Tennessee State University
Nashville, TN, United States
Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
Photo: Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Tennessee State University has 33 programs with reported graduate earnings. The highest is Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (master's), where graduates earn a median $115,908 four years after finishing, against $120,338 for the same field nationally.
Graduation rate
First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time
First-year retention
Students who return for a second year
Median earnings
$47,151
Former students who received federal aid
Source: U.S. College Scorecard, field of study, 2025
Median earnings of graduates who received federal aid, one and four years after finishing, and the median federal loan debt they borrowed at Tennessee State University. The field median is the middle value for the same field and credential across every college that reports it. 49 more programs have too few graduates for earnings to be published.
Highest-earning programs
| Program | Graduates | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yr | Field median | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 14 | N/A | $92,380 | $86,0207% above | N/A |
| Accounting and Related Services | 15 | N/A | $69,414 | $73,0545% below | N/A |
| Mechanical Engineering | 12 | $68,142 | N/A | $75,75010% below | N/A |
| Computer Science | 23 | $67,363 | $67,292 | $99,17732% below | $25,125 |
| Civil Engineering | 13 | $66,341 | N/A | $72,7139% below | N/A |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 17 | $53,435 | $63,629 | $67,6766% below | N/A |
| Biology, General | 45 | $40,952 | $59,855 | $57,5584% above | $19,276 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 111 | $44,679 | $57,083 | $64,59012% below | $23,250 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 12 | $52,103 | $54,249 | $52,0204% above | N/A |
| Political Science and Government | 20 | $41,058 | $54,008 | $61,61312% below | N/A |
| Music | 11 | N/A | $53,483 | $43,38723% above | N/A |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 23 | $43,186 | $53,231 | $58,5189% below | $23,500 |
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other | 49 | $36,683 | $48,365 | $64,04624% below | $26,000 |
| Sociology | 10 | N/A | $47,853 | $52,1058% below | N/A |
| Psychology, General | 48 | $36,837 | $46,721 | $50,0667% below | $27,000 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 40 | $43,985 | $46,062 | $54,46915% below | $25,000 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 35 | $41,019 | $45,886 | $47,7304% below | $22,000 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 23 | $35,233 | $45,568 | $53,02414% below | $26,000 |
| Social Work | 13 | N/A | $44,989 | $51,85913% below | N/A |
| Public Health | 23 | $43,245 | N/A | $42,9781% above | $27,000 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 34 | $32,482 | $43,121 | $53,82520% below | $21,875 |
| Family and Consumer Economics and Related Studies | 11 | $37,042 | $42,524 | $50,07415% below | N/A |
| Agriculture, General | 47 | $35,509 | $42,503 | $52,67619% below | $26,000 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 9 | N/A | $36,332 | $41,55013% below | N/A |
| Program | Graduates | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yr | Field median | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dental Support Services and Allied Professions | 21 | $46,605 | $56,729 | $64,87813% below | $17,250 |
| Program | Graduates | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yr | Field median | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 4 | $109,567 | $115,908 | $120,3384% below | N/A |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 48 | $82,863 | $87,602 | $95,1278% below | $21,914 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 13 | $74,672 | N/A | $63,58317% above | N/A |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | 28 | $67,645 | $69,241 | $71,2623% below | $51,250 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | 38 | $57,743 | $59,413 | $65,78610% below | $39,750 |
| Social Work | 15 | $55,884 | $57,826 | $62,5978% below | $20,500 |
| Program | Graduates | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yr | Field median | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 32 | $99,827 | N/A | $96,4573% above | $66,166 |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | Not available | $73,957 | $82,654 | $82,6330% above | $71,750 |
Careers linked to the programs Tennessee State University reports, highest national median pay first. Pay and outlook are BLS figures for the whole occupation, not for this college's graduates.
Healthcare practitioners
Master's degree
Via Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
Management
Bachelor's degree
Via Public Administration, Business Administration, Management and Operations
Management
Bachelor's degree
Via Public Administration, Business Administration, Management and Operations
Science
Master's degree
Via Psychology, General
Management
Bachelor's degree
Via Computer Science, Data Science and 1 more
Science
Doctoral or professional degree
Via Public Health
Verified facts
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