Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Upper Cumberland — ROI, Cost & Payback
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Upper Cumberland charges a net price of $10,865/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $43,460. Median earnings ten years after entry are $35,551, 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-Upper Cumberland does not clear its cost — it ranks #68 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) | $10,865/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $43,460 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $35,551 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$12,809/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | — | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$299,640 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Upper Cumberland's own numbers. Net price $10,865 × 4 years = $43,460 total. Median earnings $35,551 fall $12,809 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 $43,460 bill in about 4.3 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
What share of Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Upper Cumberland students graduate?
84% finish their degree. Spread the $43,460 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $51,738 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Upper Cumberland expensive compared with other Tennessee colleges?
Its $10,865 net price runs $4,404 below the $15,269 median across the 91 Tennessee colleges we profile, and $17,616 less across the full degree.