DegreeVerdict
ROI Calculator
Home›Colleges›Tennessee State University
Public · COLLEGE PAYOFF

Tennessee State University

⌖ Nashville, TN · 29 reportable field-and-credential outcomes

MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff

−$173,844 over 10 years

Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.

At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.

35.1 yrsModeled economic break-even
−71%Modeled 10-year ROI
$51,934Observed earnings · year 5
Economic ROI includes direct price and earnings forgone during study · $45,000 comparison earnings · values held flat · see the formula
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK

Estimated payoff over ten years.

The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.

10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$173,844at year 10
Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
−$243,1840
2
4
6
8
−$173,84410
Years after graduationBreak-even: 35.1 years
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 in-state tuition$8,616
Sticker price
Published out-of-state tuition$22,416
Sticker price
Average net price$15,796
Title IV student average
Cost of attendance$25,637
Tuition + living budget
PRICE SOURCECollege reported · annual amount · federal dataset
OBSERVED FEDERAL MEASURES

Cost, completion and earnings context

$15,796Average net price / year
$25,637Cost of attendance
$51,934Median earnings · year 5 after completion
34.0%Completion rate
70.1%Admission rate
4,848Student size
NATIONAL CONTEXT

How this college compares

Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.

66thEarnings percentile
17thCompletion percentile
EARNINGS PATH

Reported earnings over time

$36,092Year 1
$53,808Year 4
$51,934Year 5

Separate federal cohorts may underlie different measurement years.

PROGRAM PAYOFF SPREAD

The college average is not the whole story.

Observed earnings vary substantially by field and credential at the same institution.

1Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Master's Degree$115,9082Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Bachelor's Degree$92,3803Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Associate's Degree$90,9854Business Administration, Management and Operations · Master's Degree$87,6025Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions · Doctoral Degree$82,6546Accounting and Related Services · Bachelor's Degree$69,4147Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions · Master's Degree$69,2418Computer Science · Bachelor's Degree$67,292

Observed year-4 earnings · compare like fields and credentials before deciding

BUILD A REAL SHORTLIST

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.

Cookeville, TN

Tennessee Technological University

Annual net price
$14,246
Observed earnings · year 5
$51,599
Modeled 10-year ROI
-72%
Open college profile →Chattanooga, TN

The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga

Annual net price
$14,265
Observed earnings · year 5
$53,104
Modeled 10-year ROI
-66%
Open college profile →Johnson City, TN

East Tennessee State University

Annual net price
$15,983
Observed earnings · year 5
$48,534
Modeled 10-year ROI
-86%
Open college profile →Memphis, TN

University of Memphis

Annual net price
$12,397
Observed earnings · year 5
$52,242
Modeled 10-year ROI
-68%
Open college profile →
ALL REPORTABLE PROGRAM CATEGORIES

Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes

Federal fieldCredentialEarnings, year 4Federal debt
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingMaster's Degree$115,908Not available
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingBachelor's Degree$92,380$31,000
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingAssociate's Degree$90,985Not available
Business Administration, Management and OperationsMaster's Degree$87,602Not available
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic ProfessionsDoctoral Degree$82,654Not available
Accounting and Related ServicesBachelor's Degree$69,414$29,250
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic ProfessionsMaster's Degree$69,241Not available
Computer ScienceBachelor's Degree$67,292$27,724
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsBachelor's Degree$63,629Not available
Biology, GeneralBachelor's Degree$59,855$29,375
Communication Disorders Sciences and ServicesMaster's Degree$59,413Not available
Social WorkMaster's Degree$57,826Not available
Business Administration, Management and OperationsBachelor's Degree$57,083$30,875
Dental Support Services and Allied ProfessionsAssociate's Degree$56,729$17,900
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesBachelor's Degree$54,249$38,562
Political Science and GovernmentBachelor's Degree$54,008$27,000
MusicBachelor's Degree$53,483Not available
Health and Medical Administrative ServicesBachelor's Degree$53,231$27,000
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, OtherBachelor's Degree$48,365$29,384
SociologyBachelor's Degree$47,853$37,500
Psychology, GeneralBachelor's Degree$46,721$27,500
Criminal Justice and CorrectionsBachelor's Degree$46,062$28,001
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsBachelor's Degree$45,886$29,000
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/FitnessBachelor's Degree$45,568$31,000
Social WorkBachelor's Degree$44,989$31,500
Communication and Media StudiesBachelor's Degree$43,121$30,625
Family and Consumer Economics and Related StudiesBachelor's Degree$42,524$30,099
Agriculture, GeneralBachelor's Degree$42,503$27,000
Fine and Studio ArtsBachelor's Degree$36,332Not available

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.