Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Memphis — ROI, Cost & Payback
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Memphis charges a net price of $14,315/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $57,260. Median earnings ten years after entry are $31,192, 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-Memphis does not clear its cost — it ranks #80 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) | $14,315/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $57,260 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $31,192 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$17,168/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | — | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$400,620 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Memphis's own numbers. Net price $14,315 × 4 years = $57,260 total. Median earnings $31,192 fall $17,168 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 $57,260 bill in about 5.7 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
What share of Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Memphis students graduate?
55% finish their degree — 45% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $57,260 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $104,109 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Memphis expensive compared with other Tennessee colleges?
Its $14,315 net price runs $954 below the $15,269 median across the 91 Tennessee colleges we profile, and $3,816 less across the full degree.