College remains a gateway to higher pay in Nashville and beyond, an analysis of federal data shows.

Why it matters: The earnings data stands in stark contrast with new national polling that shows Americans of all political stripes are much less likely to think of higher education as "very important."

The big picture: Nashville residents with college educations consistently out-earned their peers, according to Census data from 2024.

• Pay boosts were higher for residents with advanced degrees. (That includes lawyers, medical doctors and people with MBAs.)

By the numbers: The median income for adults 25 or older in the Nashville area was $41,393 among those who graduated high school and never pursued college.

• Nashvillians who got some college credits and those who graduated from community college hit a median average of $50,117.
• A bachelor's degree corresponded with a massive jump to $70,193, while people with advanced degrees earned an average of $80,785.

Reality check: People with the most to gain from higher education also tend to face the most challenges trying to get one.

• A 2025 report tracking outcomes for Tennessee college graduates found a massive enrollment gap based on the financial barriers students face.
• Students who are considered economically disadvantaged enrolled at a 38.7% rate, while nearly 65% of their peers who were not disadvantaged enrolled.

Between the lines: A myriad of factors dissuade students who struggle financially. Tuition has skyrocketed, as has student loan debt. Plus, new graduates are facing a tough job market and the looming impact of AI.

• Sometimes the challenges are as simple as a flat tire or child care needs that keep students from getting to class.

Zoom in: Tennessee has several programs that try to help older adults navigate those hardships so they can earn a college degree.

Case in point: Tennessee Reconnect allows students 25 and up to go to community or technical colleges tuition-free.

The latest: A new report out this week found about 11,000 people have participated in related Navigate Reconnect coaching that offers personalized advising and wraparound services aimed at smoothing over outside hurdles.

• Participants typically have a below-average household income.

What they're saying: Coaches "walk alongside adult learners from the first conversation to the final credential, helping them navigate every barrier in between," per a statement from Jessica Gibson with the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.

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The Metro Council will choose a new General Sessions Court judge at its meeting tonight.

State of play: The judicial seat became vacant after Gov. Bill Lee tapped Judge Jim Todd for a Criminal Court seat.

• Five nominees are in the running for the appointment, including Jodie Bell, who is the wife of Judge David Briley, the former Nashville mayor.
• The other nominees are Michael Robinson, Mark Andrew Cole, Leroy Ellis and David Jones.

Council will also consider a plan to update and increase permit and administrative fees charged by the city's Department of Transportation. The proposal has received some pushback, and could be deferred for more discussion.

A bill to create a new business improvement district in the Midtown neighborhood is up for its second of three votes. Earlier this year, council voted to combine the downtown and Gulch improvement districts.

• Under the plan, businesses and property owners pay slightly more taxes within the district in exchange for enhanced services.

Read the full agenda

💲 Full federal SNAP benefits should be available to Tennesseans by Thursday. The benefits were put in short-term limbo by the lengthy federal government shutdown. (WPLN)

📚 Libraries across Tennessee were directed by the state to audit their juvenile books collections to align with the Trump administration's standards on gender. (Tennessean)

🏍 🍕 Moto Moda, a new concept from the team behind Barista Parlor coffee shops, combines New York-style pizza and vintage motorcycles. The restaurant opens Thursday in the Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood. (Nashville Business Journal 🔒)

Here's some bad news to pile on top of a season of bad news for Titans fans. Top receiver Calvin Ridley will miss the rest of the year with a broken fibula.

• Ridley, a team captain, had already missed a few games this season due to injury. He compiled 17 receptions for 303 yards.
• Ridley signed a four-year, $92 million contract last season.

Interim coach Mike McCoy summed up the situation in his Monday press conference: "He was crushed obviously," McCoy said.

• "He works his tail off … and it's such an honor for him to be a captain. It sucks that Calvin got injured," the coach added.