Computer and Information Sciences at Austin Peay State University

Austin Peay State University graduates in this program start at $58,060—exactly matching Tennessee's median for computer science programs and landing at the 60th percentile statewide. That's a solid outcome for an open-access institution serving a student body where nearly half receive Pell grants. More importantly, the debt picture here is genuinely favorable: at $30,736, graduates carry manageable debt that represents just over half their first year's earnings, well below both national and state typical debt loads for computer science degrees.

The earnings trajectory shows steady growth to $63,551 by year four, a 10% increase that suggests graduates are building viable tech careers. While these numbers trail the national median by a few thousand dollars, they're competitive within Tennessee's market. The top programs in the state earn only $9,000-$10,000 more annually, and those differences narrow when you consider Austin Peay's access mission—this program delivers practical outcomes for students who might not have alternative pathways into tech careers.

For middle-income families looking at Tennessee schools, this represents reasonable value: near-certain admission, below-average debt burden, and mid-tier earnings in a field with genuine job prospects. The combination of manageable debt and decent starting salaries means graduates can actually service their loans while launching careers, which is fundamentally what matters.