Private Non-profit 📍 Nashville, Tennessee 👥 7,208 students

Vanderbilt University

#1 in Tennessee
High ROI
⏱ 0.3 years to break even
Visit Official Website ↗
98 ROI Score
● 70–100: High ROI
● 45–69: Good ROI
● 20–44: Moderate ROI
● 0–19: Low ROI
💰
$91,565
Median Graduate Salary
10 years after enrollment
🎓
$14,000
Median Student Debt
Among degree completers
🏫
$67,498
In-State Tuition
Per year
💵
$15,846
Average Net Price
After grants & aid
🏆
94%
Graduation Rate
4-yr programs, 150% time
📝
6%
Acceptance Rate
Overall admission rate

📊 ROI Breakdown

Graduate Median Salary
$91,565
−
HS-only Median Salary
$38,792
=
Annual Salary Premium
$52,773
$14,000 (median debt) ÷ $52,773 (annual premium) = 0.3 years to break even

Salary vs. Debt Comparison

Graduate Salary
$91,565
Student Debt
$14,000
HS-only Salary
$38,792

Top ROI Colleges in Tennessee

# College ROI Rating Break-Even Grad Salary Student Debt
1 The University of Tennessee Health Science Center
Memphis
 High ROI 0.5 yrs $66,318 $12,500
2 Baptist Health Sciences University
Memphis
 High ROI 0.9 yrs $72,529 $29,500
3 Rhodes College
Memphis
 High ROI 0.8 yrs $66,651 $21,761
4 The University of the South
Sewanee
 High ROI 0.9 yrs $64,911 $22,855
5 The University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Knoxville
 High ROI 1 yrs $60,249 $20,500
See All Tennessee Rankings →
Data Source: All figures sourced from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Median salary = 10 years post-enrollment. Debt = median debt of completers. ROI calculation by Search 6000+ US Colleges. Last updated: May 13, 2026.