# Tennessee Technological University: Biology (bachelor's)

Cookeville, TN. IPEDS 221847, CIP 26.01. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/tennessee-technological-university/majors/biology

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $25,087
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $49,220 (U.S. median for this major: $57,996 across 837 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $15,500 (U.S. median $25,000)
- Rank in TN: 12 of 15 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the TN median for this major (15 colleges, $53,784): -$4,564
- Versus the U.S. median: -$8,776

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.42 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $49,220 minus $34,518 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in TN (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $9,815 | $43,382 | 3.0 years |
| 30-48k | $10,445 | $46,167 | 3.1 years |
| 48-75k | $13,861 | $61,266 | 4.2 years |
| 75-110k | $17,245 | $76,223 | 5.2 years |
| 110k+ | $18,936 | $83,697 | 5.7 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Biology at TN colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belmont University | $63,792 | not reported | $33,147 | 71% |
| The University of Tennessee-Martin | $63,410 | $25,900 | $10,701 | 53% |
| Tennessee State University | $59,855 | $29,375 | $15,796 | 34% |
| The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | $58,149 | $23,579 | $18,976 | 74% |
| East Tennessee State University | $57,167 | $20,625 | $15,983 | 53% |
| Middle Tennessee State University | $56,659 | $21,500 | $13,359 | 54% |
| Lipscomb University | $54,965 | $24,375 | $24,739 | 72% |
| University of Memphis | $53,784 | $25,000 | $12,397 | 51% |
| Fisk University | $50,768 | not reported | $32,020 | 30% |
| The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | $50,597 | $20,000 | $14,265 | 50% |
| Rhodes College | $50,036 | $23,465 | $28,585 | 85% |
| Tennessee Technological University | $49,220 | $15,500 | $14,246 | 58% |
| Austin Peay State University | $48,991 | $26,215 | $9,735 | 40% |
| The University of the South | $47,695 | $25,000 | $27,872 | 80% |
| Lane College | $43,529 | $34,280 | $10,904 | 18% |

## Careers
- Biological technician (SOC 19-4020): median wage not reported metro, $50,840 TN, $57,510 U.S.; U.S. jobs 7.4% by 2035
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education (SOC 25-2031): median wage not reported metro, $61,860 TN, $72,040 U.S.; U.S. jobs -0.2% by 2035
- Natural Sciences Managers (SOC 11-9121): median wage not reported metro, $124,530 TN, $167,220 U.S.; U.S. jobs 8.2% by 2035

## Sources and years
- Earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars; debt: NSLDS pooled AY2018-19, AY2019-20 cohort

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).