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Tennessee State University
Nashville, TN 6,498 Undergrads 38.7% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$23,828
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$10,026
After Aid
Median Earnings
$42,730
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$10,026
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$42,730
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate38.7%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients52.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time90.6%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS57.0%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
92.6%
SAT Avg
1,017
SAT Reading
25th: 433-75th: 538
SAT Math
25th: 423-75th: 530
ACT Composite
25th: 16-75th: 21
ROI Sensitivity Analysis
This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.
Lifetime Value Added (NPV)
Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$378k
-$19k
-$107k
Median Cost$10k/yr
+$342k
-$55k
-$143k
Full Cost$24k/yr
+$292k
-$104k
-$192k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$10k/yr
Never
-395%
Full Cost$24k/yr
Never
-224%
Analysis Assumptions:
- Starting Salary: Estimated from the 10-year median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
- Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
- Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
- NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.
Social Impact ROINew
Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.
Donor Return-290%
Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.
Taxpayer Return-118%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.
Program ROI Analysis
Associate's Degrees
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5106
Median Debt
$16,215
Earnings (5yr)
$63,165
Lifetime Value Added
+$144k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$80,187
Lifetime Value Added
+$295k
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$26,471
Earnings (5yr)
$68,010
Lifetime Value Added
+$68k
Agriculture, General
BachCIP: 0100
Median Debt
$26,751
Earnings (5yr)
$43,651
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
BachCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$63,262
Lifetime Value Added
+$31k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$40,944
Lifetime Value Added
-$151k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$27,968
Earnings (5yr)
$55,205
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Business/Managerial Economics
BachCIP: 5206
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$31,133
Lifetime Value Added
-$218k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$58,221
Lifetime Value Added
+$20k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$29,250
Earnings (5yr)
$40,921
Lifetime Value Added
-$151k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (5yr)
$61,218
Lifetime Value Added
+$15k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$48,027
Lifetime Value Added
-$91k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$61,020
Lifetime Value Added
+$43k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$192k
Family and Consumer Economics and Related Studies
BachCIP: 1904
Median Debt
$28,250
Earnings (5yr)
$37,876
Lifetime Value Added
-$177k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$231k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
BachCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$54,837
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$28,000
Earnings (5yr)
$39,832
Lifetime Value Added
-$160k
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other
BachCIP: 5199
Median Debt
$28,750
Earnings (5yr)
$41,776
Lifetime Value Added
-$144k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$29,297
Earnings (5yr)
$60,054
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1508
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$47,260
Lifetime Value Added
-$74k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$64,990
Lifetime Value Added
+$75k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$231k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$26,930
Earnings (5yr)
$42,765
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$40,136
Lifetime Value Added
-$157k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$24,124
Earnings (5yr)
$78,099
Lifetime Value Added
+$144k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$39,205
Lifetime Value Added
-$165k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$45,926
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k
Master's Degrees
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (5yr)
$77,474
Lifetime Value Added
+$227k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$56,020
Lifetime Value Added
+$38k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,337
Lifetime Value Added
-$108k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
MastCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$47,260
Lifetime Value Added
-$17k
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,546
Lifetime Value Added
+$61k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$67,505
Lifetime Value Added
+$141k
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,369
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$50,468
Earnings (5yr)
$106,173
Lifetime Value Added
+$474k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
MastCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$68,740
Lifetime Value Added
+$152k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$36,290
Earnings (5yr)
$54,458
Lifetime Value Added
+$23k
Doctoral Degrees
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
DocCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$77,348
Earnings (5yr)
$88,762
Lifetime Value Added
+$178k
Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate, accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.
For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results should not be compared with those Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors starting at age 18.