Genesis Career College-Cookeville — ROI, Cost & Payback
Genesis Career College-Cookeville charges a net price of $12,321/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $49,284. Median earnings ten years after entry are $22,652, 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, Genesis Career College-Cookeville does not clear its cost — it ranks #89 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) | $12,321/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $49,284 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $22,652 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$25,708/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $6,343 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$563,444 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Genesis Career College-Cookeville's own numbers. Net price $12,321 × 4 years = $49,284 total. Median earnings $22,652 fall $25,708 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 $49,284 bill in about 4.9 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Genesis Career College-Cookeville students graduate with?
A median $6,343 in federal loans among completers, or 28% of the $22,652 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Genesis Career College-Cookeville students graduate?
54% finish their degree — 46% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $49,284 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $91,267 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Genesis Career College-Cookeville expensive compared with other Tennessee colleges?
Its $12,321 net price runs $2,948 below the $15,269 median across the 91 Tennessee colleges we profile, and $11,792 less across the full degree.