Head-to-head comparison
Tennessee Wesleyan University vs Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers: which has better ROI?
Option A Athens, TN
Tennessee Wesleyan University
- Net price / year
- $14,836
- Earnings, 10 years
- $45,989
- 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 Wesleyan University comes closer — median earnings $45,989 against a $59,344 total, vs $25,954 at Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Tennessee Wesleyan University | Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $14,836 | $33,625 |
| Total net cost | $59,344 | $134,500 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $45,989 | $25,954 |
| Median debt | $20,000 | $7,891 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$106,764 | -$582,620 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Tennessee Wesleyan University or Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers?
Tennessee Wesleyan University, at $14,836 a year after aid versus $33,625 — a gap of $18,789 a year, or $75,156 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 Wesleyan University or Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers graduates earn more?
Tennessee Wesleyan University graduates report a median $45,989 ten years after entry, $20,035 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, Tennessee Wesleyan University 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 $20,000 at Tennessee Wesleyan University, a difference of $12,109. 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?
48% of students finish at Tennessee Wesleyan University, 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.