Graduates of East Tennessee State University earn median 4-year earnings of $53,033, placing East Tennessee State University in the 12.8 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $3,338 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing East Tennessee State University in the 44.0 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks East Tennessee State University #1108 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. East Tennessee State University also sits in the 14.8 percentile for low-income graduate median earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions — a historical 10-year Scorecard measure not yet updated to the four-year horizon. The earnings pattern at East Tennessee State University reflects a program mix anchored in Health, with Business accounting for 13% of graduates, Arts for 4%, and Education for 3%. Nursing stands out as the highest aggregate-return program, combining cohort scale with strong four-year earnings. Nursing is the largest program with 502 graduates earning median four-year earnings of $74,311, and Azimuth ranks it #190 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions per the program-ranking methodology. Psychology, General follows with 159 graduates earning median four-year earnings of $42,358, with Azimuth ranking the program #267 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Among the highest-earning programs, Business Administration program graduates 134 students with median four-year earnings of $55,719, while Kinesiology and General Studies round out the top quartile with median four-year earnings of $47,821 and $44,738, respectively — fields where TN's regional labor market supports steady hiring demand.
Graduates of East Tennessee State University earn median 4-year earnings of $53,033, placing East Tennessee State University in the 12.8 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $3,338 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing East Tennessee State University in the 44.0 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks East Tennessee State University #1108 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. East Tennessee State University also sits in the 14.8 percentile for low-income graduate median earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions — a historical 10-year Scorecard measure not yet updated to the four-year horizon. The earnings pattern at East Tennessee State University reflects a program mix anchored in Health, with Business accounting for 13% of graduates, Arts for 4%, and Education for 3%. Nursing stands out as the highest aggregate-return program, combining cohort scale with strong four-year earnings. Nursing is the largest program with 502 graduates earning median four-year earnings of $74,311, and Azimuth ranks it #190 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions per the program-ranking methodology. Psychology, General follows with 159 graduates earning median four-year earnings of $42,358, with Azimuth ranking the program #267 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Among the highest-earning programs, Business Administration program graduates 134 students with median four-year earnings of $55,719, while Kinesiology and General Studies round out the top quartile with median four-year earnings of $47,821 and $44,738, respectively — fields where TN's regional labor market supports steady hiring demand.
How graduate earnings grow across the currently available FE horizons.
Financial justification for the investment.
Graduates of East Tennessee State University earn median 4-year earnings of $53,033, placing East Tennessee State University in the 12.8 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $3,338 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing East Tennessee State University in the 44.0 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks East Tennessee State University #1108 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. East Tennessee State University also sits in the 14.8 percentile for low-income graduate median earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions — a historical 10-year Scorecard measure not yet updated to the four-year horizon. The earnings pattern at East Tennessee State University reflects a program mix anchored in Health, with Business accounting for 13% of graduates, Arts for 4%, and Education for 3%. Nursing stands out as the highest aggregate-return program, combining cohort scale with strong four-year earnings. Nursing is the largest program with 502 graduates earning median four-year earnings of $74,311, and Azimuth ranks it #190 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions per the program-ranking methodology. Psychology, General follows with 159 graduates earning median four-year earnings of $42,358, with Azimuth ranking the program #267 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Among the highest-earning programs, Business Administration program graduates 134 students with median four-year earnings of $55,719, while Kinesiology and General Studies round out the top quartile with median four-year earnings of $47,821 and $44,738, respectively — fields where TN's regional labor market supports steady hiring demand.
Program mix and student pathways explain much of the earnings story.
East Tennessee State University's program mix is anchored in health and applied professional fields — a signature that reflects the university's regional identity as a comprehensive public institution serving the healthcare and workforce needs of northeastern Tennessee. Health programs account for 13% of graduates, with Arts representing 4% and Education contributing 3% — a distribution that positions the university closer to health-sciences-focused regional institutions than to broad research flagships. The largest programs by graduate volume are Nursing, Psychology, General, and Business Administration, which together define the institution's core degree output and connect graduates to stable, in-demand regional labor markets. The strongest earnings outcomes at East Tennessee State University are concentrated in health and applied technical fields. The Artificial Intelligence program graduates 91 students four years after enrollment with median earnings of $82,073, and Azimuth ranks the program #134 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions — a strong national position for a regional public institution, per the how Azimuth evaluates programs methodology. Nursing and Digital Marketing follow closely, with graduates earning $74,311 and $58,583 respectively four years after enrollment, and Azimuth ranks Nursing #190 and Digital Marketing #153 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The institution's highest-aggregate-return program — Nursing — combines meaningful cohort scale with competitive earnings, making it a key contributor to the university's overall financial outcomes. Many of East Tennessee State University's strongest programs are high-mobility, direct-to-workforce pathways in nursing, allied health, and applied sciences, where graduates enter regional and national labor markets immediately after graduation and four-year earnings closely reflect actual career outcomes. Fields like Kinesiology and General Studies serve important regional workforce roles but tend toward local-labor markets, where earnings are shaped by public-sector and community-service compensation structures. The provides useful context for how health and applied professional fields align with current labor-market demand across the region.
Latest FE earnings field: 10-year
Lower quartile, 10-year field
Upper quartile, 10-year field
Graduates of East Tennessee State University earn median 4-year earnings of $53,033, placing East Tennessee State University in the 12.8 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $3,338 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing East Tennessee State University in the 44.0 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks East Tennessee State University #1108 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. East Tennessee State University also sits in the 14.8 percentile for low-income graduate median earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions — a historical 10-year Scorecard measure not yet updated to the four-year horizon. The earnings pattern at East Tennessee State University reflects a program mix anchored in Health, with Business accounting for 13% of graduates, Arts for 4%, and Education for 3%. Nursing stands out as the highest aggregate-return program, combining cohort scale with strong four-year earnings. Nursing is the largest program with 502 graduates earning median four-year earnings of $74,311, and Azimuth ranks it #190 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions per the program-ranking methodology. Psychology, General follows with 159 graduates earning median four-year earnings of $42,358, with Azimuth ranking the program #267 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Among the highest-earning programs, Business Administration program graduates 134 students with median four-year earnings of $55,719, while Kinesiology and General Studies round out the top quartile with median four-year earnings of $47,821 and $44,738, respectively — fields where TN's regional labor market supports steady hiring demand.
