Federal data
Highest earning political science and government programs in Tennessee
Tennessee political science and government 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 | Vanderbilt University | Nashville | Private nonprofit, 4-year | $46,843 | 57 |
| 2 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | Chattanooga | Public, 4-year | $39,490 | 42 |
| 3 | Austin Peay State University | Clarksville | Public, 4-year | $34,635 | 36 |
| 4 | Middle Tennessee State University | Murfreesboro | Public, 4-year | $31,012 | 56 |
| 5 | The University of Tennessee | Knoxville | Public, 4-year | $29,728 | 144 |
| 6 | University of Memphis | Memphis | Public, 4-year | $27,600 | 44 |
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.
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