Mechanical Engineering at Tennessee State University

First-year earnings of $58,828 place this program well below what mechanical engineering graduates typically achieve—about $11,000 less than the Tennessee median for this degree. While debt appears manageable at an estimated $24,000 (based on what Tennessee State charges other engineering students), that's harder to assess positively when the starting salary lags behind nearly every comparable program in the state. Even Christian Brothers and University of Memphis graduates, from schools with similar access profiles, start roughly $10,000-12,000 higher.

The 5th percentile national ranking is stark. Mechanical engineering typically offers strong ROI, but that depends on graduates reaching industry-standard salaries. Something appears disconnected here—whether it's internship access, employer recruiting patterns, or regional industry connections. The 93% admission rate and high Pell enrollment suggest Tennessee State serves students who deserve better outcomes, particularly in a field where credentials should translate more directly to earnings.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.41 looks reasonable on paper, but context matters: you're comparing estimated debt to below-market earnings. For a field where Tennessee graduates typically start near $67,000, your child would be accepting a significant earnings discount. Unless there are compelling non-financial reasons to choose Tennessee State—location, community, specific faculty—other Tennessee programs appear to offer substantially better economic returns for the same degree.