Head-to-head comparison
South College vs Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers: which has better ROI?
Option A Knoxville, TN
South College
- Net price / year
- $17,858
- Earnings, 10 years
- $36,642
- 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 South College comes closer — median earnings $36,642 against a $35,716 total, vs $25,954 at Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | South College | Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $17,858 | $33,625 |
| Total net cost | $35,716 | $134,500 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $36,642 | $25,954 |
| Median debt | $18,668 | $7,891 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$270,076 | -$582,620 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, South College or Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers?
South College, at $17,858 a year after aid versus $33,625 — a gap of $15,767 a year, or $98,784 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 South College or Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers graduates earn more?
South College graduates report a median $36,642 ten years after entry, $10,688 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, South College or Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers?
Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers: its completers carry a median $7,891 in federal loans versus $18,668 at South College, a difference of $10,777. 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?
42% of students finish at South 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.