Choosing a university requires careful consideration of a number of factors, but primarily it’s about deciding where to make a long-term investment in the rest of your life. Southern is excited to be ranked highly on a new list identifying the Tennessee colleges that provide the greatest financial return over time by Affordable Colleges Online (AC Online), an academic review website. 

AC Online provides information on affordability and financial aid for colleges and universities. Recently, they developed a list that identifies the colleges in Tennessee where degrees pay off the most. Graduates from these schools have enjoyed the largest earnings gap compared to non-degree holders for more than 30 years, and earn more, on average, than graduates from other Tennessee schools.

“We aim to educate so that potential students are aware of their options for obtaining a degree and, most importantly, for paying for one,” said Dan Schuessler, AC Online founder.“We’ve sifted through comprehensive data sources to find colleges and universities in Tennessee that offer a high quality education with consistent, long-term payoffs in the workplace.”

AC Online determined which colleges made the list based on research into their individual tuition costs and graduates' average starting salaries. They used statistics from several national government organizations to compile unbiased data. 

"Being recognized by the website helps give future students and their families the confidence that a degree here will greatly help with success later in life," said Ryan Herman, associate vice president in Enrollment Services. "Southern is worth the investment."