Let’s look together at what the official data say about this university. I am not going to sell you anything or scare you. I am going to explain, calmly and without jargon, what each figure means for your family.
Who Austin Peay State University Is
Austin Peay is a public, four-year university located in Clarksville, within Montgomery County and the metropolitan area of that same city. It offers bachelor’s degrees as well as graduate education—the federal government records doctoral degrees as the highest level it reports—although that does not tell you whether the specific major your child is interested in is offered there or whether there is a clear path from undergraduate to graduate study. That must be asked program by program.
The system that classifies the nation’s colleges and universities, known as Carnegie, describes it as a master’s university with larger programs and labels it “primarily nonresidential.” That label does not mean there are no residence halls—there are, and we will return to that. It means that, according to the data used in 2019-20, either fewer than one in four undergraduate students lived in institution-owned housing, or fewer than half studied full time. The same system places it among universities that receive many transfer students. If your child plans to come here after studying elsewhere, that information is a signal to act, not to assume: before enrolling, ask in writing which courses will be accepted and which will not.
And something worth saying with complete clarity: Austin Peay is not recorded as a historically Black college or university, a tribal college or university, or a land-grant institution. Of the 3,012 colleges and universities in the federal directory, 138 have at least one of those three designations. Austin Peay’s absence from that list says nothing about which communities it serves or how your child will feel there. Ask directly: what cultural centers exist today, what student organizations are available, and whether your child can speak with someone who already studies there.
If your child were considering living at home and commuting, I recommend something simple and not at all romantic: drive the route yourself on a weekday, at the time your child would have class. The actual travel time is almost never what the map says.
The Size of the Community Your Child Would Join
Austin Peay had 9,945 students enrolled in the most recent official count. It is neither a small school nor an enormous one: it falls squarely in the middle band, between 5,000 and 9,999 students, and compared with similar schools—519 selective-admission, four-year public institutions—its size is among the most common. Of those nearly 10,000 students, 8,587 are undergraduates and 1,358 are graduate students. Above all, it is a bachelor’s-degree institution.
Here is a fact with a practical consequence: there are many part-time students. The enrollment figure does not tell you how many people are taking classes at the same time. Before assuming that a convenient schedule will be available, ask when the specific courses for your child’s intended major are offered.
As for who makes up that community: of every 100 undergraduate students, 11 are Hispanic or Latino. That is a small minority, although compared with similar schools it ranks above the midpoint of the group without reaching the highest quartile. There are more women than men—59 out of every 100 are women—and 24 out of every 100 are between 25 and 64 years old, reflecting a genuine mix of ages in the classroom. The vast majority of entering students, 87 out of every 100, already lived in Tennessee when they applied. If your family is Latino and this matters to you, the recommendation is concrete: during your visit, ask what currently exists for Latino students—a student group, a cultural center, someone in the office who speaks Spanish. The number does not rule out the school; it simply tells you that people from your community will be few there, and that is worth examining closely before deciding.
How the Academic Year Works and What They Do With What Your Child Already Knows
Austin Peay uses a semester calendar: two long terms of about 15 weeks each. The university stated that it accepts credit from AP exams and also what the government calls “credit for life experience”—learning acquired through independent study, adult courses, work experience, a portfolio, prior licenses or certifications, or military opportunities. It also accepts credit for military training and enrolls high school students in college courses for credit through a formal dual-enrollment program.
Here is the part almost no one tells you, and that you do need to verify: stating that the university accepts AP does not mean it awards credit for every exam or every score. We do not know how many points it requires or whether those credits count toward your child’s specific major. Ask for the equivalency evaluation in writing before enrolling. Do not include those savings in your budget until you have it in hand.
As for what can be studied: between July 2022 and June 2023, the university awarded 1,408 bachelor’s degrees across 23 fields of study. None accounts for a large share—not even the most popular, business and management, which represented only 14 out of every 100 degrees awarded that year. It is a broad and distributed range of offerings. That does not mean the 23 fields include the exact program your child wants: verify the specific program, because a “field” groups several different programs together.
The student-to-faculty ratio is 15 to 1. Compared with similar schools, it falls slightly below the midpoint: neither among the tightest nor among the most spread out. This figure does not tell you the actual size of a first-year class—the file does not report that—so treat it as a general reference point, not a promise of small classes.
The university also reports structured opportunities such as study abroad, a complete program that can be taken only during evenings or weekends, and preparation and certification pathways for students who want to become teachers.
Getting In: A Door That Almost Always Says Yes
This is one of the most important figures in the entire article. In the latest report, 5,559 people applied for admission as first-time students, and 5,334 received an offer of admission. That is 96 out of every 100. Compared with 519 selective-admission, four-year public institutions, Austin Peay is among those that accept the most applicants: nine out of ten schools in that group accept an equal or smaller percentage.
Put plainly: if your child meets the basic requirements, admission is very likely. That means the family’s energy is better spent meeting deadlines and completing the application file than worrying about competing for a place. Even so, 225 of those 5,559 applicants did not receive an offer, so “almost always” is not “always”: the requirements matter.
What are those requirements? Of nine possible admissions considerations, the university marked three as required: the high school record, the high school GPA, and an English proficiency exam when applicable. By contrast, the following are not considered: class rank, completion of a particular college-preparatory curriculum, the personal essay, letters of recommendation, a portfolio, work experience, or whether a family member studied there. The government does not report the exact weight of each element, so this does not prove that the GPA is “the only thing that matters,” but it does tell you where to focus the real effort: the academic record.
If your child studied outside the United States or attended high school in Spanish, this applies directly to you: the English proficiency exam is required when applicable. Ask about it now, not in March. The undergraduate application fee is $25.
As for standardized tests, the SAT and ACT are not required here. It is a genuinely “test optional” policy—among enrolled students, only 2 out of every 100 submitted SAT scores. With such a small sample (29 students), the available score ranges cannot serve as a threshold or a guarantee of anything; there simply are not enough people in the group to draw a solid conclusion.
Now, something that deserves your calm attention: out of every 100 admitted students, only 31 ultimately enrolled. The other 69 had an offer in hand and decided to go elsewhere. Compared with similar schools, that 31 rate is on the high side—a smaller share of admitted students enrolls at most of those schools. This does not measure how difficult admission is or the quality of the experience; it only counts how many families, with an offer in hand, decided to stay. It is a useful indication that many admitted students compare options before deciding, which is exactly what your family should also do: when the letters arrive, place them side by side and compare net price, major, and distance.
And regarding transfers: in the most recent fall term, 736 undergraduate students entered Austin Peay for the first time after studying at another institution. That number of arriving students places it in the upper half among similar schools. What we do not know—because the report does not include it—is how many students who first enter as full-time students later leave for another institution. That absence of data does not prove that no one transfers; it simply is not reported.
The Price: Two Numbers, and Neither Is Your Bill Yet
At Austin Peay State University, among 317 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid, paid the in-state or in-district rate, and had EFC records showing family income below $30,000, the average net price was $12,559. Among 184 students in the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $16,365; among 86 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $19,140. For dependent students, the band combines their parents’ income with their own.
The difference between the average for the lowest-income band (317 students) and the highest-income band (86 students) is $6,581. Among first-year students who received any grant or scholarship aid, the average was $14,679.
$12,559 was the average net price for the lowest-income families in academic year 2022-23. That does not mean it is what your family will pay. It helps you determine whether it is worth requesting the financial aid letter.
The income bands in this profile describe first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid; at this public institution, they use the in-state or in-district rate. The overall average for students with grant or scholarship aid, when shown, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional grants or scholarships; it also uses that rate. If your family lives outside the state or district, the calculation is different. Ask about it before applying.
How It Is Paid For: Common Grants and Scholarships, Moderate Borrowing
Out of every 100 degree-seeking students at Austin Peay, 89 receive some grant or scholarship aid that does not have to be repaid. Compared with similar schools, it ranks in the highest quartile in that respect. Among students who received grant or scholarship aid, the average was $11,808 per year.
The federal Pell Grant—the aid for families with demonstrated financial need—reached 52 out of every 100 students. This is not a program for just a few people: here, half or more of the student body receives it. If your family qualifies, you should not feel embarrassed to apply; it is normal at this university.
As for loans: 36 out of every 100 undergraduate students received a federal loan in the most recently reported year, with an average of $6,705 per student who did borrow. That is a middle-range share compared with similar schools. Here is a hard truth I want to tell you plainly: this percentage describes other families, not yours. You will not know how much your child would have to borrow until your child’s own financial aid letter arrives in writing. That figure also does not include what parents borrow separately—such as Parent PLUS loans—or credit card debt, and it is not the total debt with which a student graduates. Wait for the letter before committing to the school.
The university also reports a tuition installment payment plan, in case your family needs to spread the cost over the semester.
Living There, ROTC, Sports, and the Rest of Campus
Austin Peay does have its own housing and meal plans, although no one is generally required to live on campus. The reported maximum capacity is 1,723 housing spaces. The existence of housing does not guarantee that a bed will be available when your child needs it: ask in writing for the current year’s rate, the application deadline, and whether a place is guaranteed or your child will be placed on a waiting list.
There is an ROTC opportunity, but only the Army branch is confirmed; Navy and Air Force are not marked in this report. That does not mean they are impossible options; it means you must ask about each by name before building a plan around it.
In sports, the university competes in the NCAA, with confirmed participation in football, basketball, baseball, and cross-country or track and field. If your child wants to play and hopes for an athletic scholarship, that process does not go through this report: it requires writing directly to the coach of that specific sport.
As for instructional format, distance education is available at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Out of every 100 undergraduate students, 20 take their entire course load online, and 80 take at least one in-person class. The university also reports at least one program in which all required courses can be completed through distance education, although that must be confirmed for the specific major.
The library has employed staff, physical and digital materials, and interlibrary lending, and it spends more than $100,000 per year—the threshold recorded by the government. The university also reports academic and career counseling services, student employment, on-campus child care, and specific support for veterans and military personnel, including participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program.
What Happens After Getting In: Staying and Finishing
This is perhaps the section that should matter most to you, because getting in easily is not the same as finishing.
Of the students who entered for the first time on a full-time basis, 67 out of every 100 were still enrolled or had already graduated one year later. Compared with similar schools, that figure falls in the lower range: seven out of ten similar schools retain a larger share. For those who entered part time, the figure was much lower: only 21 out of every 100. These are two distinct groups with different lives; do not combine them or assume one explains the other.
And here is the figure that truly shapes a family decision: of the cohort that entered in 2017, 43 out of every 100 graduated with a degree from this school within six years. At four years—the timeframe most families have actually budgeted for—the figure falls to 27 out of every 100. The gap of 16 points measures how much the share earning a bachelor’s degree increased between the four-year and six-year marks for the same cohort. The data do not say how many semesters each person attended and provide no information about tuition, rent, or wages. Compared with similar schools, Austin Peay ranks in the lowest quartile for six-year graduation.
This is not a prediction about your child. It is information about what happened, on average, to an entire cohort. The concrete question you can ask with this figure in hand is: what specific support does the school offer to help a student finish on time, and how long does your child’s intended major actually take?
If we extend the window to eight years, using a different cohort that includes full-time and part-time students, 42 out of every 100 completed a degree or certificate from this school. Among Pell Grant recipients, the figure was 39 out of every 100, six points below the group without Pell. In this same group, another 31 out of every 100 appears in an indicator for students who had not yet graduated from this institution; that figure has a technical limitation in how it is defined, so it cannot be used to state precisely how many were still enrolled on that date or to rule out that they had completed a credential at another institution.
Putting the Pieces Together
In numerical terms, Austin Peay State University is a broad-access university: almost everyone who applies gets in, the central requirement is the academic record, and its listed price is below the median for similar schools. It is also a university where, once admitted, finishing on time is more difficult than at most of its peers, and where financial aid—widely available grants and scholarships, high Pell participation, and moderate borrowing—plays a real role in making it accessible.
Neither of these two truths cancels out the other. They coexist, as they do at almost every university in the country, except that here the data make them visible with particular clarity.
You now know in detail one of the three pieces you need to decide: what this university really is and offers, according to its own official reports. You still need to combine it with what your child wants to study and has already accomplished, and with what your family can and is willing to pay. A real plan comes from that combination, not from this one piece alone.
If anything in this article raised a specific question—about AP credits, ROTC, the price if you live outside Tennessee, or support for finishing on time—that is exactly the question worth taking directly to the university, in writing, before your child signs anything.
Note on sources: the information in this article comes from official reports from IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) and the United States Department of Education, primarily from the 2022-23 and 2023-24 cycles. Best College Aid does not represent Austin Peay State University or the federal government; this article organizes and explains public data to help you understand it.