Federal data
Highest earning associate's liberal arts programs in Tennessee
Tennessee liberal arts programs, ranked by median earnings one year after completion, from the College Scorecard field-of-study file (September 18, 2026). Only programs with at least 30 counted graduates in the earnings sample are shown, and at least 5 programs must qualify for this list to exist.
| Rank | School | City | Sector | Median earnings, 1 year after | Graduates counted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Austin Peay State University | Clarksville | Public, 4-year | $30,708 | 206 |
| 2 | Nashville State Community College | Nashville | Public, 2-year | $29,280 | 254 |
| 3 | Southwest Tennessee Community College | Memphis | Public, 2-year | $28,980 | 198 |
| 4 | Jackson State Community College | Jackson | Public, 2-year | $27,378 | 120 |
| 5 | Motlow State Community College | Tullahoma | Public, 2-year | $26,915 | 272 |
| 6 | Pellissippi State Community College | Knoxville | Public, 2-year | $26,757 | 310 |
| 7 | Columbia State Community College | Columbia | Public, 2-year | $26,438 | 189 |
| 8 | Volunteer State Community College | Gallatin | Public, 2-year | $26,355 | 261 |
| 9 | Chattanooga State Community College | Chattanooga | Public, 2-year | $25,797 | 261 |
| 10 | Roane State Community College | Harriman | Public, 2-year | $25,289 | 184 |
| 11 | Walters State Community College | Morristown | Public, 2-year | $24,893 | 214 |
| 12 | Northeast State Community College | Blountville | Public, 2-year | $24,152 | 157 |
Earnings cover federally aided graduates only, as published by College Scorecard.
How to read this. A smaller program can show a high or low figure from just a few graduates, and this earnings figure only ever covers students who received federal aid, so it does not describe every graduate.