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Thomas Edison State University

74 Reviews

Salary Score

Bachelor's

 96

Master's

 61

Doctoral

N/A

65% of 74 students said this degree improved their career prospects
58% of 74 students said they would recommend this school to others
By the OnlineU team | Updated 2/6/2023

Thomas Edison State University (TESU) is a public institution in Trenton, NJ, that focuses on the unique needs of adult learners. It serves approximately 9,700 students, all attending online at the undergraduate and graduate levels. TESU offers over 100 online programs, including 13 associate degrees, 35 bachelor's degrees, 15 master's degrees, 2 doctoral degrees, and numerous certificates at all levels. Areas of study include business, healthcare, technology, and Homeland Security, among others. 

Fast Facts

Accreditation: Thomas Edison State University is acredited by 5 agencies

Find an Online Degree:

Salary Score for Online Degrees at Thomas Edison State University

Associate's Degrees

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities $14,322 $49,224 100

Bachelor's Degrees

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other $11,474 $76,418 100
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other Not Reported $65,547 100
Business Administration, Management and Operations $15,000 $59,206 98
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing $16,890 $82,105 95
Social Sciences, General $15,427 $42,906 95
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities $11,579 $40,685 85
Human Resources Management and Services Not Reported $48,272 72
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other Not Reported $55,538 70
Accounting and Related Services Not Reported $42,221 23

Master's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations $26,479 $79,609 67
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Not Reported $100,759 53

FAQs About Thomas Edison State University

Is Thomas Edison State University Online?


Yes, TESU is online and offers undergraduate and graduate degrees and certificates that students can complete 100% remotely. Students can choose from programs such as online associate degrees in nuclear engineering technology and human services, online bachelor's degrees in computer science and criminal justice, online master's degrees in educational leadership and accounting, and online doctoral degrees in business administration and nursing practice.

Is TESU a Good School?


TESU is considered a good school due to its accreditation status. It's accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), a U.S. Department of Education-recognized agency. This stamp of federal approval means that TESU can prove its financial practices are sound and its academic programs offer both rigor and high quality. It also means that students can transfer credits from TESU to another accredited institution to another. 

OnlineU only includes accredited online institutions on its site.

Where Does Thomas Edison State University Rank?


TESU ranks high on several of OnlineU's lists. We rank schools using our propriety Salary Score, which ranks colleges by how much their alumni earn compared to graduates with the same degree nationwide. Knowing a school's salary score helps you set realistic expectations after graduation when entering the job market and mitigate student debt. 

TESU ranks first for having the best online liberal studies degrees, and it ranks in the top ten schools for online bachelor's degrees in homeland security, business management, and human resources.

What Is TESU Known For?


TESU is known for being one of the first schools in the U.S. designed specifically for adult learners. It was established over 50 years ago as an institution of higher learning that offered diverse and alternative learning methods to suit the unique characteristics of working adults eager to earn degrees. 

TESU allows students to earn an average of 38 credits by leveraging prior learning through work, life, and military experience through its Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) program. Students take exams to test their knowledge or create work portfolios demonstrating previously learned skills to fulfill PLA requirements.

Which Degrees at TESU Provide the Highest Earnings for Graduates?


According to College Scorecard data provided by the U.S. Department of Education, TESU's bachelor's degrees in registered nursing, health professions, and business management provide the highest earnings for graduates. These alumni earn median annual salaries of approximately $84,300, $61,500, and $58,700, respectively. 

TESU's bachelor's degrees have a high salary score of 96 out of 100 and 61 for its master's degrees. It has perfect Salary Scores of 100 for its associate degrees in liberal arts and bachelor's degrees in interdisciplinary studies and health professions.

Is It Hard To Get Into TESU?


It's very easy to get into TESU because it accepts 100% of applicants due to its open admissions policy. 

An open admissions policy means that enrollment is not competitive and all students who meet the minimum general requirements — generally a high school diploma or GED — are welcome to apply. 

Additionally, TESU does not require entrance exams, though some applicants are required to submit ACCUPLACER scores in order to determine reading and math placement.

What Are the Admission Requirements for TESU?


Applying to college always requires planning to ensure you have enough time to get what you need to submit together. A TESU enrollment advisor can help you through the process.

In general, TESU's admission requirements for undergraduates include the following:

  • An application 
  • A $50 application fee
  • Official high school transcripts or GED 
  • Official college transcripts, if transferring credits
  • Military transcripts, if applicable

TESU has age restrictions for applying. If you don't have previous college or military experience, you must be at least 20. However, if you have previously earned college credit or are on active military duty, you are welcome to apply as long as you are at least 18.

If you're still exploring your options, we've identified the most popular online colleges to help you with your search.

Student Reviews

Student Reviews

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SN

Reviewed: 8/16/2022

Degree: Business Administration

TESU is a great school for working Adults, Military and anyone who has the ability to work without a lot of instruction. Basically This is a great online program. I do not recommend it to anyone that has a problem with online schools, this school is not for you, however if you are a person that can accomplish a task with out someone holding your hand all the way through the process, you will do well here. The Mentors will assist you in anyway they can, but again they are not going to spoon feed you... Read More

Joshua

Reviewed: 11/14/2021

Degree: Mathematics

I received an Associates degree in Applied Health Sciences and later a Bachelors degree in Math and Science from Thomas Edison University. I took classes across the entire spectrum with Thomas Edison, classes in mathematics, statistics, Psychology, English Comp, Anatomy and Physiology, Chemistry, Ethics, Philosophy Microbiology etc... I can say that I have an advanced experience on what their class offerings are and the good and bad of them as an institution. I have worked full time the entire time... Read More

Jennifer

Reviewed: 4/15/2021

Degree: Psychology

I have my AA from community college and wanted to finished by BA with the intention of moving on to grad school when my kids were older. I am now concerned that I won't get accepted with a "degree" from a bs school like this. The mentors, when they do bother interacting, have no input as to the syllabus, course content, or tests. Many of them aren't even the ones who grade the tests. They are not, by school policy, allowed to assign extra credit, which is unfortunate, because good luck passing any... Read More

rose

Reviewed: 1/15/2021

Degree: Engineering

TESU is fine, leaning towards bad. When you take a Midterm/Final, you can't even see your results when you submit your exam. You can see your grade in the grade book, but you can't see how you answered or the correct answers. Also, the proctoring service required to take an exam makes you download spyware onto your computer. Additionally, the professor for a given course has no influence in creating the syllabus or assignments. They can't view any of the exams, so they can't answer any questions... Read More

Lee J

Reviewed: 11/5/2020

Degree: Computer and Information Science

TESU is a good school where you can earn a degree quickly if you are self-disciplined and motivated. Designed for the working adults or those with competing priorities. You can test out of many of the courses you already know and the school has a generous credit transfer program. The course work is intense but very doable. I would recommend this school to anyone.

Residency Requirement Fee

Reviewed: 10/1/2020

Degree: Liberal Arts

I enrolled at this college to complete the last 15 credits of my bachelors. The school itself was fine, I was only there because I needed my bachelors degree to practice my trade (completed at a different school) in New Jersey. I was not informed until after I completed 15 credits, and only received an E-mail after it was too late to sign up for more classes, that if you do not sign up for 16 credits minimum there is a residency requirement fee in which you have to pay $3,000 if you use less than... Read More

KS

Reviewed: 3/9/2020

Degree: Liberal Studies

TESU accepted my previous credits and allowed me to test out of a number of classes. The classes that I took online were interesting and I felt like I learned a lot. The professors were always willing to provide guidance and were readily available. I would highly recommend TESU.

Sunshine93

Reviewed: 2/25/2020

Degree: Liberal Arts

Now that I am done with my program, I can give an honest review. Just like others stated, if your just looking for an accredited degree to put on your resume then this is the way to go. I was going to get both my Associates and Bachelors, but I don’t think I can last another two years. Thankfully, TESU is accredited, and recognized by others colleges in NJ, so my Associates was accepted at Rutgers University and I will be finishing my bachelors with them 100% online as well. PRO:I like that a new... Read More

John

Reviewed: 12/17/2019

Degree: History

Not a great university. I had been to several colleges before Thomas Edison. The only things I liked about the school were the cost, the number of credits that could be transferred in and the fact that new classes begin every month. The quality of instruction was poor; my professors did not explain assignments even when asked and rarely provided feedback. The classes were brutal (expect lots of “busy” work). The college also does not have a career center to advise students when they graduate. I had... Read More

Ian S

Reviewed: 12/17/2019

Degree: Communications

The perfect blend of independent study, challenging courses, and seasoned professors and mentors that navigate you to favorable outcomes! If you’re willing and able to invest the time, hard work, and dedication, you will champion the effort and triumph with success.