Chattanooga State Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Chattanooga State Community College charges a net price of $5,283/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $10,566. Median earnings ten years after entry are $37,598, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Chattanooga State Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #49 of 91 Tennessee colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $5,283/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $10,566 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $37,598 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$10,762/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $10,419 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$225,806 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Chattanooga State Community College's own numbers. Net price $5,283 × 2 years = $10,566 total. Median earnings $37,598 fall $10,762 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $10,566 bill in about 1.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Chattanooga State Community College students graduate with?
A median $10,419 in federal loans among completers, or 28% of the $37,598 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Chattanooga State Community College students graduate?
26% finish their degree — 74% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $10,566 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $40,638 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Chattanooga State Community College expensive compared with other Tennessee colleges?
Its $5,283 net price runs $9,986 below the $15,269 median across the 91 Tennessee colleges we profile, and $19,972 less across the full degree.