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 nonprofit four-year institutions, 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, a private nonprofit university in Nashville, reports $160,021 in median earnings of Computer Science graduates four years after completing and ranks 62nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
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 $106,312 in median earnings of Computer Science graduates four years after completing alongside a six-year completion rate of 74% 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 an admission rate of 69%, Middle Tennessee State University reports $96,485 in median earnings of Computer Science graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $9,289 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
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 ranks 4th on this list with $90,521 in median earnings of Computer Science graduates four years after completing and a six-year completion rate of 58%. | |||||
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 $90,207 in median earnings of Computer Science graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $12,397, while its Azimuth composite rank sits at 224th among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
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 admits 81% of applicants and reports $82,644 in median earnings of Computer Science graduates four years after completing 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 reports $82,073 in median earnings of Computer Science graduates four years after completing, matching the median across the 13 listed schools, and graduates 53% of its students within six years. | |||||
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% |
| The University of Tennessee-Martin posts $79,403 in median earnings of Computer Science graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $7,151 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
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 in Memphis, reports $78,973 in median earnings of Computer Science graduates four years after completing and a six-year completion rate of 85%. | |||||
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 carries the lowest average net price on the page at $9,735 and reports $76,950 in median earnings of 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 reports $75,435 in median earnings of Computer Science graduates four years after completing 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 $67,292 in median earnings of Computer Science graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $15,796 alongside a six-year completion rate of 34%. | |||||
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, a private nonprofit university in Nashville, reports $55,964 in median earnings for its Computer Science graduates two years after completing and an average net price of $14,532 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
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, highest first. Only schools with a reported Computer Science earnings cohort in Tennessee appear. The figure captures federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after finishing. 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 range and median below cover the 13 schools with a published figure. 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.