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Computer & Information Sciences · Computer Science Rank #220 of 345

Computer Scienceat Tennessee State University

Graduates earn $50,628/yr in their first year — about 31.0% below the national Computer Science average. Base-case 10-year earnings $595K; scenarios range from $522K to $605K depending on AI disruption.

Nashville, TN Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
73 STRONG
74
Optimistic
66
Pessimistic
Earnings
$50,628
1-year post-graduation
ROI
16.9x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$595K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
61% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Tennessee State University

While the career paths listed are high-paying national roles, your initial earnings reflect the local Nashville job market, which is strong but doesn't offer the top-tier salaries of coastal tech hubs. Many TSU graduates find their first roles at regional companies, government agencies, or in the city's booming healthcare tech sector, often with a different pay scale than Silicon Valley giants. As an HBCU, Tennessee State provides a powerful, supportive community but may have different corporate recruiting pipelines than larger research universities. This can mean your first job is more about getting solid experience than maximizing day-one salary. Your key to unlocking higher earnings will be strategic career moves after you've built that crucial initial experience. Therefore, prioritize internships fiercely; they are your direct path to the most competitive employers in Nashville and beyond.

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
$522K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score66/100
Earnings Multiple15.2x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$595K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score73/100
Earnings Multiple17.4x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$605K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score74/100
Earnings Multiple17.7x
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 Computer Science 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
Computer and information systems managers
+15.2% 10-yr growth · 55,600 openings/yr
$171,200/yr
High
2
Computer and information research scientists
+19.7% 10-yr growth · 3,200 openings/yr
$140,910/yr
High
3
Database architects
+8.7% 10-yr growth · 4,000 openings/yr
$135,980/yr
Very High
4
Software developers
+15.8% 10-yr growth · 115,200 openings/yr
$133,080/yr
Very High
5
Information security analysts
+28.5% 10-yr growth · 16,000 openings/yr
$124,910/yr
High
6
Data scientists
+33.5% 10-yr growth · 23,400 openings/yr
$112,590/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 Computer Science

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

Highest earnings
California Institute of Technology
CA · Private nonprofit
67
DW Score
$173K
1-yr earn
5.9x
ROI
Carnegie Mellon University
PA · Private nonprofit
81
DW Score
$171K
1-yr earn
8.9x
ROI
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MA · Private nonprofit
81
DW Score
$154K
1-yr earn
8.1x
ROI
Cornell University
NY · Private nonprofit
80
DW Score
$153K
1-yr earn
7.3x
ROI
Harvard University
MA · Private nonprofit
81
DW Score
$152K
1-yr earn
8.3x
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 Computer Science offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Computer Science trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Computer Science at Tennessee State University

How does Tennessee State University's Computer Science program score?

A score of 73/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but Tennessee State University trails the majority of Computer Science programs on relative rankings. Context matters more than the raw number.

How vulnerable is Computer Science to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Computer Science careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 72% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.

Why are Computer Science earnings lower at Tennessee State University?

Lower starting pay at Tennessee State University may reflect local labor market conditions rather than program quality. Many graduates see convergence with national averages within 3-5 years.