Tennessee State University
Tuition, net price, acceptance rate, SAT/ACT scores, graduation rate, and graduate salary · Nashville, Tennessee
Net price / year
$15,796
after grants & scholarships
higher than 67% of public 4-year colleges
Acceptance rate
70%
Graduation rate
33%
within 150% of normal time
lower than 77% of public 4-year colleges
Median earnings
$53,808
4 years after graduating
lower than 71% of public 4-year colleges
Tennessee State University at a glance
- What is the tuition at Tennessee State University?
- In-state undergraduate tuition and fees are $8,616 for the 2024-25 academic year, or $22,416 for out-of-state students.
- What is the cost of attendance at Tennessee State University?
- The average cost of attendance is $25,637 a year before financial aid (2023-24), counting tuition, books, housing and other living expenses.
- What is the net price at Tennessee State University?
- The average net price for in-state students is $15,796 a year after grants and scholarships (2023-24).
- What is the acceptance rate at Tennessee State University?
- About 70% of applicants were admitted (fall 2024).
- What SAT and ACT scores are typical at Tennessee State University?
- The middle 50% of admitted students who submitted scores had an SAT total of about 880–1050 and an ACT composite of 16–21 (fall 2024). Test policy reported: Tests required.
- What is the graduation rate at Tennessee State University?
- 33% of first-time, full-time students finish within 150% of normal time, or 6 years (entering classes through fall 2018).
- How much do graduates of Tennessee State University earn?
- The median graduate earns $53,808 four years after finishing, among graduates working and not enrolled (2024 dollars).
Key takeaways
- The earnings premium over a typical high-school graduate would cover the estimated net cost in about 3.3 years of work (not counting income forgone while studying).
- Families earning under $30,000 pay about $15,005 a year on average, versus $20,099 for families earning over $110,000.
- Graduates earn a median $53,808 four years after finishing, less than 71% of public 4-year colleges.
- 51% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants, a sign the school serves many lower-income students.
- The school admits 70% of applicants, so most who apply are accepted.
Tuition and cost of attendance at Tennessee State University
Average net price (in-state)
$15,796 per year
Cost of attendance minus average grants and scholarships, for first-time full-time students receiving federal aid.
Estimate your own price with the Tennessee State University net price calculator ↗
Estimated total net cost
$63,184
Net price × 4 years, at today's prices and assuming on-time completion. Your actual cost depends on your aid.
Net price by family income
Average yearly net price for students receiving federal aid.
- $0–30k $15,005
- $30–48k $15,840
- $48–75k $15,579
- $75–110k $20,624
- $110k+ $20,099
Where the sticker price goes· Cost of attendance $25,637
- Tuition & fees$8,616
- Books & supplies$1,600
- Room & board$11,150
- Other expenses$5,811
- Tuition & fees (in-state)
- $8,616
- Tuition & fees (out-of-state)
- $22,416
Tennessee State University acceptance rate and SAT/ACT scores
Acceptance rate
Share of applicants admitted.
Test policy: Tests required
Graduation rate and salary after graduating from Tennessee State University
Graduation rate
33%
First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time.
Retention rate
52%
Full-time first-years who return the next fall.
Typical monthly payment
$286
On a standard 10-year federal plan.
Years of earnings premium to cover cost
3.3 years
Net cost ÷ (graduate earnings − high-school graduate earnings). Excludes income forgone while studying and assumes today's earnings. A rough guide, not a prediction.
Earnings vs debt
Of graduates working and not enrolled, in 2024 dollars.
- Debt-to-earnings
- 0.5×Median debt divided by median earnings 4 years after graduating.
- Share of pay going to loans
- 6.4%
- 3-year loan default rate
- 0%
Outcomes by student group
The Scorecard reports some outcomes separately for groups of students. A group is left out when it is too small to report. These are school-level figures and say nothing about any individual student.
Completion within 150% of normal time, by group
Share of students who entered in 2018 and completed within 150% of normal time (six years at a four-year college, three at a two-year college).
All students, same entering cohort: 34%
Group rates and the all-student rate come from the same 2018 entering cohort, so they can be compared directly. Groups at small colleges can rest on very few students. Data period: Entering cohort 2018 (IPEDS).
Earnings ten years after entry
All students who entered this college, whether or not they graduated, in 2022 dollars, ten years after entry.
Typical range: middle half of students
25th percentile $25,972 · median $42,730 · 75th percentile $61,975
Median by family income
Median by sex
This is not the same as the graduates' earnings shown above. It covers everyone who entered, including students who left without a degree, ten years after entry and in 2022 dollars. The graduates' figure covers only completers, four years after finishing, in 2024 dollars. Do not compare the two directly.
Data period: Students who entered in academic years 2009-10 and 2010-11 (pooled), earnings measured in 2020 and 2021, 2022 dollars (Treasury).
Median federal student debt, by group
Median federal loan debt of students who borrowed, when they left school, by group.
By Pell Grant status
By first-generation status
By family income
By gender
Data period: Loans in fiscal years 2020 and 2021 (pooled, NSLDS).
How borrowers are doing
One year after leaving school and entering repayment, here is where the 3,587 federal-loan borrowers from this college stood. It covers borrowers only, not students who did not take federal loans.
Repayment status one year after entering repayment
- Paid in full 2%
- Making progress 2%
- Not making progress 12%
- Delinquent 3%
- Default 0%
- Forbearance 64%
- Deferment 16%
- Discharged 1%
What the terms mean
- Paid in full:
- The borrower has paid off the loans completely.
- Making progress:
- Payments are reducing the loan balance, not just covering interest.
- Not making progress:
- The borrower is paying, but not enough to shrink the balance.
- Delinquent:
- Payments are late but the loan is not yet in default.
- Default:
- The borrower has missed payments for so long that the loan is officially in default.
- Forbearance:
- Payments are temporarily paused or reduced, and interest may keep adding up.
- Deferment:
- Payments are on hold for an approved reason, such as returning to school.
- Discharged:
- The loan was cancelled, for example because of a disability or a school closure.
3,587 borrowers · Data period: Borrowers who entered repayment in the AY2018-19 and AY2019-20 cohorts (pooled, NSLDS).
Programs and majors at Tennessee State University ranked by earnings
| Program | Earnings, 4 yrs after | Earnings over time | Compared with the U.S. median for this field | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Bachelor's · Graduates: 21 Small sample | $92,380 | 1 yr$65,3314 yrs$92,3805 yrs$78,099 | U.S. median $88,910 U.S. middle half $67.9K–$114.5K · Above the U.S. median | $24,124 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Associate · Graduates: 32 | $90,985 | 4 yrs$90,9855 yrs$80,187 | U.S. median $80,813 U.S. middle half $61.1K–$103.8K · Above the U.S. median | — |
| Accounting and Related Services Bachelor's · Graduates: 29 Small sample | $69,414 | 1 yr$53,6204 yrs$69,4145 yrs$68,010 | U.S. median $76,194 U.S. middle half $56.2K–$97.2K · Below the U.S. median | $26,471 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 46 | $67,292 | 1 yr$50,6284 yrs$67,2925 yrs$61,218 | U.S. median $107,009 U.S. middle half $74.8K–$152K · Below the U.S. median | $17,500 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions Bachelor's · Graduates: 27 Small sample | $63,629 | 1 yr$48,8944 yrs$63,6295 yrs$63,262 | U.S. median $70,786 U.S. middle half $50.9K–$95.9K · Below the U.S. median | — |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 37 | $59,855 | 1 yr$30,6724 yrs$59,8555 yrs$40,944 | U.S. median $57,214 U.S. middle half $38.9K–$79.2K · Above the U.S. median | $27,000 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations Bachelor's · Graduates: 123 | $57,083 | 1 yr$40,0774 yrs$57,0835 yrs$55,205 | U.S. median $68,257 U.S. middle half $47.6K–$93.6K · Below the U.S. median | $27,968 |
| Dental Support Services and Allied Professions Associate · Graduates: 40 | $56,729 | 1 yr$44,1924 yrs$56,7295 yrs$63,165 | U.S. median $61,982 U.S. middle half $42.2K–$79.2K · Below the U.S. median | $16,215 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities Bachelor's · Graduates: 31 | $54,249 | 1 yr$37,7164 yrs$54,2495 yrs$60,054 | U.S. median $53,072 U.S. middle half $35.8K–$73.3K · Above the U.S. median | $29,297 |
| Political Science and Government Bachelor's · Graduates: 17 Small sample | $54,008 | 1 yr$35,2064 yrs$54,0085 yrs$42,765 | U.S. median $63,293 U.S. middle half $44.8K–$85.4K · Below the U.S. median | $26,930 |
Show all 23 programs
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 18 Small sample | $53,483 | 1 yr$23,8684 yrs$53,483 | U.S. median $42,892 U.S. middle half $26K–$58.8K · Above the U.S. median | — |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services Bachelor's · Graduates: 30 | $53,231 | 1 yr$38,1344 yrs$53,2315 yrs$54,837 | U.S. median $58,716 U.S. middle half $41.9K–$80.4K · Below the U.S. median | $25,000 |
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other Bachelor's · Graduates: 91 | $48,365 | 1 yr$33,8624 yrs$48,3655 yrs$41,776 | U.S. median $68,245 U.S. middle half $48K–$89.1K · Below the U.S. median | $28,750 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 22 Small sample | $47,853 | 1 yr$34,8844 yrs$47,853 | U.S. median $52,657 U.S. middle half $37.7K–$69.5K · Below the U.S. median | $29,858 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 75 | $46,721 | 1 yr$30,7354 yrs$46,7215 yrs$40,136 | U.S. median $50,706 U.S. middle half $35.7K–$67.2K · Below the U.S. median | $26,000 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections Bachelor's · Graduates: 106 | $46,062 | 1 yr$32,5554 yrs$46,0625 yrs$48,027 | U.S. median $55,378 U.S. middle half $40.2K–$74.4K · Below the U.S. median | $27,000 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods Bachelor's · Graduates: 87 | $45,886 | 1 yr$34,7564 yrs$45,8865 yrs$45,926 | U.S. median $47,382 U.S. middle half $38.4K–$56.1K · Below the U.S. median | $26,000 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness Bachelor's · Graduates: 71 | $45,568 | 1 yr$24,7224 yrs$45,5685 yrs$39,832 | U.S. median $54,562 U.S. middle half $39K–$73K · Below the U.S. median | $28,000 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 36 | $44,989 | 1 yr$29,4494 yrs$44,9895 yrs$39,205 | U.S. median $51,790 U.S. middle half $39.2K–$64.2K · Below the U.S. median | $26,000 |
| Communication and Media Studies Bachelor's · Graduates: 82 | $43,121 | 1 yr$25,1404 yrs$43,1215 yrs$40,921 | U.S. median $56,359 U.S. middle half $39.6K–$76.1K · Below the U.S. median | $29,250 |
| Family and Consumer Economics and Related Studies Bachelor's · Graduates: 30 | $42,524 | 1 yr$32,7934 yrs$42,5245 yrs$37,876 | U.S. median $53,262 U.S. middle half $39.4K–$72.7K · Below the U.S. median | $28,250 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 28 Small sample | $42,503 | 1 yr$34,2554 yrs$42,5035 yrs$43,651 | U.S. median $53,676 U.S. middle half $39K–$70.6K · Below the U.S. median | $26,751 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 17 Small sample | $36,332 | — | U.S. median $41,367 U.S. middle half $26.2K–$56.7K · Below the U.S. median | — |
Earnings are for graduates working and not enrolled, 4 years after completing, in 2024 dollars.
The U.S. median and middle half (25th to 75th percentile) are for graduates of the same field and credential level at all colleges, 4 years after completing.
The 1-year, 4-year and 5-year figures come from different graduating cohorts and dollar years (1-year: AY2018-19 and AY2019-20 graduates, 2022 dollars; 4-year: AY2017-18 and AY2018-19 graduates, 2024 dollars; 5-year: AY2014-15 and AY2015-16 graduates, 2022 dollars), so read them as three separate measures, not a single career path.
Small samples are noisy: the Scorecard adds privacy noise to program figures and some rows are based on only a handful of graduates, so rows marked “small sample” can move a lot from year to year.
What students study
The largest fields among the degrees and certificates this college awarded, grouped by two-digit CIP code (the federal Classification of Instructional Programs). Fields under 1% are left out.
Share of degrees and certificates awarded, by field
A large share means many awards, not necessarily many students or higher earnings. Data period: Awards in academic year 2024-25 (IPEDS).
Who attends
A snapshot of the undergraduate student body as this college reported it to the federal government. Shares are shown as published; they can differ slightly from 100% because of rounding.
Race and ethnicity
- White 4.4%
- Black or African American 85.1%
- Hispanic or Latino 3.1%
- Asian 0.6%
- American Indian or Alaska Native 0%
- Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0%
- Two or more races 2.7%
- U.S. nonresident 2.3%
- Race and ethnicity unknown 1.9%
Federal reporting categories. Students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents are counted as nonresident, and students who did not report are counted as unknown. Data period: Fall 2024 (IPEDS).
Gender
- Men 34.6%
- Women 65.5%
Federal reporting uses two categories. Data period: Fall 2024 (IPEDS).
Students aged 25 or older
8%
of undergraduates
Many adult students work or have families while enrolled. Data period: Fall 2023 (IPEDS).
Students and campus
- Undergraduate enrollment
- 4,848
- Part-time students
- 8%
- Receive Pell Grants
- 51%
- Receive federal loans
- 46%
- Students per faculty member
- 13 : 1
- Setting
- City
Similar colleges
Schools of a similar type, price, size and outcomes.
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Tennessee Technological University
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Net price $14,246Earnings $57,413
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Net price $15,983Earnings $53,033
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The University of Tennessee-Martin
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Texas Southern University
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University of Arkansas at Little Rock
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Where it ranks
This college appears in the top 50 of these TuitionScope rankings.
Guides worth reading
Plain-language explainers that help you read the numbers on this page.
More in Tennessee
In Tennessee
National rankings
Frequently asked questions
How much is tuition at Tennessee State University?
For the 2024-25 academic year, Tennessee State University reported undergraduate tuition and fees of $8,616 for in-state students and $22,416 for out-of-state students. These are published prices before grants and scholarships; what you pay depends on your aid.
What is the cost of attendance and net price at Tennessee State University?
The average cost of attendance at Tennessee State University is $25,637 a year (2023-24), counting tuition, books, housing and other living expenses. After grants and scholarships, the average net price is $15,796 a year. That is around the middle of public 4-year colleges.
How much financial aid do students at Tennessee State University get?
51% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. 46% receive federal loans. The average net price runs from $15,005 a year for families earning under $30,000 to $20,099 for families earning over $110,000 (2023-24).
What is the acceptance rate at Tennessee State University?
Tennessee State University admitted about 70% of applicants in fall 2024. That means most applicants are admitted.
What SAT and ACT scores do you need for Tennessee State University?
Among admitted students who submitted scores, the middle 50% had an SAT total of about 880–1050 and an ACT composite of 16–21 (fall 2024). That is a guide, not a cutoff. Reported test policy: Tests required.
What are the graduation rate and retention rate at Tennessee State University?
33% of first-time, full-time students at Tennessee State University finish within 150% of normal time. 52% of full-time first-years return the next fall.
How much do Tennessee State University graduates earn after graduation?
The median graduate earns $53,808 four years after finishing, among graduates working and not enrolled in further study (2024 dollars). One year after finishing, the median is $36,092.
Is Tennessee State University worth it?
There is no single answer: it depends on your major, your aid and whether you finish. For Tennessee State University, the data shows this. The earnings premium over a typical high-school graduate would cover the estimated net cost in about 3.3 years of work. Graduates who borrowed have a median debt of $27,000, about 0.5 times their median earnings four years after finishing. 33% of first-time, full-time students finish within 150% of normal time. These are averages, not predictions, and they do not count income forgone while studying.
Sources and data periods
All figures come from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 2026 release). Periods differ by measure:
- Average net price: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
- Acceptance rate: Fall 2024, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
- Graduation rate: Fall 2018 or AcadYr 2018-19 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25 pooled with previous years (# of total pooled years found in POOLYRS)
- Median earnings: Treasury AY2017-18, AY2018-19 pooled cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Median graduate debt: NSLDS FY2020, FY2021 pooled cohorts
Some figures are blank because the school did not report them or the group was too small to publish. How we calculate things