Head-to-head comparison
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville vs South College: which has better ROI?
Option A Knoxville, TN
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville
- Net price / year
- $18,976
- Earnings, 10 years
- $60,249
- Payback
- 6.4 yrs
Option B Knoxville, TN
South College
- Net price / year
- $17,858
- Earnings, 10 years
- $36,642
- Payback
- No payback
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $75,904 in 6.4 years versus not at all at South College, on median earnings of $60,249 vs $36,642 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | South College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $18,976 | $17,858 |
| Total net cost | $75,904 | $35,716 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $60,249 | $36,642 |
| Median debt | $20,500 | $18,668 |
| Payback | 6.4 yrs | — |
| 20-year net return | $161,876 | -$270,076 |
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-Knoxville or South College?
South College, at $17,858 a year after aid versus $18,976 — a gap of $1,118 a year, or $40,188 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-Knoxville or South College graduates earn more?
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville graduates report a median $60,249 ten years after entry, $23,607 more than the $36,642 at South College. 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-Knoxville or South College?
South College: its completers carry a median $18,668 in federal loans versus $20,500 at The University of Tennessee-Knoxville, a difference of $1,832. 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?
74% of students finish at The University of Tennessee-Knoxville, against 42% at South College. 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.