National university
Tennessee State University
Nashville, TN · Public · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $15,796 a year
Median debt at graduation: $27,000 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.34%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.34%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,000 · ACT 18.5
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.13 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$9,652
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $25,637 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 6,765 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 35% · Women 65% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 37% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 67% |
| Total students | 8,198 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $15,796 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $25,637 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 34% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 34% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 33% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 31% |
| First-year retention | 34% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $42,730 |
| Admission rate | 70% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $25 |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $1,578 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 51% |
| Average SAT | 1000 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 460–540 |
| SAT math | 420–510 |
| ACT composite | 16–21 |
| Test policy | Required |
Value: Good (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Nursing | |
| Accounting | |
| Computer science | |
| Allied health | |
| Biology | |
| Business administration | |
| Liberal arts | |
| Political science | |
| Music | |
| Health administration | |
| Other health professions and related clinical sciences | |
| Sociology | |
| Psychology | |
| Criminal justice | |
| Teacher education | |
| Kinesiology and exercise science | |
| Social work | |
| Communication studies | |
| Family and Consumer Economics and Related Studies | |
| Agriculture | |
| Fine arts |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Architectural Engineering, Chemistry, Civil engineering, Dental assisting, Electrical engineering, English, History, Managerial economics, Mathematics, Mechanical engineering, Mechanical engineering technology, Public health, Urban Studies/Affairs.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Business | |
| Health professions | |
| Psychology | |
| Agriculture | |
| Biology |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | City |
| Part-time undergraduates | 8% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 8% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $11,150 |
| Sports | NCAA Division I · Ohio Valley Conference |
| ROTC | Army · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 13 to 1 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 77%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $13,935IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 54% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Nashville International Airport (BNA)About 9 miles away · about 20 minutes by car |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | Nashville-DavidsonIn or next to this city |
| Typical weather | 38°F in January · 79°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Shelby Bottoms Nature, TN, about 6 miles away |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.32 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.48 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.00 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.48 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Tennessee State University’s Compass Score?
- Solid (grade C+). The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Tennessee State University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $15,796 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Tennessee State University?
- Tennessee State University admitted 70% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Tennessee State University’s graduates do?
- 34% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $42,730; the median federal debt at graduation is $27,000.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 221838
- Carnegie classification: Doctoral university (high research)
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges d.b.a. Commission on Colleges and Universities (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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Colleges like this one
The same kind of school first, then the closest in selectivity, size and cost.
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