The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga
Chattanooga, TN 37403-2598
About The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga
The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga is a public research university in Chattanooga, Tennessee, with about 10,074 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 81.09% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $51,151 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga charges about 1.9× the national public median tuition ($10,448).
- Versus the Tennessee median, sticker tuition is 31% below.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 50.24%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $51,151.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 796% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Finding
The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga awards credentials across a wide program mix.
IPEDS completions cover more than 63 distinct degree programs at this campus.
Interpretation: Institutional averages blend very different fields; program-level completions and earnings matter more than the campus mean alone.
Limitation: Completions counts are not enrollment demand and do not measure program quality.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | $10,448 | $14,265 | 1 |
| Public (national median) | $5,512 | — | 1,688 |
| Tennessee (state median) | $15,120 | $7,802 | 69 |
| Suburban (locale median) | $13,135 | $18,048 | 684 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
How expensive is The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga really?
Key findings
- The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga charges about 1.9× the national public median tuition ($10,448).
- Versus the Tennessee median, sticker tuition is 31% below.
The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $10,448
Finding The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga charges about 1.9× the national public median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $10,448. That is about 1.9× the national public median ($5,512). Versus the Tennessee median ($15,120), sticker tuition is 31% below. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is 12% below.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to public and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga is $14,265.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $14,265 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $6,463 above the Tennessee median net price. Versus suburban campuses, net price runs $3,783 below the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway At The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, average net price exceeds published tuition alone because net price uses a fuller cost-of-attendance base.
The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
In-state tuition
$10,448
Out-of-state tuition
$18,512
Avg. net price
$14,265
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $9,876 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $10,919 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $13,594 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $17,374 |
| $110,001+ | $19,137 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $41,792. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga is known for
Top program completions
- Psychology, General250
- Business Administration and Management, General206
- Exercise Science and Kinesiology196
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse120
- Marketing/Marketing Management, General113
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Broad access — most applicants are admitted.
- Yield: 34% of admitted students enrolled.
- Average SAT: 1147
- Midpoint ACT: 23
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga.
Campus
Location
Chattanooga, TN
City / state
- ZIP
- 37403-2598
- NCES locale
- Suburb
Compared with Suburban campuses nationally, net price is 21% below the median for Suburban campuses ($18,048 median).
Control
Institution type
Public
Control
- Region
- Southeast
- Carnegie
- Doctoral/Professional Universities
Size
Enrollment
10,074
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 10,915
- Graduate
- 1,573
- Full-time share
- 91%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$19,500
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 32.80%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $7,554 | $22,760 | $12,056 |
| 2014 | $8,138 | $24,256 | $12,404 |
| 2015 | $8,356 | $24,474 | $13,378 |
| 2016 | $8,544 | $24,662 | $14,673 |
| 2017 | $8,664 | $24,782 | $14,892 |
| 2018 | $8,664 | $24,782 | $14,213 |
| 2019 | $9,656 | $25,774 | $12,952 |
| 2020 | $9,656 | $25,774 | $14,040 |
| 2021 | $9,848 | $25,966 | $12,732 |
| 2022 | $9,848 | $25,966 | $13,539 |
| 2023 | $10,144 | $18,208 | $12,817 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
This institution has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.
Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.
Test Scores
Average 1147 (middle 50% not reported)
Midpoint 23 (middle 50% not reported)
Scores for enrollees who submitted tests (College Scorecard).
Academic Requirements
Estimated from admission selectivity and test scores. Scorecard does not publish admitted-student GPA for most institutions.
Estimated range · median 3.20
Estimated GPA band from selectivity and test scores — not an official requirement.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga reported total enrollment of about 10,074 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 42% male and 58% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (74.0%), Black or African American (9.8%), and Hispanic or Latino (6.7%). About 32.80% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 29.3% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
91.4% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga in 2024 is 10,074 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 10,915 students. Graduate enrollment is about 1,573 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
72.5%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
34.92% 100% Completion Time
50.24% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 34.92% of students graduating from The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Psychology, General: 17% male / 83% female
- Business Administration and Management, General: 60% male / 40% female
- Exercise Science and Kinesiology: 43% male / 57% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga graduates earn a median of $51,151 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $51,151. Median federal loan debt: $19,500. Average net price used in cost models: $14,265.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga graduates report median earnings of $51,151 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (63 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$196.4M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- Tennessee median 6.5× the median ($30.3M)
- Southeast median 10× the median ($19.4M)
- U.S. median 7.4× the median ($26.4M)
- Tennessee median 1.1× the median ($17,566)
- Southeast median 2.0× the median ($9,308)
- U.S. median 1.6× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 70.3%
- Tennessee median 5.9 pp above median (64.4%)
- Southeast median 10.9 pp above median (59.4%)
- U.S. median 12.4 pp above median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $10,181
- Tennessee median 1.5× the median ($7,010)
- Southeast median 1.5× the median ($6,825)
- U.S. median 1.3× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $10,232
- Tennessee median 1.5× the median ($6,831)
- Southeast median 1.5× the median ($6,602)
- U.S. median 1.4× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga at a glance
The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga
The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga is a public institution in Chattanooga, TN, classified as Doctoral/Professional Universities.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Psychology, GeneralBusiness Administration and Management, GeneralExercise Science and Kinesiology
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian74.0%Black or African American9.8%Hispanic or Latino6.7%
Schools near The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga
Other campuses in Chattanooga, TN when available, plus nearby institutions in Tennessee.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade C-) within Tennessee, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga located?
The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga is located in Chattanooga, TN.
What is The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga is 81.1% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 9,096 applicants and 7,006 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga's tuition?
The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $10,448 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $14,265 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga cost?
Reported tuition is $10,448 and average net price is $14,265 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $12,604 annually.
What explains The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($14,265), completion (50.2% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($51,151). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga?
The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga reports undergraduate enrollment of about 10,915 students, White (74.0%), Black or African American (9.8%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga?
About 29.3% of students at The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga are first-generation college students.
What test scores do students need for The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga?
Among enrolled students who submitted scores, The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga reports midpoint SAT about 1147 and midpoint ACT about 23.
What do graduates of The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga earn?
Median earnings are $42,209 six years after entry and $51,151 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga?
The 150%-time completion rate is 50.2% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $19,500.
Is The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga public or private?
The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga is a public institution located in Chattanooga, TN.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
- Tennessee college profile
- Tennessee college costs
- Tennessee colleges by ROI
- The University of Tennessee-Knoxville vs The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga vs Middle Tennessee State University
- Chattanooga, Tennessee city profile
- Southeast regional profile
- Suburban college profile
- Campus-setting profiles
- All state profiles
- Regional profiles
- National benchmarks
- School directory
- All schools in Tennessee
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.