Computer Science at Tennessee Technological University

Tennessee Tech's computer science program offers a practical entry point into tech careers with significantly less debt than competing Tennessee schools. At $18,605, graduates leave with roughly 20% less debt than the state median while earning more than 60% of their Tennessee peers—a strong combination that puts this program ahead of most in-state options including Middle Tennessee State and UT-Chattanooga.

The tradeoff is straightforward: starting salaries lag behind elite programs and the national median. A Tennessee Tech CS grad earns about $63,000 in their first year compared to $71,000 nationally. However, the debt burden is manageable enough that most graduates can handle loan payments comfortably—the 0.29 debt-to-earnings ratio means less than three months of salary covers the full debt load. Four-year earnings climbing to nearly $79,000 suggest solid career progression, even if it doesn't match Vanderbilt's stratospheric outcomes.

For families weighing in-state options without elite credentials or unlimited budgets, Tennessee Tech delivers competitive value. Your child won't command top-tier starting salaries, but they'll enter the workforce with breathing room financially and earnings that place them in the upper half of Tennessee CS graduates. The 83% admission rate makes this accessible to most serious applicants, and the modest debt load means career flexibility early on rather than being locked into the highest-paying job just to service loans.