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# Best Computer Science Colleges in Tennessee (2026)

Updated September 30, 2026

Programs in this field[Computer Science](/rankings/best-computer-science-programs-in-tennessee/)

This page ranks the 13 Computer Science programs in Tennessee by the median earnings of Computer Science graduates four years after completing. [Vanderbilt University](/school/vanderbilt-university/majors/) leads the list at $160,021, a gap of $53,709 above second-ranked [The University of Tennessee-Knoxville](/school/the-university-of-tennessee-knoxville/majors/).

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

13 schools in list order

| 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](/school/vanderbilt-university/majors/), a private nonprofit university in Nashville, reports [$160,021 in median earnings](/school/vanderbilt-university/outcomes/) 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](/school/the-university-of-tennessee-knoxville/majors/) posts [$106,312 in median earnings](/school/the-university-of-tennessee-knoxville/outcomes/) 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%](/school/middle-tennessee-state-university/admissions/), [Middle Tennessee State University](/school/middle-tennessee-state-university/majors/) 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](/school/tennessee-technological-university/majors/) ranks 4th on this list with [$90,521 in median earnings](/school/tennessee-technological-university/outcomes/) 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](/school/university-of-memphis/majors/) reports [$90,207 in median earnings](/school/university-of-memphis/outcomes/) 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](/school/the-university-of-tennessee-chattanooga/majors/) [admits 81% of applicants](/school/the-university-of-tennessee-chattanooga/admissions/) 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](/school/east-tennessee-state-university/majors/) reports [$82,073 in median earnings](/school/east-tennessee-state-university/outcomes/) 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](/school/austin-peay-state-university/majors/) carries the lowest average net price on the page at $9,735 and reports [$76,950 in median earnings](/school/austin-peay-state-university/outcomes/) 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](/school/king-university/majors/) [admits 100% of applicants](/school/king-university/admissions/) 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](/school/tennessee-state-university/majors/) reports [$67,292 in median earnings](/school/tennessee-state-university/outcomes/) 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.

## Related rankings

-   [Best Computer Science Colleges in the United States](/rankings/best-computer-science-colleges/)
-   [Best Colleges in Tennessee](/rankings/best-colleges-in-tennessee/)
-   [Best Computer Science Colleges in Texas](/rankings/best-computer-science-colleges-in-texas/)
-   [Best Computer Science Colleges in North Carolina](/rankings/best-computer-science-colleges-in-north-carolina/)
-   [Best Computer Science Colleges in California](/rankings/best-computer-science-colleges-in-california/)
-   [Best Computer Science Colleges in Oregon](/rankings/best-computer-science-colleges-in-oregon/)