Graduates of Tennessee State University earn median 4-year earnings of $53,808, placing Tennessee State University in the 13.5 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn at roughly the same level as similar students at comparable institutions, placing Tennessee State University in the 62.7 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Tennessee State University #963 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions — in the 35.0 percentile for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. These figures represent lifetime returns relative to TN's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $31,130 (the state median earnings of working adults age 25–34 with only a high school credential). The earnings pattern centers on health and allied health fields, reflecting Tennessee State University's dominant program concentration. Business Administration is the largest program with 94 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $57,083, performing at 0.8x the national benchmark for the field. The Psychology, General program graduates 65 students earning $46,721, and the The Biology, General program graduates 60 students earning $59,855. Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other and Criminal Justice round out the largest cohorts, each contributing to the institution's health-sector focus and supporting stable career pathways in nursing, allied health, and related fields where employer demand remains consistent.
Graduates of Tennessee State University earn median 4-year earnings of $53,808, placing Tennessee State University in the 13.5 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn at roughly the same level as similar students at comparable institutions, placing Tennessee State University in the 62.7 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Tennessee State University #963 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions — in the 35.0 percentile for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. These figures represent lifetime returns relative to TN's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $31,130 (the state median earnings of working adults age 25–34 with only a high school credential). The earnings pattern centers on health and allied health fields, reflecting Tennessee State University's dominant program concentration. Business Administration is the largest program with 94 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $57,083, performing at 0.8x the national benchmark for the field. The Psychology, General program graduates 65 students earning $46,721, and the The Biology, General program graduates 60 students earning $59,855. Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other and Criminal Justice round out the largest cohorts, each contributing to the institution's health-sector focus and supporting stable career pathways in nursing, allied health, and related fields where employer demand remains consistent.
Latest FE earnings field: 10-year
How graduate earnings grow across the currently available FE horizons.
Financial justification for the investment.
Graduates of Tennessee State University earn median 4-year earnings of $53,808, placing Tennessee State University in the 13.5 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn at roughly the same level as similar students at comparable institutions, placing Tennessee State University in the 62.7 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Tennessee State University #963 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions — in the 35.0 percentile for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. These figures represent lifetime returns relative to TN's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $31,130 (the state median earnings of working adults age 25–34 with only a high school credential). The earnings pattern centers on health and allied health fields, reflecting Tennessee State University's dominant program concentration. Business Administration is the largest program with 94 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $57,083, performing at 0.8x the national benchmark for the field. The Psychology, General program graduates 65 students earning $46,721, and the The Biology, General program graduates 60 students earning $59,855. Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other and Criminal Justice round out the largest cohorts, each contributing to the institution's health-sector focus and supporting stable career pathways in nursing, allied health, and related fields where employer demand remains consistent.
Program mix and student pathways explain much of the earnings story.
Tennessee State University's program mix is anchored in health professions and applied healthcare fields — a portfolio shaped by the institution's mission as a historically Black public university in Nashville with deep ties to regional health systems. Business Administration is the largest program with 94 graduates annually, followed by Psychology, General, Biology, General, Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other, and Criminal Justice. Across 30 programs, 0 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold among nonprofit four-year institutions, with particular strength in healthcare and applied professional fields. The earnings pattern reflects the institution's health-professions concentration. Computer Science graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $67,292 with 27 graduates, while Biology, General graduates earn $59,855 and Business Administration graduates earn $57,083. These outcomes correspond to the institution's dominant program families: Business represents 15% of graduates, Engineering represents 7%, and Education represents 5%. Several of these programs are high-mobility pathways where graduates enter the regional and national healthcare labor market directly — particularly nursing and allied health programs where employer demand remains strong and earnings reflect immediate workforce entry. The supply and demand for college graduates provides context for how Tennessee State University's dominant program families align with labor-market demand in healthcare and related professional fields.
Lower quartile, 10-year field
Upper quartile, 10-year field
Graduates of Tennessee State University earn median 4-year earnings of $53,808, placing Tennessee State University in the 13.5 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn at roughly the same level as similar students at comparable institutions, placing Tennessee State University in the 62.7 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Tennessee State University #963 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions — in the 35.0 percentile for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. These figures represent lifetime returns relative to TN's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $31,130 (the state median earnings of working adults age 25–34 with only a high school credential). The earnings pattern centers on health and allied health fields, reflecting Tennessee State University's dominant program concentration. Business Administration is the largest program with 94 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $57,083, performing at 0.8x the national benchmark for the field. The Psychology, General program graduates 65 students earning $46,721, and the The Biology, General program graduates 60 students earning $59,855. Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other and Criminal Justice round out the largest cohorts, each contributing to the institution's health-sector focus and supporting stable career pathways in nursing, allied health, and related fields where employer demand remains consistent.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
