10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$208,592at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
Public · COLLEGE PAYOFF
East Tennessee State University
Johnson City, TN · 51 field-and-degree records
Earnings reported for 51 · Federal debt reported for 30
Based onObserved earnings + college priceEstimate10-year payoff
Estimated 10-year payoff
Negative payoff
−$208,592 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
69.0 yrsTime to earn back the modeled cost
−86%Estimated return after 10 years
$48,534Observed 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: $10,728 housing and food allowance plus $9,730 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−$144,660
$8,000Annual price−$176,660
$16,000Current college-wide context−$208,660
$24,000Annual price−$240,660
$32,000Annual price−$272,660
$40,000Annual price−$304,660
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
940 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
$15,983Average net price / year
$27,042Cost of attendance
$19,442Median federal student debt · completer borrowers
$206/moPublished 10-year payment estimate
$48,534Median earnings · year 5 after completion
53.2%Completion rate
86.2%Admission rate
1,144Average SAT score
23ACT midpoint
10,004Student 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 East Tennessee State University
What does East Tennessee State University cost?
East Tennessee State University reports an average annual net price of $15,983 after grants and scholarships. This is an institution-wide average, not an individual aid offer.
What do East Tennessee State University graduates earn?
The observed median earnings figure is $48,534 5 years after completion. It describes a federal cohort, not a guaranteed starting salary.
How much federal debt do East Tennessee State University graduates have?
Completer borrowers report median cumulative federal student debt of $19,442. Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.
Is every degree at East Tennessee State University worth the same?
No. The current release contains 51 field-and-degree records for East Tennessee State University; 51 report year-4 earnings and 30 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
15,417Students enrolled at any point
12,108Undergraduate students
3,309Graduate 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
52% received a Pell Grant within eight yearsMedian Parent PLUS debt
944 parent borrowers in the reported cohortMedian federal student debt
49% making progress in repayment after three yearsStudent family incomeMedian earnings after 10 yearsObserved federal cohorts
Lower income$41,334Earnings are not a guarantee
Middle income$46,406Earnings are not a guarantee
Higher income$51,735Earnings are not a guarantee
Three-year repayment progress
Lower income40%
Middle income58%
Higher income63%
Undergraduate student composition
White72%
Black6%
Hispanic5%
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
$56,579Year 1
$87,210Year 5
$112,340Year 10
Astronomy and Astrophysics.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 40
$38,202Year 1
$69,696Year 5
$96,791Year 10
Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 15
$55,721Year 1
$76,854Year 5
$89,089Year 10
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 26
$27,637Year 1
$54,485Year 5
$85,364Year 10
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 51
$60,094Year 1
$68,291Year 5
$81,448Year 10
Accounting and Related Services.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 52
$41,292Year 1
$59,848Year 5
$72,831Year 10
Anthropology.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 45
$30,550Year 1
$48,487Year 5
$65,011Year 10
Outdoor Education.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 31
$29,221Year 1
$52,596Year 5
$64,930Year 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
$39,962Year 1
$53,033Year 4
$48,534Year 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.
1Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration · First Professional Degree$129,8212Medicine · First Professional Degree$110,3483Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Doctoral Degree$108,6754Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration · Bachelor's Degree$106,5935Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Master's Degree$105,4446Business Administration, Management and Operations · Master's Degree$99,7657Accounting and Related Services · Master's Degree$91,4718Educational Administration and Supervision · Doctoral Degree$85,955Observed 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.
1Human Services, GeneralMaster's Degree · $60,052 reported+5%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt2Rehabilitation and Therapeutic ProfessionsDoctoral Degree · $84,041 reported+1%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt3Biology, GeneralBachelor's Degree · $57,167 reported-0%vs same-degree national median$20,625federal debt4Rhetoric and Composition/Writing StudiesBachelor's Degree · $48,263 reported-0%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt5MedicineFirst Professional Degree · $110,348 reported-2%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt6Dental Support Services and Allied ProfessionsBachelor's Degree · $65,649 reported-4%vs same-degree national median$15,687federal 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.
Tullahoma, TN
Motlow State Community College
- Annual net price
- $15,742
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $47,109
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -91%
Tennessee State University
- Annual net price
- $15,796
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $51,934
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -71%
The University of Tennessee Southern
- Annual net price
- $12,798
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $48,965
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -83%
Middle Tennessee State University
- Annual net price
- $13,359
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $50,530
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -76%
Compare fields and degree levels
Showing the 40 highest-earning records from 51 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | First Professional Degree | $129,821 | Not available | Not reported |
| Medicine | First Professional Degree | $110,348 | Not available | Not reported |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Doctoral Degree | $108,675 | Not available | 17 |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | Bachelor's Degree | $106,593 | Not available | Not reported |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Master's Degree | $105,444 | Not available | 1 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Master's Degree | $99,765 | Not available | Not reported |
| Accounting and Related Services | Master's Degree | $91,471 | Not available | Not reported |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Doctoral Degree | $85,955 | Not available | 27 |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | Doctoral Degree | $84,041 | Not available | 52 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | Bachelor's Degree | $82,073 | $24,669 | Not reported |
| Public Health | Master's Degree | $76,210 | Not available | 0 |
| Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General | Bachelor's Degree | $75,298 | $27,000 | Not reported |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Bachelor's Degree | $74,311 | $25,091 | 15 |
| Dental Support Services and Allied Professions | Bachelor's Degree | $65,649 | $15,687 | Not reported |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | Bachelor's Degree | $62,853 | $24,568 | Not reported |
| Communication and Media Studies | Master's Degree | $61,720 | Not available | Not reported |
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other | Bachelor's Degree | $60,298 | $20,500 | 5 |
| Human Services, General | Master's Degree | $60,052 | Not available | Not reported |
| Marketing | Bachelor's Degree | $58,583 | $21,819 | Not reported |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Bachelor's Degree | $58,232 | $18,125 | Not reported |
| Accounting and Related Services | Bachelor's Degree | $57,642 | $19,250 | Not reported |
| Biology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $57,167 | $20,625 | Not reported |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | Master's Degree | $56,261 | Not available | Not reported |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Bachelor's Degree | $55,719 | $19,725 | 0 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | Master's Degree | $54,693 | Not available | Not reported |
| Social Work | Master's Degree | $53,352 | Not available | Not reported |
| Public Health | Bachelor's Degree | $52,543 | $22,299 | 4 |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services | Master's Degree | $52,231 | Not available | Not reported |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | Master's Degree | $51,479 | Not available | Not reported |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Master's Degree | $51,254 | Not available | 30 |
| Mathematics | Bachelor's Degree | $49,423 | $16,500 | Not reported |
| Political Science and Government | Bachelor's Degree | $48,452 | $23,000 | Not reported |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $48,263 | Not available | Not reported |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | Bachelor's Degree | $47,821 | $22,036 | 2 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | Bachelor's Degree | $44,738 | $25,000 | Not reported |
| Special Education and Teaching | Bachelor's Degree | $44,224 | Not available | 0 |
| History | Bachelor's Degree | $44,142 | $20,500 | 4 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | Bachelor's Degree | $43,998 | $25,942 | Not reported |
| Social Work | Bachelor's Degree | $43,855 | $23,000 | Not reported |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | Bachelor's Degree | $43,687 | $15,000 | 4 |
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 East Tennessee 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.