Head-to-head comparison
The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga vs Southern Adventist University: which has better ROI?
Option A Chattanooga, TN
The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga
- Net price / year
- $14,265
- Earnings, 10 years
- $51,151
- Payback
- 20.4 yrs
Option B Collegedale, TN
Southern Adventist University
- Net price / year
- $24,345
- Earnings, 10 years
- $53,723
- Payback
- 18.2 yrs
Southern Adventist University has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $97,380 in 18.2 years versus 20.4 years at The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, on median earnings of $53,723 vs $51,151 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | Southern Adventist University |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $14,265 | $24,345 |
| Total net cost | $57,060 | $97,380 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $51,151 | $53,723 |
| Median debt | $19,500 | $24,500 |
| Payback | 20.4 yrs | 18.2 yrs |
| 20-year net return | -$1,240 | $9,880 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga or Southern Adventist University?
The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, at $14,265 a year after aid versus $24,345 — a gap of $10,080 a year, or $40,320 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 The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga or Southern Adventist University graduates earn more?
Southern Adventist University graduates report a median $53,723 ten years after entry, $2,572 more than the $51,151 at The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga. 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, The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga or Southern Adventist University?
The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga: its completers carry a median $19,500 in federal loans versus $24,500 at Southern Adventist University, a difference of $5,000. 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?
50% of students finish at The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, against 49% at Southern Adventist University. 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.