Head-to-head comparison
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Knoxville vs Brillare Beauty Institute: which has better ROI?
Option A Knoxville, TN
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Knoxville
- Net price / year
- $20,012
- Earnings, 10 years
- $37,235
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Cleveland, TN
Brillare Beauty Institute
- Net price / year
- $17,894
- Earnings, 10 years
- $24,728
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Knoxville comes closer — median earnings $37,235 against a $80,048 total, vs $24,728 at Brillare Beauty Institute. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Knoxville | Brillare Beauty Institute |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $20,012 | $17,894 |
| Total net cost | $80,048 | $71,576 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $37,235 | $24,728 |
| Median debt | — | $7,479 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$302,548 | -$544,216 |
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-Knoxville or Brillare Beauty Institute?
Brillare Beauty Institute, at $17,894 a year after aid versus $20,012 — a gap of $2,118 a year, or $8,472 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-Knoxville or Brillare Beauty Institute graduates earn more?
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Knoxville graduates report a median $37,235 ten years after entry, $12,507 more than the $24,728 at Brillare Beauty Institute. 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?
84% of students finish at Brillare Beauty Institute, against 71% at Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Knoxville. 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.