Tech Repeats As Best In State On Return On Investment

Tennessee Tech is once again ranked the number-one public university in Tennessee in student return on investment and career pay.

Payscale’s 2023 College Salary Report shows Tech graduates make a median starting salary of some $66,000. The report shows Tech graduates achieve a 20-year return on investment of some $450,000, some $90,000 higher than any other public college in the state. Tennessee Tech News and Communications Director Jonathan Frank said the data shows how invaluable a Tennessee Tech degree can be.

“I think it’s why more students are choosing Tech for a university experience,” Frank said. “Because they know when they come here, they’re going to get a high-quality education at an affordable cost and it is going to leave them ready for meaningful careers with competitive salaries.”

Frank said these studies help Tech bring in new students. He said high schoolers and their parents are constantly weighing their options in terms of where to go to school, or if they want to go to school at all. He said when students see data that shows that a Tech degree can put nearly half a million dollars in their pocket after 20 years compared to a high school diploma, that can tip the scales.

“That’s a distinction that we’re really proud of,” Frank said. “I think it shows that Tennessee Tech continues to put students first.”

Frank said the study also outlines a high-meaning index. He said according to that index, more than half of Tech graduates feel that their careers are making the world a better place. He said that mark puts Tech above the likes of Harvard, Princeton, and other distinguished Ivey League Universities.

“That’s what it’s all about,” Frank said. “Students, they want competitive paychecks, but they also want to know that they’re making a positive difference. I think that’s what we mean when we talk about living ‘wings up.'”

Frank said this is no accident. He said putting students in a position to be financially stable when they graduate is woven into what faculty and staff do every day. He said with the current blueprint, he expects Tennessee Tech to continue to beat a steady drum of high rankings and honors.