Head-to-head comparison
Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers vs Paul Mitchell the School-Memphis: which has better ROI?
Option A Chattanooga, TN
Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers
- Net price / year
- $33,625
- Earnings, 10 years
- $25,954
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Memphis, TN
Paul Mitchell the School-Memphis
- Net price / year
- $18,186
- Earnings, 10 years
- $25,306
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Paul Mitchell the School-Memphis comes closer — median earnings $25,306 against a $72,744 total, vs $25,954 at Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers | Paul Mitchell the School-Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $33,625 | $18,186 |
| Total net cost | $134,500 | $72,744 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $25,954 | $25,306 |
| Median debt | $7,891 | $9,833 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$582,620 | -$533,824 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers or Paul Mitchell the School-Memphis?
Paul Mitchell the School-Memphis, at $18,186 a year after aid versus $33,625 — a gap of $15,439 a year, or $61,756 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers or Paul Mitchell the School-Memphis graduates earn more?
Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers graduates report a median $25,954 ten years after entry, $648 more than the $25,306 at Paul Mitchell the School-Memphis. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers or Paul Mitchell the School-Memphis?
Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers: its completers carry a median $7,891 in federal loans versus $9,833 at Paul Mitchell the School-Memphis, a difference of $1,942. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
59% of students finish at Paul Mitchell the School-Memphis, against 12% at Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.