
Two ratings: the overall grade compares colleges the conventional way (outcomes, cost, resources, experience, reputation). The Outcome Rating asks what students earn: 60% wage-adjusted earnings 10 years after enrolling, 25% graduation, 15% retention. Methodology
What happens to students who enroll at East Tennessee State University, from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
Typical debt at graduation equals about 43% of one year’s median earnings ten years after entry.
Earnings rank: 25th percentile among bachelor’s-degree-focused colleges after a partial adjustment for local wage levels (TN wage index 0.84). This drives the Outcome Rating.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, retrieved Oct 2026. Earnings are for federally aided students who enrolled, whether or not they graduated.
Median pay of bachelor's degree graduates by field of study, and how each program ranks against every college reporting that major — by raw pay and adjusted for state wage levels. Same school, very different paychecks.
| Major | 1 yr after | 4 yrs after | vs. national | Rank (pay) | Rank (wage-adj.) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | — | $106,593 | -9% | #18 of 29 | #12 | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $52,008 | $82,073 | -11% | #277 of 459 | #210 | $23,370 |
| Engineering Technologies/Technicians | $56,551 | $75,298 | -6% | #26 of 34 | #16 | $27,000 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $64,459 | $74,311 | -16% | #896 of 966 | #797 | $19,558 |
| Dental Support Services and Allied Professions | $51,316 | $65,649 | -4% | #48 of 76 | #33 | $14,000 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $48,671 | $62,853 | -11% | #159 of 253 | #148 | $20,903 |
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences | $27,196 | $60,298 | -12% | #42 of 61 | #34 | $17,750 |
| Marketing | $35,632 | $58,583 | -15% | #405 of 516 | #343 | $20,500 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $39,936 | $58,232 | -30% | #436 of 452 | #416 | $17,739 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $44,834 | $57,642 | -24% | #746 of 796 | #689 | $16,250 |
| Biology | $28,138 | $57,167 | +-0% | #449 of 841 | #267 | $19,625 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $37,041 | $55,719 | -18% | #939 of 1176 | #811 | $18,500 |
| Public Health | $38,435 | $52,543 | -11% | #147 of 215 | #112 | $22,299 |
| Mathematics | — | $49,423 | -29% | #299 of 309 | #287 | — |
| Political Science and Government | $37,594 | $48,452 | -23% | #534 of 565 | #481 | $21,500 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | — | $48,263 | +-0% | #63 of 137 | #55 | — |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | $25,768 | $47,821 | -12% | #474 of 610 | #379 | $21,928 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | $32,474 | $44,738 | -16% | #387 of 476 | #343 | $21,500 |
| Special Education and Teaching | — | $44,224 | -12% | #153 of 177 | #142 | — |
| History | $27,799 | $44,142 | -13% | #391 of 459 | #300 | $20,500 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $30,097 | $43,998 | -21% | #621 of 660 | #583 | $23,250 |
| Social Work | $32,514 | $43,855 | -15% | #389 of 420 | #370 | $20,000 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $40,276 | $43,687 | -8% | #550 of 680 | #453 | $15,000 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | $33,301 | $43,051 | -11% | #142 of 172 | #108 | $19,500 |
| English Language and Literature | $21,836 | $43,001 | -12% | #448 of 576 | #350 | $17,022 |
| Psychology | $26,403 | $42,358 | -16% | #898 of 1027 | #779 | $16,387 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $27,380 | $41,570 | -26% | #618 of 660 | #576 | $21,274 |
| Design and Applied Arts | $34,177 | $41,449 | -20% | #260 of 299 | #226 | $18,250 |
| Graphic Communications | $20,802 | $41,074 | -5% | #36 of 59 | #27 | $22,250 |
| Human Services | $32,437 | $40,288 | -17% | #84 of 94 | #76 | $20,875 |
| Sociology | $24,468 | $36,966 | -30% | #455 of 462 | #447 | $17,495 |
| Music | $30,004 | $35,707 | -17% | #234 of 268 | #197 | $23,000 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $16,696 | $34,516 | -17% | #369 of 423 | #316 | $22,000 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | — | $28,062 | -29% | #252 of 255 | #240 | — |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study data. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working; small programs are not reported.
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Rankings based on Repit College Grade among schools offering each program.
| Category | In-State | Out-of-State |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $7,706 | $11,034 |
| Room | $4,832 | |
| Board | $4,660 | |
| Total Cost (On-Campus) | $28,500 | $32,340 |
| Family Income | Average Net Price |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $13,158 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $13,625 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $16,944 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $19,753 |
| $110,001+ | $20,907 |
Programs ranked by number of degrees awarded annually.
Careers that graduates from East Tennessee State University's top programs commonly pursue.
Deciding between a dorm and buying near campus? Run the numbers for East Tennessee State University — four years of dorm costs vs. owning, including what you’d recover at resale. Buy vs Dorm calculator →
Compare with other 4-Year public institutions of similar size.
Data source: IPEDS 2023-24 | Last updated: October 2026 | Methodology