Nashville Auto-Diesel College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Nashville Auto-Diesel College charges a net price of $32,544/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $130,176. Median earnings ten years after entry are $46,396, 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, Nashville Auto-Diesel College does not clear its cost — it ranks #32 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) | $32,544/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $130,176 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $46,396 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$1,964/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $11,730 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$169,456 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Nashville Auto-Diesel College's own numbers. Net price $32,544 × 4 years = $130,176 total. Median earnings $46,396 fall $1,964 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 $130,176 bill in about 13.0 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Nashville Auto-Diesel College students graduate with?
A median $11,730 in federal loans among completers, or 25% of the $46,396 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Nashville Auto-Diesel College students graduate?
68% finish their degree — 32% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $130,176 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $191,435 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Nashville Auto-Diesel College expensive compared with other Tennessee colleges?
Its $32,544 net price runs $17,275 above the $15,269 median across the 91 Tennessee colleges we profile, or $69,100 more across the full degree.