Head-to-head comparison
The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga vs Tennessee Technological 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 Cookeville, TN
Tennessee Technological University
- Net price / year
- $14,246
- Earnings, 10 years
- $48,501
- Payback
- 404.1 yrs
The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $57,060 in 20.4 years versus 404.1 years at Tennessee Technological University, on median earnings of $51,151 vs $48,501 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | Tennessee Technological University |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $14,265 | $14,246 |
| Total net cost | $57,060 | $56,984 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $51,151 | $48,501 |
| Median debt | $19,500 | $15,650 |
| Payback | 20.4 yrs | 404.1 yrs |
| 20-year net return | -$1,240 | -$54,164 |
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 Tennessee Technological University?
Tennessee Technological University, at $14,246 a year after aid versus $14,265 — a gap of $19 a year, or $76 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 Tennessee Technological University graduates earn more?
The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga graduates report a median $51,151 ten years after entry, $2,650 more than the $48,501 at Tennessee Technological University. 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 Tennessee Technological University?
Tennessee Technological University: its completers carry a median $15,650 in federal loans versus $19,500 at The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, a difference of $3,850. 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?
58% of students finish at Tennessee Technological University, against 50% at The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga. 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.