Back to Colleges
Chattanooga State Community College
Chattanooga, TN 4,689 Undergrads 25.4% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$13,214
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$5,702
After Aid
Median Earnings
$37,598
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$5,702
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$37,598
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate25.4%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients47.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time61.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS56.9%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -
ROI Sensitivity Analysis
This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.
Lifetime Value Added (NPV)
Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$379k
-$10k
-$105k
Median Cost$6k/yr
+$369k
-$20k
-$116k
Full Cost$13k/yr
+$355k
-$34k
-$129k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$6k/yr
Never
-1104%
Full Cost$13k/yr
Never
-533%
Analysis Assumptions:
- Starting Salary: Estimated from the 10-year median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
- Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
- Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
- NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.
Social Impact ROINew
Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.
Donor Return-843%
Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.
Taxpayer Return-209%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.
Program ROI Analysis
Certificates
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
CertCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$9,375
Earnings (5yr)
$40,983
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services
CertCIP: 1204
Median Debt
$7,198
Earnings (5yr)
$20,120
Lifetime Value Added
-$247k
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers
CertCIP: 4603
Median Debt
$5,079
Earnings (5yr)
$58,640
Lifetime Value Added
+$165k
Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technology
CertCIP: 4701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$26,169
Lifetime Value Added
-$180k
Ground Transportation
CertCIP: 4902
Median Debt
$5,500
Earnings (5yr)
$49,433
Lifetime Value Added
+$70k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
CertCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$28,487
Lifetime Value Added
-$155k
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)
CertCIP: 4702
Median Debt
$5,500
Earnings (5yr)
$38,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$47k
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies
CertCIP: 4703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$67,242
Lifetime Value Added
+$251k
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
$7,704
Earnings (5yr)
$49,840
Lifetime Value Added
+$75k
Precision Metal Working
CertCIP: 4805
Median Debt
$3,933
Earnings (5yr)
$45,429
Lifetime Value Added
+$28k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
$5,415
Earnings (5yr)
$41,542
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
Associate's Degrees
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,695
Lifetime Value Added
+$15k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$13,000
Earnings (5yr)
$60,049
Lifetime Value Added
+$123k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$15,150
Earnings (5yr)
$32,830
Lifetime Value Added
-$142k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$13,595
Earnings (5yr)
$54,486
Lifetime Value Added
+$71k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5106
Median Debt
$12,698
Earnings (5yr)
$46,404
Lifetime Value Added
-$7k
Design and Applied Arts
AssocCIP: 5004
Median Debt
$9,288
Earnings (5yr)
$31,084
Lifetime Value Added
-$159k
Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,832
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
Engineering Technology, General
AssocCIP: 1500
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (5yr)
$70,616
Lifetime Value Added
+$219k
Engineering, General
AssocCIP: 1401
Median Debt
$13,125
Earnings (5yr)
$82,823
Lifetime Value Added
+$326k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$36,821
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other
AssocCIP: 5199
Median Debt
$16,422
Earnings (5yr)
$38,683
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 5100
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,097
Lifetime Value Added
+$19k
Legal Support Services
AssocCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$41,117
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$10,243
Earnings (5yr)
$38,262
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$13,500
Earnings (5yr)
$70,876
Lifetime Value Added
+$221k
Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 0183
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$28,471
Lifetime Value Added
-$186k
Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate, accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.
For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results should not be compared with those Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors starting at age 18.