Gender Studies Degree in Nashville, TN — Salary & ROI 2026
Gender Studies degree analysis for Nashville, TN. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$46K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$51K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6.6 yrs
in Nashville
Cost of Living
92
index (100 = avg)
Gender Studies in Nashville, TN Overview
Nashville is one of Tennessee's top college towns, with 35 institutions and a student population of 23,290. Public tuition averages $9,312/year here — well below the national average, making it a cost-effective choice. Although national enrollment in Gender Studies has been declining, graduates with skills in Critical Theory and Research Methods remain competitive in the job market. The adjusted starting salary in Nashville is approximately $46,000.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
35
Public Tuition
$9,312/yr
Private Tuition
$50,624/yr
Room & Board
$13,344/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$7,603/yr
Unemployment
6.8%
Graduation Rate
74%
Gender Studies Salary in Nashville (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Nashville's cost of living index of 92 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Gender Studies salary: $50,000 starting, $55,000 mid-career, $68,000 senior level.Nashville adjustment factor: 0.92x based on the local cost of living index.
Gender Studies ROI Calculator for Nashville
Estimate your return on investment for a Gender Studies degree using local Nashville tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $9,312 | Private avg: $50,624
Nashville avg aid: $7,603/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$90,624
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$13,800
vs HS diploma in Nashville
ROI Payback Period
6.6 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Nashville
$28,976
Lifetime earnings premium ($119,600) minus total education cost ($90,624)
Student Loan Payoff for Gender Studies in Nashville
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Nashville for Gender Studies
Vanderbilt University
private
$60,348/yr
$241,392 total
Belmont University
private
$40,900/yr
$163,600 total
Tennessee State University
public
$9,312/yr
$37,248 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Nashville State Community College
$4,320/yr
Top Employers for Gender Studies in Nashville
Nashville offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Gender Studies graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Nashville Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Gender Studies Job Titles
Gender Studies in Nearby Tennessee Cities
Memphis, TN
$47K starting · COL 93
22 colleges
Knoxville, TN
$43K starting · COL 85
5 colleges
Chattanooga, TN
$40K starting · COL 80
5 colleges
Clarksville, TN
$45K starting · COL 90
9 colleges
Murfreesboro, TN
$46K starting · COL 91
10 colleges
Franklin, TN
$59K starting · COL 118.5
4 colleges
Jackson, TN
$41K starting · COL 82.5
3 colleges
Johnson City, TN
$53K starting · COL 105
6 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Nashville
Chinese Studies
$51K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$46K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$40K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$46K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$39K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$40K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$46K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$39K starting · 5 yr ROI
Gender Studies Degree in Nashville — FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Cost of living from BLS Regional Data. College data from NCES/IPEDS. Updated March 2026.
Explore More
Compare Gender Studies ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Nashville.