Tennessee College of Applied Technology Northwest — ROI, Cost & Payback
Tennessee College of Applied Technology Northwest charges a net price of $9,698/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $38,792. Median earnings ten years after entry are $38,514, 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 Northwest does not clear its cost — it ranks #51 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) | $9,698/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $38,792 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $38,514 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$9,846/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | — | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$235,712 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Tennessee College of Applied Technology Northwest's own numbers. Net price $9,698 × 4 years = $38,792 total. Median earnings $38,514 fall $9,846 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 $38,792 bill in about 3.9 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
What share of Tennessee College of Applied Technology Northwest students graduate?
69% finish their degree — 31% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $38,792 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $56,220 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Tennessee College of Applied Technology Northwest expensive compared with other Tennessee colleges?
Its $9,698 net price runs $5,571 below the $15,269 median across the 91 Tennessee colleges we profile, and $22,284 less across the full degree.