The University of Tennessee Southern — ROI, Cost & Payback
The University of Tennessee Southern charges a net price of $12,798/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $51,192. Median earnings ten years after entry are $38,924, 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, The University of Tennessee Southern does not clear its cost — it ranks #53 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) | $12,798/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $51,192 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $38,924 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$9,436/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $21,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$239,912 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on The University of Tennessee Southern's own numbers. Net price $12,798 × 4 years = $51,192 total. Median earnings $38,924 fall $9,436 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 $51,192 bill in about 5.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do The University of Tennessee Southern students graduate with?
A median $21,500 in federal loans among completers, or 55% of the $38,924 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of The University of Tennessee Southern students graduate?
37% finish their degree — 63% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $51,192 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $138,357 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is The University of Tennessee Southern expensive compared with other Tennessee colleges?
Its $12,798 net price runs $2,471 below the $15,269 median across the 91 Tennessee colleges we profile, and $9,884 less across the full degree.