MTSU has a nobel medal winner in Econ: James Buchannan. Much more than what other depts can brag about.
When I saw someone listed MTSU, I thought "jesus, MTSU trains PhDs? That seems cruel" and indeed they do.
The Ph.D. recipient from Middle Tennessee State University is a learned scholar who has acquired advanced academic skills and is well prepared to teach at the college level, conduct independent research, and provide service to the private and public sectors. MTSU's Ph.D. program in economics provides graduates with the opportunity to combine advanced training in economic theory with applied research. Candidates completing the Ph.D. in economics will have the academic and instructional skills necessary for successful careers as university professors, research economists, consultants for private businesses, and advisors to the government.
I didn't go to a top school myself, but seriously, what do you do with an MTSU degree? It least it is in economics and not history.