South College — ROI, Cost & Payback
South College charges a net price of $17,858/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $35,716. Median earnings ten years after entry are $36,642, 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, South College does not clear its cost — it ranks #59 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) | $17,858/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $35,716 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $36,642 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$11,718/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $18,668 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$270,076 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on South College's own numbers. Net price $17,858 × 2 years = $35,716 total. Median earnings $36,642 fall $11,718 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 $35,716 bill in about 3.6 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do South College students graduate with?
A median $18,668 in federal loans among completers, or 51% of the $36,642 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of South College students graduate?
42% finish their degree — 58% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $35,716 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $85,038 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is South College expensive compared with other Tennessee colleges?
Its $17,858 net price runs $2,589 above the $15,269 median across the 91 Tennessee colleges we profile, or $5,178 more across the full degree.