Tusculum University — ROI, Cost & Payback
Tusculum University charges a net price of $21,131/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $84,524. Median earnings ten years after entry are $44,367, 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, Tusculum University does not clear its cost — it ranks #31 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) | $21,131/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $84,524 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $44,367 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$3,993/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $23,250 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$164,384 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Tusculum University's own numbers. Net price $21,131 × 4 years = $84,524 total. Median earnings $44,367 fall $3,993 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 $84,524 bill in about 8.5 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Tusculum University students graduate with?
A median $23,250 in federal loans among completers, or 52% of the $44,367 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Tusculum University students graduate?
25% finish their degree — 75% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $84,524 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $338,096 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Tusculum University expensive compared with other Tennessee colleges?
Its $21,131 net price runs $5,862 above the $15,269 median across the 91 Tennessee colleges we profile, or $23,448 more across the full degree.