Volunteer State Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Volunteer State Community College charges a net price of $7,802/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $15,604. Median earnings ten years after entry are $41,150, 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, Volunteer State Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #30 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) | $7,802/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $15,604 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $41,150 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$7,210/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $7,550 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$159,804 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Volunteer State Community College's own numbers. Net price $7,802 × 2 years = $15,604 total. Median earnings $41,150 fall $7,210 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 $15,604 bill in about 1.6 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Volunteer State Community College students graduate with?
A median $7,550 in federal loans among completers, or 18% of the $41,150 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Volunteer State Community College students graduate?
28% finish their degree — 72% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $15,604 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $55,729 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Volunteer State Community College expensive compared with other Tennessee colleges?
Its $7,802 net price runs $7,467 below the $15,269 median across the 91 Tennessee colleges we profile, and $14,934 less across the full degree.