Nashville Auto-Diesel College vs Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers: which has better ROI?
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Nashville Auto-Diesel College comes closer — median earnings $46,396 against a $130,176 total, vs $25,954 at Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Nashville Auto-Diesel College | Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $32,544 | $33,625 |
| Total net cost | $130,176 | $134,500 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $46,396 | $25,954 |
| Median debt | $11,730 | $7,891 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$169,456 | -$582,620 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
Which is cheaper, Nashville Auto-Diesel College or Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers?
Nashville Auto-Diesel College, at $32,544 a year after aid versus $33,625 — a gap of $1,081 a year, or $4,324 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
Do Nashville Auto-Diesel College or Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers graduates earn more?
Nashville Auto-Diesel College graduates report a median $46,396 ten years after entry, $20,442 more than the $25,954 at Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
Which leaves students with less debt, Nashville Auto-Diesel College or Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers?
Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers: its completers carry a median $7,891 in federal loans versus $11,730 at Nashville Auto-Diesel College, a difference of $3,839. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
Which graduates more of its students?
68% of students finish at Nashville Auto-Diesel College, against 12% at Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.