East Tennessee State University
Johnson City, Tennessee · Also known as ETSU · Website
$44,859
median earnings, 10 years after starting
$44,859
median earnings, 10 years after starting
East Tennessee State University is a public 4-year college in Johnson City, Tennessee with 10,004 undergraduates and 2,899 graduate students. Its average net price after grants is $15,983 a year (tuition and fees $10,472 in-state, $14,522 out-of-state). It admits 86% of applicants and 53% of students finish within 6 years. Former students earn a median $44,859 a year 10 years after they started, and graduates leave with a median $19,442 in federal student loans.
Updated Oct 10, 2026 · June 2026 data
Net price
$15,983
US median $17,138
Tuition in-state
$10,472
Out-of-state $14,522
Admission rate
86%
US median 78%
Completion rate
53%
Within 6 years, US 58%
Median debt
$19,442
About $206 a month
Earnings at 10 years
$44,859
Rank 2,031 of 5,094 in the US
Cost
What a year costs: posted prices and the average after grants
Net price by family income
Average yearly cost after grants, for students who get aid
- Net price
- $15,983
- Tuition in-state
- $10,472
- Tuition out-of-state
- $14,522
- Cost of attendance
- $27,042
- Students with a need-based grant
- 35%
- Students with federal loans
- 34%
- Net price, family income under $30K
- $12,433
- Net price, family income $30K to $48K
- $14,289
- Net price, family income $48K to $75K
- $16,400
- Net price, family income $75K to $110K
- $20,588
- Net price, family income over $110K
- $21,193
Net price is what students who get aid pay on average after grants.
Tuition and net price by year
School years 2015-16 to 2024-25. The year on the chart is the year the school year starts.
Yearly cost
Tuition and fees went from $8,153 in 2015-16 to $10,472 in 2024-25.
Admission, completion and retention
Share of applicants admitted, of students who finish and of first-year students who come back
Admission and students
- Admission rate
- 86%
- Average SAT
- 1,144
- ACT, middle
- 23
- Undergraduates
- 10,004
- Graduate students
- 2,899
- Part-time students
- 11%
- Women
- 60%
- Students per teacher
- 15
- Completion rate
- 53%
- Retention rate
- 76%
- Highest degree
- Graduate degree
- Programs
- 126
- Endowment
- $119.1M
Earnings and debt
Compared with the medians of the colleges of its state, of colleges of the same kind and of all US colleges
Median earnings 10 years after starting rank 2,031 of 5,094 US colleges and 36 of 120 in Tennessee (1 = highest).
| Measure | College | TN median | Same kind | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net price | $15,983 | $15,261 | $12,792 | $17,138 |
| Tuition in-state | $10,472 | $15,120 | $8,626 | $11,837 |
| Admission rate | 86% | 70% | 83% | 78% |
| Completion rate | 53% | 60% | 46% | 58% |
| Retention rate | 76% | 74% | 76% | 75% |
| Median debt | $19,442 | $15,784 | $19,500 | $13,271 |
| Earnings after 6 years | $38,704 | $34,684 | $43,105 | $35,656 |
| Earnings after 10 years | $44,859 | $38,610 | $50,314 | $40,813 |
Best-paid programs
Median earnings 1 year after graduation
Same kind: US public 4-year colleges. Earnings and debt are medians of former students who received federal student aid. 51% of borrowers lowered their balance within 3 years. 67% earn more than a typical high school graduate 6 years after starting.
Programs
126 fields of study and credentials, with graduates, debt and earnings
| Field of study | Graduates | Median debt | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yr | US median 4 yr | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingBachelor's | Bachelor's | 588 | $19,558 | $64,459 | $74,311 | $88,910 |
| Psychology, GeneralBachelor's | Bachelor's | 140 | $16,387 | $26,403 | $42,358 | $50,706 |
| Business Administration, Management and OperationsBachelor's | Bachelor's | 126 | $18,500 | $37,041 | $55,719 | $68,257 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/FitnessBachelor's | Bachelor's | 108 | $21,928 | $25,768 | $47,821 | $54,562 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesBachelor's | Bachelor's | 100 | $21,500 | $32,474 | $44,738 | $53,072 |
| Biology, GeneralBachelor's | Bachelor's | 91 | $19,625 | $28,138 | $57,167 | $57,214 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingMaster's | Master's | 82 | $44,053 | $93,524 | $105,444 | $120,193 |
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, OtherBachelor's | Bachelor's | 80 | $17,750 | $27,196 | $60,298 | $68,245 |
| MarketingBachelor's | Bachelor's | 80 | $20,500 | $35,632 | $58,583 | $69,303 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralBachelor's | Bachelor's | 78 | $23,370 | $52,008 | $82,073 | $92,374 |
| Public HealthMaster's | Master's | 78 | $35,553 | $55,445 | $76,210 | $82,751 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsBachelor's | Bachelor's | 73 | $15,000 | $40,276 | $43,687 | $47,382 |
| MedicineProfessional | Professional | 70 | $194,983 | $60,144 | $110,348 | $112,460 |
| Social WorkMaster's | Master's | 69 | $44,220 | $43,035 | $53,352 | $65,123 |
| Criminal Justice and CorrectionsBachelor's | Bachelor's | 68 | $23,250 | $30,097 | $43,998 | $55,378 |
| Business Administration, Management and OperationsMaster's | Master's | 67 | $20,500 | $63,888 | $99,765 | $103,485 |
| Communication and Media StudiesBachelor's | Bachelor's | 65 | $21,274 | $27,380 | $41,570 | $56,359 |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and AdministrationProfessional | Professional | 65 | $237,447 | $96,490 | $129,821 | $138,348 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsBachelor's | Bachelor's | 53 | $20,903 | $48,671 | $62,853 | $70,786 |
| Graphic CommunicationsBachelor's | Bachelor's | 49 | $22,250 | $20,802 | $41,074 | $43,283 |
| Accounting and Related ServicesBachelor's | Bachelor's | 47 | $16,250 | $44,834 | $57,642 | $76,194 |
| Human Services, GeneralBachelor's | Bachelor's | 46 | $20,875 | $32,437 | $40,288 | $48,597 |
| Social WorkBachelor's | Bachelor's | 44 | $20,000 | $32,514 | $43,855 | $51,790 |
| Finance and Financial Management ServicesBachelor's | Bachelor's | 44 | $17,739 | $39,936 | $58,232 | $83,343 |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic ProfessionsBachelor's | Bachelor's | 43 | - | Withheld | Withheld | - |
In the area
- Jobs, pay and new homes: Tennessee on Local Economy
- More colleges: All colleges in Tennessee
- Homes: Homes for sale in Tennessee
Questions and answers
How much does East Tennessee State University cost?
$15,983 a year is the average net price at East Tennessee State University after grants and scholarships. Tuition and fees are $10,472 for in-state students and $14,522 for out-of-state students, and the full cost of attendance with housing, food and books is $27,042. Families earning under $30,000 pay $12,433 on average.
What is the acceptance rate at East Tennessee State University?
86% of applicants are admitted to East Tennessee State University. The average SAT score of admitted students is 1,144 and the middle ACT score is 23. The median admission rate of colleges in Tennessee is 70%.
How much do East Tennessee State University graduates earn?
$44,859 a year is the median pay of former East Tennessee State University students who work, 10 years after they started ($38,704 after 6 years). That ranks 2,031 of 5,094 US colleges and 36 of 120 in Tennessee. Its best-paid program one year after graduation is Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral) at $110,936.
How much student debt do East Tennessee State University graduates have?
$19,442 is the median federal student loan debt of East Tennessee State University graduates, about $206 a month over 10 years. The median across US colleges is $13,271. 34% of undergraduates take out federal loans.
What is the graduation rate at East Tennessee State University?
53% of first-time, full-time students at East Tennessee State University finish within 6 years. 76% of first-year students come back for a second year. The median of public 4-year colleges is 46%.
What are the most popular majors at East Tennessee State University?
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (588 bachelor's graduates), Psychology, General (140 bachelor's graduates), Business Administration, Management and Operations (126 bachelor's graduates) had the most graduates in the newest year, out of 126 programs.
Official public data, June 2026 release. Net price is for first-time, full-time students who get aid. Completion counts first-time, full-time students who finish within 150% of the normal time. Debt and earnings are medians of students who received federal student aid, measured a few years after they left, in the dollars of the year measured; earnings count former students who work and are not enrolled, including those who did not finish.