Volunteer State Community College vs Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers: which has better ROI?
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Volunteer State Community College comes closer — median earnings $41,150 against a $15,604 total, vs $25,954 at Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Volunteer State Community College | Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $7,802 | $33,625 |
| Total net cost | $15,604 | $134,500 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $41,150 | $25,954 |
| Median debt | $7,550 | $7,891 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$159,804 | -$582,620 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
Which is cheaper, Volunteer State Community College or Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers?
Volunteer State Community College, at $7,802 a year after aid versus $33,625 — a gap of $25,823 a year, or $118,896 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
Do Volunteer State Community College or Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers graduates earn more?
Volunteer State Community College graduates report a median $41,150 ten years after entry, $15,196 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, Volunteer State Community College or Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers?
Volunteer State Community College: its completers carry a median $7,550 in federal loans versus $7,891 at Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers, a difference of $341. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
Which graduates more of its students?
28% of students finish at Volunteer State Community 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.