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The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga

⌖ Chattanooga, TN · 39 reportable field-and-credential outcomes

MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff

−$156,020 over 10 years

Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.

At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.

29.3 yrsModeled economic break-even
−66%Modeled 10-year ROI
$53,104Observed earnings · year 5
Economic ROI includes direct price and earnings forgone during study · $45,000 comparison earnings · values held flat · see the formula
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK

Estimated payoff over ten years.

The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.

10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$156,020at year 10
Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
−$237,0600
2
4
6
8
−$156,02010
Years after graduationBreak-even: 29.3 years
FEDERAL COST DATA

Four ways to read college price.

Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.

Published in-state tuition$10,448
Sticker price
Published out-of-state tuition$18,512
Sticker price
Average net price$14,265
Title IV student average
Cost of attendance$25,489
Tuition + living budget
PRICE SOURCECollege reported · annual amount · federal dataset
OBSERVED FEDERAL MEASURES

Cost, completion and earnings context

$14,265Average net price / year
$25,489Cost of attendance
$53,104Median earnings · year 5 after completion
50.2%Completion rate
81.1%Admission rate
10,074Student size
NATIONAL CONTEXT

How this college compares

Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.

68thEarnings percentile
38thCompletion percentile
EARNINGS PATH

Reported earnings over time

$40,626Year 1
$57,377Year 4
$53,104Year 5

Separate federal cohorts may underlie different measurement years.

PROGRAM PAYOFF SPREAD

The college average is not the whole story.

Observed earnings vary substantially by field and credential at the same institution.

1Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Master's Degree$131,0342Engineering-Related Fields · Master's Degree$121,6213Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Doctoral Degree$113,2974Business Administration, Management and Operations · Master's Degree$106,7965Engineering-Related Fields · Bachelor's Degree$92,9006Chemical Engineering · Bachelor's Degree$92,5117Psychology, General · Master's Degree$91,7478Civil Engineering · Bachelor's Degree$91,615

Observed year-4 earnings · compare like fields and credentials before deciding

BUILD A REAL SHORTLIST

Comparable colleges in TN

Currently operating public institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive—not a quality ranking.

Cookeville, TN

Tennessee Technological University

Annual net price
$14,246
Observed earnings · year 5
$51,599
Modeled 10-year ROI
-72%
Open college profile →Nashville, TN

Tennessee State University

Annual net price
$15,796
Observed earnings · year 5
$51,934
Modeled 10-year ROI
-71%
Open college profile →Memphis, TN

University of Memphis

Annual net price
$12,397
Observed earnings · year 5
$52,242
Modeled 10-year ROI
-68%
Open college profile →Murfreesboro, TN

Middle Tennessee State University

Annual net price
$13,359
Observed earnings · year 5
$50,530
Modeled 10-year ROI
-76%
Open college profile →
ALL REPORTABLE PROGRAM CATEGORIES

Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes

Federal fieldCredentialEarnings, year 4Federal debt
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingMaster's Degree$131,034Not available
Engineering-Related FieldsMaster's Degree$121,621Not available
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingDoctoral Degree$113,297Not available
Business Administration, Management and OperationsMaster's Degree$106,796Not available
Engineering-Related FieldsBachelor's Degree$92,900$25,500
Chemical EngineeringBachelor's Degree$92,511Not available
Psychology, GeneralMaster's Degree$91,747Not available
Civil EngineeringBachelor's Degree$91,615$20,747
Accounting and Related ServicesMaster's Degree$91,432Not available
Mechanical EngineeringBachelor's Degree$89,407$24,904
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications EngineeringBachelor's Degree$86,537$28,375
Computer ScienceBachelor's Degree$82,644$25,125
Engineering, GeneralBachelor's Degree$81,757Not available
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic ProfessionsDoctoral Degree$78,581Not available
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingBachelor's Degree$77,838$23,558
ChemistryBachelor's Degree$71,634$24,999
Business Administration, Management and OperationsBachelor's Degree$66,554$23,000
Political Science and GovernmentBachelor's Degree$63,654$22,150
Design and Applied ArtsBachelor's Degree$60,807$25,000
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, GeneralBachelor's Degree$56,558Not available
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsMaster's Degree$54,877Not available
Criminal Justice and CorrectionsBachelor's Degree$53,565$22,995
Social WorkMaster's Degree$52,413Not available
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsMaster's Degree$52,104Not available
Student Counseling and Personnel ServicesMaster's Degree$51,777Not available
HistoryBachelor's Degree$50,756Not available
Biology, GeneralBachelor's Degree$50,597$20,000
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/FitnessBachelor's Degree$48,413$22,500
Social WorkBachelor's Degree$48,410$20,043
Communication and Media StudiesBachelor's Degree$48,212$21,831
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsBachelor's Degree$46,029$22,517
Natural Resources Conservation and ResearchBachelor's Degree$45,955$20,500
English Language and Literature, GeneralBachelor's Degree$45,253$22,796
Psychology, GeneralBachelor's Degree$44,700$21,898
Social Sciences, OtherBachelor's Degree$43,858$26,375
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and ServicesBachelor's Degree$42,031Not available
Legal Support ServicesBachelor's Degree$37,876Not available
Fine and Studio ArtsBachelor's Degree$37,293$25,000
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesBachelor's Degree$34,020Not available

Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.