Fortis Institute-Cookeville — ROI, Cost & Payback
Fortis Institute-Cookeville charges a net price of $23,582/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $47,164. Median earnings ten years after entry are $34,509, 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, Fortis Institute-Cookeville does not clear its cost — it ranks #72 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) | $23,582/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $47,164 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $34,509 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$13,851/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $13,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$324,184 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Fortis Institute-Cookeville's own numbers. Net price $23,582 × 2 years = $47,164 total. Median earnings $34,509 fall $13,851 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 $47,164 bill in about 4.7 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Fortis Institute-Cookeville students graduate with?
A median $13,000 in federal loans among completers, or 38% of the $34,509 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Fortis Institute-Cookeville students graduate?
50% finish their degree — 50% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $47,164 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $94,328 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Fortis Institute-Cookeville expensive compared with other Tennessee colleges?
Its $23,582 net price runs $8,313 above the $15,269 median across the 91 Tennessee colleges we profile, or $16,626 more across the full degree.