College ROI

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The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga

Chattanooga, TN 10,074 Undergrads 55.8% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$25,489
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$14,265
After Aid
Median Earnings
$57,377
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$14,265
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$57,377
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$51,151
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate55.8%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age21.8
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients32.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time91.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS70.9%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
81.1%
SAT Avg
1,147
SAT Reading
25th: 51358075th: 620
SAT Math
25th: 50055075th: 590
ACT Composite
25th: 202375th: 26

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 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
+$515k
+$48k
+$30k
Median Cost$14k/yr
+$463k
-$4k
-$21k
Full Cost$25k/yr
+$423k
-$44k
-$62k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
43
∞
Median Cost$14k/yr
Never
-41%
Full Cost$25k/yr
Never
-67%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation 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-23%

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-57%
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, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Bachelor's Degrees

Applied Mathematics
BachCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,948
Natl Median: $91,532
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$50,597
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k
Median Debt
$21,207
Earnings (4yr)
$66,554
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$52k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$92,511
Natl Median: $98,158
Lifetime Value Added
+$250k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$24,499
Earnings (4yr)
$71,634
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
+$91k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (4yr)
$91,615
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$243k
Median Debt
$20,147
Earnings (4yr)
$48,212
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$21,975
Earnings (4yr)
$82,644
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$175k
Median Debt
$18,214
Earnings (4yr)
$53,565
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$60,807
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,397
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
-$30k
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$86,537
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$204k
Median Debt
$24,570
Earnings (4yr)
$92,900
Natl Median: $89,619
Lifetime Value Added
+$253k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$81,757
Natl Median: $89,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$168k
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (4yr)
$45,253
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
Median Debt
$24,145
Earnings (4yr)
$37,293
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$190k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$31,133
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
-$233k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$50,756
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$37,876
Natl Median: $53,266
Lifetime Value Added
-$185k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$34,020
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$219k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$42,031
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
-$150k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,841
Earnings (4yr)
$89,407
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$226k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$56,558
Natl Median: $50,532
Lifetime Value Added
-$28k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$18,894
Earnings (4yr)
$45,955
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,083
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,250
Earnings (4yr)
$63,654
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$29k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$18,968
Earnings (4yr)
$44,700
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$127k
Median Debt
$18,740
Earnings (4yr)
$77,838
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$138k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,792
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$43,858
Natl Median: $56,812
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (4yr)
$48,410
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$18,108
Earnings (4yr)
$48,413
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
Median Debt
$21,250
Earnings (4yr)
$46,029
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$91,432
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$139k
Median Debt
$37,500
Earnings (4yr)
$52,104
Natl Median: $127,347
Lifetime Value Added
-$213k
Median Debt
$29,420
Earnings (4yr)
$106,796
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$273k
Computer Science
MastCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $145,571
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,073
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$121,621
Natl Median: $125,651
Lifetime Value Added
+$403k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $120,215
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
-$332k
Mathematics
MastCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $74,607
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$28,500
Earnings (4yr)
$91,747
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
+$142k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$40,896
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
-$306k
Median Debt
$61,063
Earnings (4yr)
$131,034
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$484k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$39,484
Earnings (4yr)
$52,413
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$210k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$37,675
Earnings (4yr)
$51,777
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$216k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$54,877
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$187k

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $126,911
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$113,297
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
+$142k
Median Debt
$74,500
Earnings (4yr)
$78,581
Natl Median: $82,893
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $162,438
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.