Fisk University
Nashville, TN1000 17th Ave North, Nashville, TN 37208-4501
615-329-8500
Founded in 1866, Fisk University is a historically black university located in Nashville, Tennessee. The university is affiliated with the United Methodist Church and is a member of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce. Fisk University offers a liberal arts education and has an enrollment of approximately 1,000 students. The university is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
Fisk University was founded by John Ogden, an abolitionist from New York, and Reverend Erastus Milo Cravath, a minister from Ohio. The pair purchased the former slave pen of Andrew Jackson, located on the present-day site of the university, and established the Fisk School for freed slaves. The school was named in honor of General Clinton B. Fisk of the Freedman's Bureau, who provided the funding for the school's initial operation.
The Fisk School for freed slaves quickly grew, and in 1867 the school was chartered as Fisk University. The university began offering college-level coursework in 1869, and awarded its first bachelor's degree in 1875. In 1876, the university's first African-American president, Reverend Edward P. Smith, was elected.
Under President Smith's leadership, the university experienced tremendous growth. The campus was expanded, new buildings were constructed, and the student body nearly tripled in size. In 1885, the university's Jubilee Singers began a series of international tours to raise funds for the school. The tours were highly successful, and the group became world-renowned for their performances of Negro spirituals.
In the early 20th century, Fisk University continued to grow and prosper. The school awarded its first doctorate in 1919, and in 1925 the university's library was named in honor of John Hope, the first African American to serve as president of the American Library Association.
The Great Depression and World War II brought financial difficulties to the university, but Fisk persevered. In the 1950s, the school began to experience racial tension as the Civil Rights Movement gained momentum. In 1961, a group of students staged a sit-in at a local lunch counter to protest segregation, and the university became a focal point of the Civil Rights Movement.
In the years since, Fisk University has continued to be a leading institution of higher learning for African Americans. The school has produced numerous notable alumni, including Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison, civil rights leader John Lewis, and musician W.C. Handy. Fisk University is also home to the world-renowned Fisk Jubilee Singers, who continue to tour and perform internationally.
Quick Facts
Enrollment: 911
Acceptance Rate: 66.46%
Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
Main Website: https://www.fisk.edu/
Financial Aid: https://www.fisk.edu/financial-aid
Annual Costs
Total Cost In-State On-Campus: $38044
Total Cost Out-State On-Campus: $38044
Return on Investment Rating
The estimated cost for four years as an undergraduate at Fisk University is $142528.72. This includes the average cost of attendance for four years plus the interest on the average loan over a ten year repayment minus the average of grants and scholarships per student.
We then contrast this figure with average early-career and mid-career average incomes of graduates of four year programs at Fisk University. For graduates of Fisk University, we saw an average early-career income of $49500.00 and mid-career income of $87900.00. We then ranked the school's value based on how many years of mid-career income it takes to repay the educational costs.