Head-to-head comparison
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Dickson vs Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers: which has better ROI?
Option A Dickson, TN
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Dickson
- Net price / year
- $14,780
- Earnings, 10 years
- $36,829
- 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 Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Dickson comes closer — median earnings $36,829 against a $59,120 total, vs $25,954 at Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Dickson | Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $14,780 | $33,625 |
| Total net cost | $59,120 | $134,500 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $36,829 | $25,954 |
| Median debt | — | $7,891 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$289,740 | -$582,620 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Dickson or Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers?
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Dickson, at $14,780 a year after aid versus $33,625 — a gap of $18,845 a year, or $75,380 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 Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Dickson or Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers graduates earn more?
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Dickson graduates report a median $36,829 ten years after entry, $10,875 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?
74% of students finish at Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Dickson, 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.