Head-to-head comparison
The University of Tennessee-Martin vs Brillare Beauty Institute: which has better ROI?
Option A Martin, TN
The University of Tennessee-Martin
- Net price / year
- $10,701
- Earnings, 10 years
- $44,213
- 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 The University of Tennessee-Martin comes closer — median earnings $44,213 against a $42,804 total, vs $24,728 at Brillare Beauty Institute. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | The University of Tennessee-Martin | Brillare Beauty Institute |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $10,701 | $17,894 |
| Total net cost | $42,804 | $71,576 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $44,213 | $24,728 |
| Median debt | $21,024 | $7,479 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$125,744 | -$544,216 |
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-Martin or Brillare Beauty Institute?
The University of Tennessee-Martin, at $10,701 a year after aid versus $17,894 — a gap of $7,193 a year, or $28,772 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-Martin or Brillare Beauty Institute graduates earn more?
The University of Tennessee-Martin graduates report a median $44,213 ten years after entry, $19,485 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 leaves students with less debt, The University of Tennessee-Martin or Brillare Beauty Institute?
Brillare Beauty Institute: its completers carry a median $7,479 in federal loans versus $21,024 at The University of Tennessee-Martin, a difference of $13,545. 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?
84% of students finish at Brillare Beauty Institute, against 53% at The University of Tennessee-Martin. 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.