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Tennessee Technological University
Cookeville, TN 8,698 Undergrads 62.2% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$29,486
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$16,830
After Aid
Median Earnings
$57,769
5yr Post-Grad
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$16,830
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$57,769Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$52,901Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate62.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average starting age (2015-17)21.6
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients35.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time93.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS72.3%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
76.1%
SAT Avg
1,151
SAT Reading
25th: 52859075th: 650
SAT Math
25th: 52059075th: 660
ACT Composite
25th: 202375th: 27
ROI Sensitivity AnalysisAssuming 4 Years to Graduation
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
+$511k
+$41k
+$25k
Median Cost$17k/yr
+$450k
-$20k
-$36k
Full Cost$29k/yr
+$405k
-$65k
-$82k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
45
∞
Median Cost$17k/yr
Never
-59%
Full Cost$29k/yr
Never
-77%
Analysis Assumptions:
- Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.
- 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-43%
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-66%
Program ROI Analysis
These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$17,250
Earnings (4yr)
$67,411
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$51k
Agriculture, General
BachCIP: 0100
Median Debt
$16,350
Earnings (4yr)
$52,085
Natl Median: $53,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$74k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$15,199
Earnings (4yr)
$49,220
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$98k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$11,875
Earnings (4yr)
$60,642
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$3k
Business/Managerial Economics
BachCIP: 5206
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$65,900
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
+$39k
Chemical Engineering
BachCIP: 1407
Median Debt
$19,255
Earnings (4yr)
$91,580
Natl Median: $98,158
Lifetime Value Added
+$236k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (4yr)
$57,088
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
-$32k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$18,743
Earnings (4yr)
$78,646
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$137k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$45,909
Natl Median: $55,384
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
Computer Engineering
BachCIP: 1409
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$98,978
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
+$292k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$17,800
Earnings (4yr)
$90,521
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$228k
Median Debt
$15,500
Earnings (4yr)
$94,179
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$256k
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General
BachCIP: 1500
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$77,658
Natl Median: $80,526
Lifetime Value Added
+$130k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$40,380
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$174k
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1901
Median Debt
$16,327
Earnings (4yr)
$39,565
Natl Median: $48,460
Lifetime Value Added
-$181k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$17,625
Earnings (4yr)
$66,535
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$44k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$37,730
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$197k
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
BachCIP: 4006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$53,479
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
-$62k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$47,111
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
Median Debt
$22,750
Earnings (4yr)
$44,846
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$14,000
Earnings (4yr)
$64,892
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$31k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,980
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$51k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$15,750
Earnings (4yr)
$84,267
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$180k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$19,250
Earnings (4yr)
$46,253
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$44,906
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$21,250
Earnings (4yr)
$49,898
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$17,000
Earnings (4yr)
$44,043
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$142k
Median Debt
$17,750
Earnings (4yr)
$71,762
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$84k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$14,774
Earnings (4yr)
$42,830
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$152k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,138
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
-$225k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$50,530
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Median Debt
$17,000
Earnings (4yr)
$43,264
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$149k
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management
BachCIP: 0306
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$45,348
Natl Median: $45,338
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
Master's Degrees
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$18,717
Earnings (4yr)
$96,302
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$178k
Chemical Engineering
MastCIP: 1407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,468
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
MastCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,937
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $98,323
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
MastCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $145,571
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Curriculum and Instruction
MastCIP: 1303
Median Debt
$31,428
Earnings (4yr)
$51,745
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
-$222k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$62,121
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$124k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $133,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
English Language and Literature, General
MastCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$61,301
Natl Median: $65,716
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Mathematics
MastCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mechanical Engineering
MastCIP: 1419
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,974
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$44,540
Earnings (4yr)
$108,522
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$285k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$51,014
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
-$230k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$39,299
Earnings (4yr)
$52,283
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$217k
Graduate Certificates
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $126,911
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Doctoral Degrees
Curriculum and Instruction
DocCIP: 1303
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,031
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering, General
DocCIP: 1401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $133,630
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
DocCIP: 0301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $87,076
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), 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 decision moving forward. Note that the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.
Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.