Rhodes College

Rhodes College's published cost of attendance is $71,136, but need-based aid reshapes that figure across income levels. Low-income families pay approximately $15,770; middle-income families pay around $15,910; higher-income families pay approximately $31,878.

Azimuth ranks Rhodes College #1182 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.

Rhodes College commits to meeting demonstrated financial need for admitted students through need-based aid packages. The aid structure combines institutional grants, federal and state aid, and work-study opportunities.

Families apply using the FAFSA and CSS Profile to determine eligibility and aid amounts. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $21,761, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $52,509; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.

For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $65,427, median federal debt of $21,761 projects to a monthly payment of about $246 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).

Graduates of Rhodes College earn median 4-year earnings of $65,427, placing Rhodes College in the 70.1 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure runs above the $57,042 median at comparable institutions.

Azimuth ranks Rhodes College #517 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects Rhodes College's concentration in Biological Sciences, a field that typically delivers solid mid-career outcomes and positions graduates for sustained financial growth.

The program lineup shows strength across applied and life-sciences fields. Business Administration is the largest program with 71 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $77,838, representing 1.1x the national benchmark for the field.

The Biology, General program graduates 47 students with median 4-year earnings of $50,036, at 0.9x the benchmark. Neurobiology and Neurosciences and Chemistry round out the top programs, each enrolling substantial cohorts of 37 and 36 graduates respectively.

This program mix — anchored in Social Sciences at 16% of degrees, complemented by Business at 13% and other STEM fields at 9% — supports consistent earnings outcomes and strong employer alignment in TN.

Rhodes College's program mix is anchored in the biological sciences and liberal arts fields, a signature shaped by the institution's identity as a selective private college. Business Administration is the largest program with 71 graduates, followed by Biology, General, Neurobiology and Neurosciences, Chemistry, and Psychology, General.

The Biological Sciences concentration—representing 16% of degrees—reflects the college's strength in pre-professional and science-focused pathways, complemented by Business at 13% and other STEM fields at 9%. Among 0 ranked programs, several deliver strong four-year earnings outcomes.

Economics leads with median earnings of $82,950 for 23 graduates, followed by Computer Science at $78,973 and Business Administration at $77,838. Political Science graduates earn $72,062, and Biology, General reaches $50,036.

These earnings patterns reflect the college's emphasis on pre-professional preparation and quantitative fields where graduates enter the workforce directly into stable, well-compensated roles. Several of Rhodes College's strongest programs are grad-school-dependent pathways—particularly those in the biological sciences and chemistry—where four-year earnings undercount lifetime trajectory because a meaningful share of graduates continue to medical school, dental school, or graduate study.

The college's success in supporting students toward advanced-degree programs is a distinctive institutional strength. The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how these pre-professional fields align with national labor-market demand and graduate-school pipeline outcomes.