Best Computer Science Colleges in Tennessee (2026)
Updated
This page ranks the 13 Computer Science programs in Tennessee by the median earnings of Computer Science graduates four years after completing. Vanderbilt University leads the list at $160,021, a gap of $53,709 above second-ranked The University of Tennessee-Knoxville.
Across the listed schools, median earnings range from $160,021 to $55,964, with a median of $82,073.
The list includes 9 public and 4 private nonprofit institutions. Vanderbilt University ranks 62nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among the 1,467 public and private nonprofit four-year institutions Azimuth ranks nationally, and Austin Peay State University posts the lowest average net price at $9,735.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median Computer Science Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vanderbilt University · Nashville, TN | $160,021 | $15,846 | $3,414 | 5.9% |
| Vanderbilt University reports $160,021 in median earnings for its Computer Science graduates four years after completing, alongside a 6% admission rate. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Computer Science (205 graduates) | |||||
| 2 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville · Knoxville, TN | $106,312 | $18,976 | $10,029 | 41.6% |
| The University of Tennessee-Knoxville posts median earnings of $106,312 for its Computer Science graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $18,976. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Computer Science (79 graduates), Information Science/Studies (11 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Computer Science ($106,312) | |||||
| 3 | Middle Tennessee State University · Murfreesboro, TN | $96,485 | $13,359 | $9,289 | 69.1% |
| With a six-year completion rate of 54%, Middle Tennessee State University shows median earnings of $96,485 for its Computer Science graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Computer Science (83 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Computer Science ($96,485) | |||||
| 4 | Tennessee Technological University · Cookeville, TN | $90,521 | $14,246 | $9,815 | 76.1% |
| Tennessee Technological University admits 76% of applicants and its Computer Science graduates earn a median of $90,521 four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Computer Science (115 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Computer Science ($90,521) | |||||
| 5 | University of Memphis · Memphis, TN | $90,207 | $12,397 | $10,607 | 72.0% |
| University of Memphis reports an average net price of $12,397 and median earnings of $90,207 for its Computer Science graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Computer Science (71 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Computer Science ($90,207) | |||||
| 6 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga · Chattanooga, TN | $82,644 | $14,265 | $9,876 | 81.1% |
| The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga ranks 393rd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Computer Science graduates earn a median of $82,644 four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Computer Science (50 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Computer Science ($82,644) | |||||
| 7 | East Tennessee State University · Johnson City, TN | $82,073 | $15,983 | $12,433 | 86.2% |
| East Tennessee State University posts median earnings of $82,073 for its Computer Science graduates four years after completing, matching the list median of $82,073. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Computer and Information Sciences, General (91 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Computer and Information Sciences, General ($82,073) | |||||
| 8 | The University of Tennessee-Martin · Martin, TN | $79,403 | $10,701 | $7,151 | 88.2% |
| An average net price of $10,701 coincides with median earnings of $79,403 for Computer Science graduates of The University of Tennessee-Martin four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Computer Science (7 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Computer Science ($79,403) | |||||
| 9 | Rhodes College · Memphis, TN | $78,973 | $28,585 | $15,770 | 50.4% |
| Rhodes College, a private nonprofit college, graduates 85% of its students within six years and reports median earnings of $78,973 for its Computer Science graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Computer Science (28 graduates) | |||||
| 10 | Austin Peay State University · Clarksville, TN | $76,950 | $9,735 | $7,588 | 96.4% |
| Austin Peay State University shows an average net price of $9,735 and median earnings of $76,950 for its Computer Science graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Computer Systems Analysis (36 graduates), Computer and Information Sciences, General (26 graduates), Computer Science (18 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Computer and Information Sciences, General ($77,125) | |||||
| 11 | King University · Bristol, TN | $75,435 | $22,347 | $22,696 | 99.7% |
| King University admits 100% of applicants and its Computer Science graduates earn a median of $75,435 four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Computer and Information Sciences, General (13 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Computer and Information Sciences, General ($75,435) | |||||
| 12 | Tennessee State University · Nashville, TN | $67,292 | $15,796 | $15,005 | 70.1% |
| Tennessee State University reports a six-year completion rate of 34% and median earnings of $67,292 for its Computer Science graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Computer Science (27 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Computer Science ($67,292) | |||||
| 13 | Trevecca Nazarene University · Nashville, TN | $55,964 | $16,813 | $14,532 | 69.4% |
| Trevecca Nazarene University ranks 13th on this list, with median earnings of $55,964 for its Computer Science graduates two years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Computer and Information Sciences, General (19 graduates), Computer Software and Media Applications (6 graduates) | |||||
How this list is ordered
Schools are ordered by the median earnings of their Computer Science graduates four years after completing, or two years for programs that report only a two-year figure, highest first. The figure captures federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled after completing. For 1 of the 13 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The gap between first-ranked Vanderbilt University and second-ranked The University of Tennessee-Knoxville is $53,709, and the spread from top to bottom reaches $104,057.
Job market context in Tennessee
Computer Science graduates in Tennessee enter a labor market linked to occupations such as Software Developers, Computer Occupations, All Other, and Computer User Support Specialists. The median annual wage across those occupations is $90,051, and a quarter of workers in those occupations earn less than $70,876. Projections for 2024 to 2034 put employment in those occupations about 12.6% higher, with 6,840 projected openings a year, or about 660 openings a year for every hundred graduates, pointing to more projected openings than graduates. Wages and top occupations exclude management occupations; openings include them. The ranking above uses graduate earnings four years after completing, not the occupation-wide wages shown here.