Tennessee College of Applied Technology-McMinnville — ROI, Cost & Payback
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-McMinnville charges a net price of $11,413/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $45,652. Median earnings ten years after entry are $40,322, 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-McMinnville does not clear its cost — it ranks #41 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) | $11,413/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $45,652 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $40,322 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$8,038/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | — | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$206,412 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Tennessee College of Applied Technology-McMinnville's own numbers. Net price $11,413 × 4 years = $45,652 total. Median earnings $40,322 fall $8,038 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 $45,652 bill in about 4.6 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
What share of Tennessee College of Applied Technology-McMinnville students graduate?
67% finish their degree — 33% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $45,652 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $68,137 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Tennessee College of Applied Technology-McMinnville expensive compared with other Tennessee colleges?
Its $11,413 net price runs $3,856 below the $15,269 median across the 91 Tennessee colleges we profile, and $15,424 less across the full degree.