (B), and engineering. Students drawn to kinesiology (85 grads, D grade), psychology, ag-business, or liberal-arts paths should expect modest earnings and treat the low net price as the partial offset rather than a guarantee of value.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, The University of Tennessee-Martin scores 37/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $10,701 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $44,213 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 19.8 years. In our view that makes the financial case a hard one to make on the numbers alone, but those numbers are averages: your major, your aid package and what you want from a degree all change the picture, so run your own numbers before you commit.
What to keep an eye on: its 52.5% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.68 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 68.6% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $21,024 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $30,800 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.68. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
The University of Tennessee-Martin: Common Questions
Is The University of Tennessee-Martin worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. The University of Tennessee-Martin scores 37/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $10,701 a year after aid against $44,213 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 19.8 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does The University of Tennessee-Martin 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 $10,701 a year, or roughly $42,804 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 The University of Tennessee-Martin graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $44,213 ten years after enrolling, roughly $2,413 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 The University of Tennessee-Martin?
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 19.8 years for The University of Tennessee-Martin. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do The University of Tennessee-Martin graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $21,024, against average earnings of $30,800 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.68. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. How much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at The University of Tennessee-Martin?
The six-year graduation rate is 52.5%. 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.