Head-to-head comparison
Dyersburg State Community College vs Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers: which has better ROI?
Option A Dyersburg, TN
Dyersburg State Community College
- Net price / year
- $4,612
- Earnings, 10 years
- $36,132
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Chattanooga, TN
Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers
- Net price / year
- $33,625
- Earnings, 10 years
- $25,954
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Dyersburg State Community College comes closer — median earnings $36,132 against a $9,224 total, vs $25,954 at Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Dyersburg State Community College | Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $4,612 | $33,625 |
| Total net cost | $9,224 | $134,500 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $36,132 | $25,954 |
| Median debt | $6,900 | $7,891 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$253,784 | -$582,620 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Dyersburg State Community College or Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers?
Dyersburg State Community College, at $4,612 a year after aid versus $33,625 — a gap of $29,013 a year, or $125,276 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 Dyersburg State Community College or Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers graduates earn more?
Dyersburg State Community College graduates report a median $36,132 ten years after entry, $10,178 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 leaves students with less debt, Dyersburg State Community College or Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers?
Dyersburg State Community College: its completers carry a median $6,900 in federal loans versus $7,891 at Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers, a difference of $991. 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?
34% of students finish at Dyersburg State Community College, 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.