Nashville, TN · Public · 4,848 undergraduates · urban
Tennessee State University
Less selective
TSU combines an HBCU land-grant mission with the employment and cultural advantages of Nashville.
Institutional profile
Regionally focused Solid in student experience, and steady in affordability.- Admission
- 92.6% admitted
- Price by income
- Resident and nonresident prices differ
- Completion
- 39%
12,890 applicants in the reported year
Compare recent average annual costs by household income
$42,730 median earnings 10 years after enrollment
What sets Tennessee State University apart
Academic design
Programs span agriculture, engineering, business, health professions, education, sciences and liberal arts, supported by research and service-learning opportunities.
Campus pattern
The main campus occupies nearly 500 wooded acres near the Cumberland River, about ten minutes from downtown Nashville.
Career & value signal
Nashville adds unusual access to healthcare, government, music, publishing and corporate employers while TSU retains a traditional HBCU campus identity.
Can I get in?
92.6% admitted
Start with the academic record, then make the intended direction and school-specific fit concrete.
Recent applicant pool
12,890About 93 in every 100 applicants were admitted.
Academic range
Of admitted students, 3% submitted an SAT, and 36% submitted an ACT. Because SAT scores came from few admitted students, the range describes that self-selected group rather than the full class.
In the season card
Where your GPA sits in the entering class
The full entering-class GPA distribution for Tennessee State University, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.
See where I landIn the season card
What Tennessee State University weighs when it reads a file
See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.
- Course rigor
- GPA
- Test scores
- Essay
- Recommendations
- Extracurriculars
- Demonstrated interest
What moves the application
The evidence that separates a strong file
Show preparation for this curriculum
Programs span agriculture, engineering, business, health professions, education, sciences and liberal arts, supported by research and service-learning opportunities.
Make institutional fit specific
TSU combines an HBCU land-grant mission with the employment and cultural advantages of Nashville.
Use the application route carefully
Keep academic direction and school-specific choices coherent across the application.
How to apply
Rounds, route, and required materials
Build the calendar around the earliest realistic application round and assemble each required item once.
Fee waiver: not accepted
Major and program admission
Some fields have their own entry path.
The college admit rate above covers the university as a whole. These requirements apply only to the named program.
BusinessAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
Teacher preparationAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
EngineeringAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
Health professionsAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
Can I afford it?
Compare annual cost by household income.
Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.
College funding
Scholarships and financial aid
Review available aid, application requirements, and renewal terms.
Tennessee State University publishes four merit awards, the largest reaching full tuition or more. two require a separate scholarship application. All of them renew past the first year.
Open across the university · Merit · Competitive · Renews
For a named field · Merit · Competitive · Renews
Biology; ChemistryOpen across the university · Merit · Renews each year
Open across the university · Merit · Renews each year
In the season card
These four awards, by name
What each one is called, what it pays, the grades and scores it asks for, and what to send.
- The name of each award
- What it pays
- The grades and scores it asks for
- How to be considered
- What to send, and where
In the season card
Average annual cost by household income at Tennessee State University
Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.
- $0–30k
- $30–48k
- $48–75k
- $75–110k
- $110k+
Is it worth it?
Completion, debt, and earnings
Read completion, borrowing, field mix, and earnings together. One university-wide earnings figure does not describe every student path.
Degree completion across the reported entering cohort
First-year students who return for year two
And what that comes to against what they earn.
Reported 10 years after enrollment
Academic portfolio
Largest bachelor’s fields
How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.
Business Administration, Management and Operations
Admits separately
Communication and Media Studies
Admits separately
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
Admits separately
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other
Admits separately
What is campus life like?
Tennessee State University beyond the classroom
The main campus occupies nearly 500 wooded acres near the Cumberland River, about ten minutes from downtown Nashville.
A defining academic feature
Programs span agriculture, engineering, business, health professions, education, sciences and liberal arts, supported by research and service-learning opportunities.
What shapes an ordinary week
The main campus occupies nearly 500 wooded acres near the Cumberland River, about ten minutes from downtown Nashville.
Where the degree can lead
Nashville adds unusual access to healthcare, government, music, publishing and corporate employers while TSU retains a traditional HBCU campus identity.