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The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga
Chattanooga, TN 9,878 Undergrads 54.3% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$23,563
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$12,817
After Aid
Median Earnings
$51,151
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$12,817
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$51,151
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate54.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients33.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time90.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS70.9%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
77.0%
SAT Avg
1,117
SAT Reading
25th: 51058075th: 605
SAT Math
25th: 49555075th: 580
ACT Composite
25th: 202375th: 25
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
+$447k
+$50k
-$38k
Median Cost$13k/yr
+$400k
+$4k
-$84k
Full Cost$24k/yr
+$362k
-$35k
-$123k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$13k/yr
Never
-182%
Full Cost$24k/yr
Never
-145%
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-156%
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-87%
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
Applied Mathematics
BachCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,948
Lifetime Value Added
-$61k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$52,212
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$21,207
Earnings (5yr)
$59,487
Lifetime Value Added
-$8k
Chemical Engineering
BachCIP: 1407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$89,153
Lifetime Value Added
+$216k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$24,499
Earnings (5yr)
$61,703
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (5yr)
$90,909
Lifetime Value Added
+$229k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$20,147
Earnings (5yr)
$48,027
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$21,975
Earnings (5yr)
$88,444
Lifetime Value Added
+$211k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$18,214
Earnings (5yr)
$47,664
Lifetime Value Added
-$104k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$25k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$93,987
Lifetime Value Added
+$252k
Engineering-Related Fields
BachCIP: 1515
Median Debt
$24,570
Earnings (5yr)
$65,588
Lifetime Value Added
+$39k
Engineering, General
BachCIP: 1401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$90,776
Lifetime Value Added
+$228k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (5yr)
$44,017
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$24,145
Earnings (5yr)
$40,776
Lifetime Value Added
-$162k
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
BachCIP: 4006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$31,133
Lifetime Value Added
-$228k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$18,108
Earnings (5yr)
$51,418
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,281
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k
Legal Support Services
BachCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$35,594
Lifetime Value Added
-$188k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$41,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$157k
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
BachCIP: 1601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,579
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$20,841
Earnings (5yr)
$84,859
Lifetime Value Added
+$184k
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General
BachCIP: 3000
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,871
Lifetime Value Added
-$161k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$18,894
Earnings (5yr)
$44,034
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$21,250
Earnings (5yr)
$47,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$18,968
Earnings (5yr)
$43,791
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$18,740
Earnings (5yr)
$72,248
Lifetime Value Added
+$90k
Social Sciences, Other
BachCIP: 4599
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$39,854
Lifetime Value Added
-$170k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (5yr)
$44,336
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$21,250
Earnings (5yr)
$43,652
Lifetime Value Added
-$138k
Master's Degrees
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
MastCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$37,500
Earnings (5yr)
$57,849
Lifetime Value Added
+$50k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$29,420
Earnings (5yr)
$112,417
Lifetime Value Added
+$522k
Engineering-Related Fields
MastCIP: 1515
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$76,460
Lifetime Value Added
+$254k
English Language and Literature, General
MastCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$28,500
Earnings (5yr)
$105,926
Lifetime Value Added
+$467k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$40,896
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$61,063
Earnings (5yr)
$163,373
Lifetime Value Added
+$955k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$37,675
Earnings (5yr)
$51,069
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,295
Lifetime Value Added
+$7k
Doctoral Degrees
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
DocCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$74,500
Earnings (5yr)
$74,541
Lifetime Value Added
+$64k
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.