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Tennessee Technological University
Cookeville, TN 8,495 Undergrads 63.0% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$25,338
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$14,207
After Aid
Median Earnings
$48,501
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$14,207
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$48,501
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate63.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients32.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time92.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS74.3%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
83.2%
SAT Avg
1,148
SAT Reading
25th: 520-75th: 620
SAT Math
25th: 500-75th: 630
ACT Composite
25th: 20-75th: 27
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
+$425k
+$29k
-$59k
Median Cost$14k/yr
+$374k
-$22k
-$110k
Full Cost$25k/yr
+$334k
-$63k
-$150k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$14k/yr
Never
-216%
Full Cost$25k/yr
Never
-165%
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-192%
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-98%
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
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$15,500
Earnings (5yr)
$60,887
Lifetime Value Added
-$2k
Agriculture, General
BachCIP: 0100
Median Debt
$14,500
Earnings (5yr)
$57,554
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$15,500
Earnings (5yr)
$55,612
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$17,122
Earnings (5yr)
$60,912
Lifetime Value Added
-$2k
Chemical Engineering
BachCIP: 1407
Median Debt
$13,500
Earnings (5yr)
$86,320
Lifetime Value Added
+$190k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$19,100
Earnings (5yr)
$57,440
Lifetime Value Added
-$30k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$20,770
Earnings (5yr)
$75,845
Lifetime Value Added
+$112k
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other
BachCIP: 0999
Median Debt
$16,750
Earnings (5yr)
$48,176
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
Computer Engineering
BachCIP: 1409
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$105,082
Lifetime Value Added
+$330k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$17,855
Earnings (5yr)
$92,817
Lifetime Value Added
+$239k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$19,367
Earnings (5yr)
$104,231
Lifetime Value Added
+$324k
Engineering Technology, General
BachCIP: 1500
Median Debt
$22,087
Earnings (5yr)
$78,409
Lifetime Value Added
+$131k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$42,294
Lifetime Value Added
-$154k
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1901
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (5yr)
$43,272
Lifetime Value Added
-$146k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$16,087
Earnings (5yr)
$61,956
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$13,500
Earnings (5yr)
$39,208
Lifetime Value Added
-$180k
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
BachCIP: 4006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$37,208
Lifetime Value Added
-$178k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$14,500
Earnings (5yr)
$44,792
Lifetime Value Added
-$133k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$16,960
Earnings (5yr)
$41,502
Lifetime Value Added
-$161k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (5yr)
$47,032
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$16,177
Earnings (5yr)
$50,694
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$88,130
Lifetime Value Added
+$204k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$15,250
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$287k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,167
Lifetime Value Added
-$130k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$13,625
Earnings (5yr)
$37,538
Lifetime Value Added
-$195k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$15,625
Earnings (5yr)
$63,546
Lifetime Value Added
+$19k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$43,101
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$38,116
Lifetime Value Added
-$190k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$13,000
Earnings (5yr)
$42,465
Lifetime Value Added
-$153k
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management
BachCIP: 0306
Median Debt
$11,000
Earnings (5yr)
$46,021
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k
Master's Degrees
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$19,050
Earnings (5yr)
$88,328
Lifetime Value Added
+$313k
Curriculum and Instruction
MastCIP: 1303
Median Debt
$21,902
Earnings (5yr)
$48,554
Lifetime Value Added
-$40k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$23,143
Earnings (5yr)
$69,095
Lifetime Value Added
+$148k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,780
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$28,090
Earnings (5yr)
$100,700
Lifetime Value Added
+$419k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$37,328
Earnings (5yr)
$50,438
Lifetime Value Added
-$22k
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.