10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$188,820at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
Public · COLLEGE PAYOFF
Austin Peay State University
Clarksville, TN · 42 field-and-degree records
Earnings reported for 41 · Federal debt reported for 28
Based onObserved earnings + college priceEstimate10-year payoff
Estimated 10-year payoff
Negative payoff
−$188,820 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
72.7 yrsTime to earn back the modeled cost
−86%Estimated return after 10 years
$48,012Observed earnings · year 5
Not reachedHighest annual price before payoff reaches $0
Start with your question
What do you want to understand?
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK
Estimated payoff over ten years.
The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.
FEDERAL COST DATA
Four ways to read college price.
Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.
PUBLISHED STUDENT BUDGET · 2024–25
What makes up the annual price?
Sticker-price components reported to IPEDS. Grants and scholarships are not subtracted here.
Living off campus: $14,098 housing and food allowance plus $3,632 in other expenses.
Do not confuse this with net price. Net price subtracts average grants and scholarships. DegreeVerdict continues to use the separately labeled average net price in its standard college ROI scenario.
PRICE SENSITIVITY
The price can change the verdict.
Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price−$149,880
$8,000Annual price−$181,880
$10,000Current college-wide context−$189,880
$16,000Annual price−$213,880
$24,000Annual price−$245,880
$32,000Annual price−$277,880
$40,000Annual price−$309,880
HOW STUDENTS ATTEND · 2023-24
Online study is a meaningful part of the student experience.
IPEDS enrollment counts show course delivery across the whole institution. They do not indicate whether a specific degree can be completed online.
Institution-level attendance context from IPEDS. Program delivery is reported separately on degree pages and in the program directory. These figures do not enter ROI.
College identity and local contextAccreditation, institution type, dual enrollment and state prices
COLLEGE AT A GLANCE
Institution details
Current federal characteristics describing the college, not the outcomes of a specific program.
- Accreditor
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
- Main award level
- Bachelor’s degrees
- Campus setting
- City
- Admissions
- Selective admission
- Delivery
- Campus or mixed delivery
- Federal designation
- No special designation reported
DUAL-ENROLLMENT CONTEXT · 2024
1,446 high-school students took college courses.
IPEDS counts students enrolled in college credit while still in high school. A large dual-enrollment population can shape headline enrollment figures, especially at community colleges.
This is participation, not a college completion rate. It does not indicate how many students later enrolled after high school, earned a credential or entered the workforce.
STATE PRICE CONTEXT · 2024
Prices in Tennessee run 8% below the U.S. level.
BEA Regional Price Parities compare price levels across states. A value of 100 equals the national average.
What it costs and what graduates earn
$9,735Average net price / year
$22,233Cost of attendance
$20,547Median federal student debt · completer borrowers
$218/moPublished 10-year payment estimate
$48,012Median earnings · year 5 after completion
40.2%Completion rate
96.4%Admission rate
1,088Average SAT score
21ACT midpoint
7,560Student size
Debt covers federal student-loan borrowers who completed. It does not include Parent PLUS or private loans. We show admissions scores only when a valid federal value is available.
What the numbers say about Austin Peay State University
What does Austin Peay State University cost?
Austin Peay State University reports an average annual net price of $9,735 after grants and scholarships. This is an institution-wide average, not an individual aid offer.
What do Austin Peay State University graduates earn?
The observed median earnings figure is $48,012 5 years after completion. It describes a federal cohort, not a guaranteed starting salary.
How much federal debt do Austin Peay State University graduates have?
Completer borrowers report median cumulative federal student debt of $20,547. Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.
Is every degree at Austin Peay State University worth the same?
No. The current release contains 42 field-and-degree records for Austin Peay State University; 41 report year-4 earnings and 28 report federal debt. Outcomes can differ substantially by field and degree level.
DEBT AFTER COLLEGE
Are borrowers making progress?
Repayment progress, default and debt at exit describe different federal borrower cohorts. They are shown separately and do not change the ROI estimate.
Source: College Scorecard. Repayment progress is the share of borrowers who reduced principal by at least $1 at the stated measurement point. Debt covers federal student loans; Parent PLUS and private loans are excluded. Cohorts and reporting periods differ across measures.
Who studied here during the year
12,827Students enrolled at any point
10,671Undergraduate students
2,156Graduate students
Unduplicated students enrolled at any point from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. This full-year measure is different from a fall headcount and does not enter ROI.
More student and earnings detailPrice by family income, retention, equity and common industries
WHO PAYS, WHO FINISHES, WHO EARNS
Outcomes are not the same for every family.
These federal cohorts add context that a single college average can hide. Missing figures remain unreported rather than estimated.
Complete within 150% of the expected time
41% received a Pell Grant within eight yearsMedian Parent PLUS debt
713 parent borrowers in the reported cohortMedian federal student debt
43% making progress in repayment after three yearsStudent family incomeMedian earnings after 10 yearsObserved federal cohorts
Lower income$41,803Earnings are not a guarantee
Middle income$46,495Earnings are not a guarantee
Higher income$47,016Earnings are not a guarantee
Three-year repayment progress
Lower income35%
Middle income52%
Higher income60%
Undergraduate student composition
White50%
Black22%
Hispanic12%
Asian2%
Source: College Scorecard, June 2026 release. Parent PLUS debt belongs to parents; student-debt measures exclude Parent PLUS and private loans. Cohort definitions differ by measure.
INDEPENDENT CENSUS EARNINGS VIEW
How earnings develop by field
Privacy-protected Census employment records follow graduate cohorts one, five and ten years after completion. This source is kept separate from College Scorecard because its population and methodology differ.
Field and credentialYear 1Year 5Year 10
Computer Programming.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 11
$55,261Year 1
$77,790Year 5
$97,751Year 10
Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 15
$64,226Year 1
$81,941Year 5
$94,046Year 10
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 51
$70,620Year 1
$77,291Year 5
$88,346Year 10
Astronomy and Astrophysics.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 40
$34,840Year 1
$56,443Year 5
$85,473Year 10
Accounting and Related Services.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 52
$42,355Year 1
$59,172Year 5
$73,802Year 10
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 26
$30,926Year 1
$52,251Year 5
$73,565Year 10
Criminal Justice and Corrections.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 43
$38,661Year 1
$54,333Year 5
$65,669Year 10
Anthropology.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 45
$39,975Year 1
$49,073Year 5
$65,282Year 10
Median annual earnings in 2023 dollars. Each time point may use a different pooled graduation cohort. Coverage is limited to institutions participating in the Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes program.
NATIONAL CONTEXT
How this college compares
Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.
WHAT STANDS OUT
A faster read on this college
These summaries use every reportable field-and-credential record at this institution. They do not fill privacy-suppressed outcomes.
EARNINGS OVER TIME
What graduates earned in later years
$40,205Year 1
$52,456Year 4
$48,012Year 5
Each year can represent a different federal cohort, so the points do not track the same people over time.
Your choice of degree can change the payoff.
Graduate earnings differ by field and credential, even within the same college.
1Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Master's Degree$114,5222Computer Software and Media Applications · Master's Degree$93,6443Business Administration, Management and Operations · Master's Degree$86,0174Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General · Bachelor's Degree$79,3095Computer and Information Sciences, General · Bachelor's Degree$77,1256Computer Systems Analysis · Bachelor's Degree$76,8247Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions · Bachelor's Degree$75,2618Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Bachelor's Degree$73,564Observed year-4 earnings · compare the same field and credential across colleges
Programs that stand out against the same-degree benchmark
This view rewards performance relative to the same field and credential, not simply majors that pay more everywhere.
1Clinical, Counseling and Applied PsychologyMaster's Degree · $71,883 reported+10%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt2Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/FitnessMaster's Degree · $65,250 reported+5%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt3MusicBachelor's Degree · $45,100 reported+5%vs same-degree national median$31,000federal debt4Business Administration, Management and OperationsAssociate's Degree · $49,254 reported+1%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt5Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesAssociate's Degree · $44,250 reported+0%vs same-degree national median$17,500federal debt6Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied ProfessionsBachelor's Degree · $75,261 reported-1%vs same-degree national median$22,810federal debt
Comparable colleges in TN
Currently operating public institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive, not a quality ranking.
Martin, TN
The University of Tennessee-Martin
- Annual net price
- $10,701
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $46,528
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -93%
The University of Tennessee Southern
- Annual net price
- $12,798
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $48,965
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -83%
Jackson State Community College
- Annual net price
- $6,236
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $46,853
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -91%
Volunteer State Community College
- Annual net price
- $7,802
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $45,209
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -99%
Compare fields and degree levels
Showing the 40 highest-earning records from 42 field-and-degree records. Use the program directory to search the complete set.
| Major or field | Degree level | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 2024–25 graduates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Master's Degree | $114,522 | Not available | Not reported |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | Master's Degree | $93,644 | Not available | Not reported |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Master's Degree | $86,017 | Not available | Not reported |
| Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General | Bachelor's Degree | $79,309 | $26,679 | Not reported |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | Bachelor's Degree | $77,125 | $30,736 | Not reported |
| Computer Systems Analysis | Bachelor's Degree | $76,824 | $24,279 | Not reported |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions | Bachelor's Degree | $75,261 | $22,810 | Not reported |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Bachelor's Degree | $73,564 | $27,576 | 0 |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | Master's Degree | $71,883 | Not available | Not reported |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Bachelor's Degree | $71,567 | $17,500 | Not reported |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Master's Degree | $68,358 | Not available | Not reported |
| Communication and Media Studies | Master's Degree | $68,264 | Not available | Not reported |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | Master's Degree | $65,250 | Not available | Not reported |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | Bachelor's Degree | $64,110 | $25,500 | Not reported |
| Social Work | Master's Degree | $59,382 | Not available | Not reported |
| Accounting and Related Services | Bachelor's Degree | $58,409 | $21,588 | Not reported |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | Master's Degree | $56,278 | Not available | Not reported |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Bachelor's Degree | $55,567 | $22,605 | 36 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | Master's Degree | $54,479 | Not available | Not reported |
| Marketing | Bachelor's Degree | $53,734 | $23,291 | Not reported |
| Business/Commerce, General | Bachelor's Degree | $53,656 | $28,987 | Not reported |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | Bachelor's Degree | $53,376 | $25,281 | Not reported |
| Education, General | Master's Degree | $52,820 | Not available | 0 |
| Curriculum and Instruction | Master's Degree | $51,545 | Not available | Not reported |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services | Master's Degree | $51,023 | Not available | Not reported |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Associate's Degree | $49,254 | Not available | Not reported |
| Biology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $48,991 | $26,215 | Not reported |
| Political Science and Government | Bachelor's Degree | $48,840 | $25,500 | Not reported |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | Bachelor's Degree | $48,177 | $27,128 | Not reported |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | Bachelor's Degree | $46,900 | $25,000 | Not reported |
| Music | Bachelor's Degree | $45,100 | $31,000 | 0 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | Bachelor's Degree | $45,080 | $25,000 | Not reported |
| Agriculture, General | Bachelor's Degree | $45,020 | $18,625 | Not reported |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | Associate's Degree | $44,250 | $17,500 | Not reported |
| Social Work | Bachelor's Degree | $44,152 | $26,000 | Not reported |
| Sociology | Bachelor's Degree | $43,612 | $27,375 | Not reported |
| Communication and Media Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $43,511 | $25,000 | Not reported |
| English Language and Literature, General | Bachelor's Degree | $42,543 | $25,677 | Not reported |
| Psychology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $41,303 | $25,000 | Not reported |
| History | Bachelor's Degree | $40,317 | $19,750 | Not reported |
Graduate counts come from IPEDS and group related majors into the same federal field. Missing earnings or debt values remain labeled as unavailable.
Search every Austin Peay State University program record →Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.