The University of Tennessee-Martin — ROI, Cost & Payback
The University of Tennessee-Martin charges a net price of $10,701/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $42,804. Median earnings ten years after entry are $44,213, 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, The University of Tennessee-Martin does not clear its cost — it ranks #28 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) | $10,701/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $42,804 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $44,213 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$4,147/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $21,024 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$125,744 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on The University of Tennessee-Martin's own numbers. Net price $10,701 × 4 years = $42,804 total. Median earnings $44,213 fall $4,147 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 $42,804 bill in about 4.3 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do The University of Tennessee-Martin students graduate with?
A median $21,024 in federal loans among completers, or 48% of the $44,213 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of The University of Tennessee-Martin students graduate?
53% finish their degree — 47% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $42,804 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $80,762 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is The University of Tennessee-Martin expensive compared with other Tennessee colleges?
Its $10,701 net price runs $4,568 below the $15,269 median across the 91 Tennessee colleges we profile, and $18,272 less across the full degree.