by our College Data Analytics TeamHere’s the full picture on paying for Tennessee State University, spanning what it costs to attend, projected costs over a degree, net price, debt outcomes, and aid equity.
Use the section links below to navigate this overview:
Published attendance costs at Tennessee State University fell between $23,828.00 through $37,628.00 based on in-state versus out-of-state status.
Where you live mattered — in-state students paid less than out-of-state students: close to $23,828.00 for in-state students versus $37,628.00 for those paying out-of-state rates.
Cost is shown below as the full sticker price, the average net price after aid, and the low-income net price.
| Tuition and fees | $8,616.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $15,212.00 |
| Total cost | $23,828.00 |
| That is 24% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $23,828.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$9,841.00 |
| Net price | $13,987.00 |
| That is 27% below the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $23,828.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$10,632.00 |
| Net price | $13,196.00 |
| That is 31% below the national average net price. |
| Tuition and fees | $22,416.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $15,212.00 |
| Total cost | $37,628.00 |
| That is 95% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $37,628.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$9,841.00 |
| Net price | $27,787.00 |
| That is 44% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $37,628.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$10,632.00 |
| Net price | $26,996.00 |
| That is 40% above the national average net price. | |
| For the full breakdown, see tuition and fees and living costs. |
Cost of attendance here has been rising at a recent average of 1.1% per year; the projections below compound that across a degree. Below, the cost is projected across a degree for three students at once — low-income with aid, average aid, and no aid. The repayment figures use a ten-year loan at 6.8%.
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.1% |
| Freshman year | $13,342.00 | $14,142.00 | $24,092.00 |
| Senior year | $13,790.00 | $14,617.00 | $24,901.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $54,261.00 | $57,514.00 | $97,980.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $20,672.00 | $21,911.00 | $37,327.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $624.00 | $662.00 | $1,128.00 |
| Total amount paid | $74,933.00 | $79,425.00 | $135,306.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.1% |
| Freshman year | $13,342.00 | $14,142.00 | $24,092.00 |
| Senior year | $13,490.00 | $14,298.00 | $24,359.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $26,832.00 | $28,440.00 | $48,450.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $10,222.00 | $10,835.00 | $18,458.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $309.00 | $327.00 | $558.00 |
| Total amount paid | $37,054.00 | $39,275.00 | $66,908.00 |
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.1% |
| Freshman year | $27,295.00 | $28,095.00 | $38,045.00 |
| Senior year | $28,212.00 | $29,038.00 | $39,322.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $111,006.00 | $114,259.00 | $154,724.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $42,289.00 | $43,528.00 | $58,944.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $1,277.00 | $1,315.00 | $1,781.00 |
| Total amount paid | $153,296.00 | $157,787.00 | $213,669.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.1% |
| Freshman year | $27,295.00 | $28,095.00 | $38,045.00 |
| Senior year | $27,597.00 | $28,406.00 | $38,466.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $54,892.00 | $56,500.00 | $76,510.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $20,912.00 | $21,525.00 | $29,148.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $632.00 | $650.00 | $880.00 |
| Total amount paid | $75,804.00 | $78,025.00 | $105,658.00 |
See the full net-price breakdown in the Net Price section.
Net price is what students actually pay after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the published sticker price. This is the more honest cost figure for most families, since it accounts for institutional and federal aid.
| Average net price (on-campus) | $15,796.00 |
| Average net price (off-campus) | $10,026.00 |
What families actually pay shifts with income, since need-based grants are larger for lower-income students. The table below shows the average net price by family-income bracket:
| Family income | Average net price |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $9,239.00 |
| $30,000 to $48,000 | $9,436.00 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $11,079.00 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $16,738.00 |
| Over $110,000 | $16,378.00 |
Get a tailored estimate from the Tennessee State University Net Price Calculator, or contact the financial aid office.
For the grant-and-scholarship detail behind these figures, see the grants & scholarships detail.
The typical debt load for borrowers leaving Tennessee State University amounts to $17,500.00, which federal data classifies as a Low ($10-20k) burden tier.
Here’s how debt at graduation distributes across borrowers:
| Percentile | Debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| 10th | $3,500.00 |
| 25th | $5,500.00 |
| Median (50th) | $17,500.00 |
| 75th | $30,319.00 |
| 90th | $44,783.00 |
The spread between the 10th and 90th percentiles reflects how variable debt outcomes are at this school.
Read the complete debt breakdown on the student loan debt detail.
Median debt at graduation differs meaningfully across income brackets. Below, debt is broken out by low, middle, and high family income:
| Family income | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| Low income | $17,660.00 |
| Middle income | $16,998.00 |
| High income | $17,500.00 |
Low-income graduates carry $160.00 in additional median debt versus high-income graduates.
First-generation students frequently graduate with different debt than continuing-generation students.
| Student group | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $16,775.00 |
| Continuing-generation students | $18,875.00 |
Pell Grants are the federal government’s primary need-based undergraduate aid program. The Pell vs non-Pell debt gap reveals how borrowing differs by need.
The median debt difference between Pell-eligible and non-Pell graduates of Tennessee State University amounts to $5,750.00. This school is flagged by the Department of Education for Pell-related debt inequity.
The default-rate category at Tennessee State University is Low (<5%).
| Window | Cohort default rate |
|---|---|
| 2-year | 8.5% |
For scale, federal Stafford loan disbursements at Tennessee State University reach $1,256,789,194.00 distributed across 44,354 borrowers.
Veterans and active-duty students can access dedicated federal education aid including the GI Bill and Tuition Assistance from the Department of Defense.
| GI Bill recipients | 65 |
| Avg GI Bill amount | $6,849.00 |
For the full rundown of veteran and military benefits, see the veteran aid breakdown.
The figures above are a starting point — as you weigh Tennessee State University, consider the following:
For a closer look at any of these topics, follow the links below:
Data sources. Figures on this page draw from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), and MediaFactual editorial review. Net-price calculator and financial-aid office links are taken from the institution’s own published data.