We extend some characterizations and inequalities for the eigenvalues of nonnegative matrices, such as Donsker–Varadhan, Friedland–Karlin, Karlin–Ost inequalities, to nonnegative tensors. Our approach involves a correspondence between nonnegative tensors, ergodic control and entropy maximization: we show in particular that the logarithm of the spectral radius of a tensor is given by en entropy maximization problem over a space of occupation measures. We study in particular the tropical analogue of the spectral radius, that we characterize as a limit of the classical spectral radius, and we give an explicit combinatorial formula for this tropical spectral radius.