The University of Tennessee Southern

Pulaski, TN 864 Undergrads 37.1% Grad Rate

School Website|Financial Calculator

Total Cost

$24,750

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$12,798

After Aid

Median Earnings

$46,181

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$12,798

Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5

Earnings (10yr)$46,181

Peer Midpoint: $60,428

Graduation Rate37.1%

Peer Midpoint: 58.9%

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients39.6%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time93.2%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS61.2%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance

86.7%

SAT Avg

1,083

SAT Reading

25th: 43545775th: 555

SAT Math

25th: 47053375th: 555

ACT Composite

25th: 182175th: 24

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

+$415k

-$45k

-$62k

Median Cost$13k/yr

+$369k

-$91k

-$108k

Full Cost$25k/yr

+$326k

-$134k

-$151k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

Never

-∞

Median Cost$13k/yr

Never

-235%

Full Cost$25k/yr

Never

-170%

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-199%

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-99%

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

Accounting and Related Services

AssocCIP: 5203

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $47,660

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Biology, General

AssocCIP: 2601

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $44,758

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Business Administration, Management and Operations

AssocCIP: 5202

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $48,733

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

AssocCIP: 2401

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $44,125

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Psychology, General

AssocCIP: 4201

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $39,288

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

AssocCIP: 5138

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $80,813

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services

BachCIP: 5203

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $76,194

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Biology, General

BachCIP: 2601

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $57,214

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Business Administration, Management and Operations

BachCIP: 5202

Median Debt

$26,000

Earnings (4yr)

$59,648

Nat: $68,257

Lifetime Value Added

-$6k

Chemistry

BachCIP: 4005

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $65,120

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Criminal Justice and Corrections

BachCIP: 4301

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $55,378

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

English Language and Literature, General

BachCIP: 2301

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $48,590

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Health/Medical Preparatory Programs

BachCIP: 5111

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $61,911

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

History

BachCIP: 5401

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $50,680

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Human Services, General

BachCIP: 4400

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $48,597

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

BachCIP: 2401

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $53,072

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Management Information Systems and Services

BachCIP: 5212

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $83,290

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Mathematics

BachCIP: 2701

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $69,562

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Music

BachCIP: 5009

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $42,892

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Psychology, General

BachCIP: 4201

Median Debt

$18,825

Earnings (4yr)

$38,072

Nat: $50,706

Lifetime Value Added

-$186k

Psychology, Other

BachCIP: 4299

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $50,748

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

BachCIP: 5138

Median Debt

$23,425

Earnings (4yr)

$45,980

Nat: $88,910

Lifetime Value Added

-$119k

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness

BachCIP: 3105

Median Debt

$22,850

Earnings (4yr)

$39,192

Nat: $54,562

Lifetime Value Added

-$176k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

BachCIP: 1312

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $47,382

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas

BachCIP: 1313

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $51,389

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language

BachCIP: 1314

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $42,259

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Master's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations

MastCIP: 5202

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $103,485

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Other Programs

Psychology, General

DegCIP: 4201

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $59,214

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

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.