Recently there’s been increased conversation over the value of a college degree. We, the presidents of Tennessee’s public universities represented by this consortium, are working together to deliver a unified message: Yes, a public university degree is worth it, and it is especially valuable in Tennessee.
Through financial aid and scholarships like Tennessee HOPE, many Tennesseans have access to college free of tuition and mandatory fees. Nearly half of all public university students in Tennessee graduate without debt. A four-year university degree in Tennessee pays higher lifetime wages, about $1.4 million more than high school graduates earn. On an annual basis, typical earnings for bachelor’s degree holders are 84% higher, a $36,000 increase, than those whose highest degree is a high school diploma.