Head-to-head comparison
Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers vs TCAT Athens: 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 Athens, TN
TCAT Athens
- Net price / year
- $12,758
- Earnings, 10 years
- $40,540
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but TCAT Athens comes closer — median earnings $40,540 against a $51,032 total, vs $25,954 at Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers | TCAT Athens |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $33,625 | $12,758 |
| Total net cost | $134,500 | $51,032 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $25,954 | $40,540 |
| Median debt | $7,891 | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$582,620 | -$207,432 |
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 TCAT Athens?
TCAT Athens, at $12,758 a year after aid versus $33,625 — a gap of $20,867 a year, or $83,468 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 TCAT Athens graduates earn more?
TCAT Athens graduates report a median $40,540 ten years after entry, $14,586 more than the $25,954 at Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers. 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 graduates more of its students?
95% of students finish at TCAT Athens, 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.