Tennessee State University
Nashville, Tennessee · Public · 4,848 undergraduates · tnstate.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test required
Send an SAT or ACT score
Admit rate
70%
of applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
880 to 1050
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$28,950Est.Estimate
$44,190 out of state
Your chances and merit aid at Tennessee State University
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
70% of applicants admitted
Target
Your SAT is inside the range where the middle half of enrolled freshmen scored.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$44,190
a year in 2027-28, from a $44,190 sticker price (out of state)
What to do with your 970
Send your score
This college requires an SAT or ACT score.
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test required
You must send an SAT or ACT score.
- Doesn't superscore: it uses the scores from one test date.
Source: Freshmen | Tennessee State University Admissions · Checked October 17, 2026
Application deadlines
- Aug1Other deadline · August 1, 2027
Who gets in
70%
of applicants are admitted.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above.
SAT total 880 to 1050
Reading and Writing 460 to 540
Math 420 to 510
ACT composite 16 to 21
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$28,950
a year, in state
$44,190
a year, out of state (tuition $25,090)
- Tuition (in state)$9,850
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24 (in-state students), by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$11,076
- $30,001 to $48,000$13,897
- $48,001 to $75,000$10,833
- $75,001 to $110,000$15,005
- Over $110,000$14,917
Financial aidEstimate
67%
of freshmen receive grants
$9,661
average grant to freshmen
Merit scholarships
Awards for grades and scores, on top of need-based aid. You don't repay them.
Tennessee programs for residents
Ned McWherter Scholars Program
$6,000 a year
State program · In-state students
- 3.75+ GPA, 1430+ SAT or 32+ ACT, Competitive merit award; application with transcript through first semester of senior year and official ACT/SAT; competitive, limited funding
Aspire Award
State program · In-state students
Up to $750/semester (4-year) or up to $250/semester (2-year) in addition to HOPE
- 3.00+ GPA, 1060+ SAT or 21+ ACT, Need-based HOPE supplement; meet HOPE requirements and parents' (or independent student's and spouse's) AGI of $36,000 or less
General Assembly Merit Scholarship (GAMS)
State program · In-state students
Up to $500/semester in addition to HOPE (including summer)
- 3.75+ GPA, 1330+ SAT or 29+ ACT, HOPE supplement (TN public or category 1-3 private HS graduates); must meet HOPE Scholarship requirements; FAFSA, from Tennessee
Tennessee HOPE Scholarship
State program · In-state students
4-year (and 2-year with housing): up to $2,250/semester freshman & sophomore, up to $2,850/semester junior & senior; 2-year: up to $1,600/semester
- 3.00+ GPA, 1060+ SAT or 21+ ACT, HOPE Scholarship (entering freshmen); enroll within 16 months of HS graduation; FAFSA
Compare awards across colleges with the merit aid calculator.
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP exams that earn credit
24 of 24
Earn credit with a score of 3
22 exams
A 3-credit course is worth
about $990Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition for in-state students
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art History | 3 | 3 | Art 1012 |
| Biology | 3 | 4 | BIOL 1010, 1011, BIOL 1120, 1121, or BIOL 1030 w/lab |
| Biology | 4 | 8 | BIOL 1110, 1111 & BIOL 1020, 1021 w/lab |
| Calculus AB | 3 | 3 | MATH 1830 |
| Calculus AB | 4 | 6 | MATH 1830 & MATH 1140 |
| Calculus BC | 3 | 6 | MATH 1830 & MATH 1140 |
| Calculus BC | 4 | 9 | MATH 1830, MATH 1140 & MATH 1710 |
| Chemistry | 3 | 3 | CHEM 1010 w/lab |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 3 | 3 | POLI 2010 |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 4 | 6 | POLI 2010 & POLI 2040 |
| Computer Science A | 3 | 3 | COMP 1210 |
| Computer Science Principles | 4 | 6 | Computer Science 1210 & 2110 |
| English Language and Composition | 3 | 3 | ENGL 1010 |
| English Language and Composition | 4 | 6 | ENGL 1010 & 1020 |
| European History | 3 | 3 | |
| European History | 4 | 6 | |
| French Language and Culture | 3 | 3 | FREN 1010 |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | 6 | FREN 1010 & 1020 |
| Macroeconomics | 3 | 3 | ECON 2010 |
| Macroeconomics | 4 | 6 | ECON 2010 & 2020 |
| Microeconomics | 3 | 3 | ECON 2020 |
| Microeconomics | 4 | 6 | ECON 2010 & 2020 |
| Music Aural Subscore | 3 | 1 | Music 1250 |
| Music Aural Subscore | 4 | 2 | Music 1250 & 1260 |
| Music Non-Aural Subscore | 3 | 3 | Music 210 |
| Music Non-Aural Subscore | 4 | 6 | Music 210 & 1211 |
| Music Theory | 3 | 2 | MUSC 1010 |
| Physics 1 | 3 | 4 | Physics 2010/2011 |
| Physics 2 | 3 | 4 | Physics 2020/2021 |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 4 | 8 | PHYS 3110, 3120 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 3 | 3 | PHYS 2010, PHYS 2011 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 4 | 6 | PHYS 2010, PHYS 2011 & PHYS 2030 w/lab |
| Psychology | 3 | 3 | PSYC 2010 |
| Psychology | 4 | 6 | PSYC 2010 & 2100 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 3 | 3 | SPAN 1010 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | 6 | SPAN 1010, 1020 |
| United States History | 3 | 3 | History 2010 |
| United States History | 4 | 6 | History 2010 & 2020 |
| World History: Modern | 3 | 3 | History 2060 |
| World History: Modern | 4 | 6 | History 2060 & 2070 |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
34%
Come back for a second year
34%
Typical earnings
$47,151
a year, 10 years after starting here
- Tennessee State University$61,607
- All colleges$71,390
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 19 majors here have earnings data.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with Tennessee State University. The Tennessee State University logo is a trademark of the college.