Fisk University — ROI, Cost & Payback
Fisk University charges a net price of $32,020/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $128,080. Median earnings ten years after entry are $45,454, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Fisk University does not clear its cost — it ranks #37 of 91 Tennessee colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $32,020/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $128,080 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $45,454 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$2,906/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $27,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$186,200 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Fisk University's own numbers. Net price $32,020 × 4 years = $128,080 total. Median earnings $45,454 fall $2,906 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $128,080 bill in about 12.8 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Fisk University students graduate with?
A median $27,000 in federal loans among completers, or 59% of the $45,454 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Fisk University students graduate?
30% finish their degree — 70% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $128,080 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $426,933 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Fisk University expensive compared with other Tennessee colleges?
Its $32,020 net price runs $16,751 above the $15,269 median across the 91 Tennessee colleges we profile, or $67,004 more across the full degree.