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Business · Accounting Rank #139 of 714

Accountingat Tennessee State University

Graduates earn $53,620/yr in their first year — right at the national average. Base-case 10-year earnings $635K; scenarios range from $566K to $659K depending on AI disruption.

Nashville, TN Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
78 STRONG
79
Optimistic
74
Pessimistic
Earnings
$53,620
1-year post-graduation
ROI
18.8x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$635K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
63% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Tennessee State University

Graduates earn $53,620/yr, roughly in line with the $53,724 national median for Accounting. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.

The 18.5x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 62% task exposure — and the 14% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

With first-year pay of $53,620 far exceeding the $26,471 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.

Ranked #139 out of 714 programs, Tennessee State University's Accounting program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

The five-year earnings trajectory from $53,620 to $68,010 shows 27% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$566K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score74/100
Earnings Multiple16.5x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$635K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score78/100
Earnings Multiple18.5x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$659K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score79/100
Earnings Multiple19.2x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Tennessee State University's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Accounting graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Financial managers
+14.8% 10-yr growth · 74,600 openings/yr
$161,700/yr
High
2
Financial risk specialists
+6.5% 10-yr growth · 4,800 openings/yr
$106,000/yr
High
3
Financial and investment analysts
+5.7% 10-yr growth · 25,100 openings/yr
$101,350/yr
Moderate
4
Business teachers, postsecondary
+5.7% 10-yr growth · 8,100 openings/yr
$97,270/yr
Moderate
5
Financial examiners
+18.5% 10-yr growth · 5,700 openings/yr
$90,400/yr
High
6
Budget analysts
+1.0% 10-yr growth · 3,100 openings/yr
$87,930/yr
High
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Accounting

How Tennessee State University stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Georgetown University
DC · Private nonprofit
79
DW Score
$90K
1-yr earn
5.3x
ROI
Washington and Lee University
VA · Private nonprofit
74
DW Score
$82K
1-yr earn
3.1x
ROI
Santa Clara University
CA · Private nonprofit
77
DW Score
$78K
1-yr earn
4.2x
ROI
Villanova University
PA · Private nonprofit
75
DW Score
$78K
1-yr earn
3.4x
ROI
Lehigh University
PA · Private nonprofit
76
DW Score
$77K
1-yr earn
3.8x
ROI
Also at Tennessee State University

Other top programs at Tennessee State University

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Tennessee State University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Accounting offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Accounting trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Accounting at Tennessee State University

How does Tennessee State University's Accounting program score?

A score of 78/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. Tennessee State University's Accounting graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.

How vulnerable is Accounting to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Accounting careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 62% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.

Why does Tennessee State University rank so high for Accounting?

The #139 ranking out of 714 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.