Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Knoxville — ROI, Cost & Payback
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Knoxville charges a net price of $20,012/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $80,048. Median earnings ten years after entry are $37,235, 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, Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Knoxville does not clear its cost — it ranks #70 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) | $20,012/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $80,048 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $37,235 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$11,125/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | — | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$302,548 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Knoxville's own numbers. Net price $20,012 × 4 years = $80,048 total. Median earnings $37,235 fall $11,125 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 $80,048 bill in about 8.0 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
What share of Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Knoxville students graduate?
71% finish their degree. Spread the $80,048 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $112,744 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Knoxville expensive compared with other Tennessee colleges?
Its $20,012 net price runs $4,743 above the $15,269 median across the 91 Tennessee colleges we profile, or $18,972 more across the full degree.