Tennessee Wesleyan University — ROI, Cost & Payback
Tennessee Wesleyan University charges a net price of $14,836/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $59,344. Median earnings ten years after entry are $45,989, 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, Tennessee Wesleyan University does not clear its cost — it ranks #25 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) | $14,836/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $59,344 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $45,989 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$2,371/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $20,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$106,764 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Tennessee Wesleyan University's own numbers. Net price $14,836 × 4 years = $59,344 total. Median earnings $45,989 fall $2,371 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 $59,344 bill in about 5.9 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Tennessee Wesleyan University students graduate with?
A median $20,000 in federal loans among completers, or 43% of the $45,989 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Tennessee Wesleyan University students graduate?
48% finish their degree — 52% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $59,344 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $123,633 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Tennessee Wesleyan University expensive compared with other Tennessee colleges?
Its $14,836 net price runs $433 below the $15,269 median across the 91 Tennessee colleges we profile, and $1,732 less across the full degree.