Is Tennessee Technological University Worth It?

Tennessee Tech gives you a solid financial return if you pick the right major, and a mediocre one if you don't. The median graduate earns $48,501 ten years out against a low $15,650 in typical debt, so the baseline math works: you're borrowing less than a third of what you'll make in a single year. The problem is that median number hides a wide gap between engineering and everything else.

Engineering is where this school pays. Electrical engineering graduates clear $70,296, roughly $22,000 above the school-wide median, and mechanical and computer engineering land close behind. Even engineering technology, a less demanding path, beats $60,000. These programs carry higher debt, around $19,000 to $22,000, but the earnings more than cover it. If you're coming to Cookeville for an engineering degree, the return is strong and the debt is manageable.

Outside those five programs, the picture goes quiet. No non-engineering major here posts earnings worth highlighting, so if you're studying something else, plan on landing near the $48,501 median or below. That's a fine outcome against low debt, but it's not a windfall.

The real risk is completion. A 54% graduation rate and a 77% retention rate mean a meaningful share of students leave, some with debt and no degree. That's the worst financial outcome at any school, and it's the one to guard against here.

On price, families earning under $30,000 pay $9,641 a year, while families above $110,000 pay $18,329. The tiers scale reasonably with income, so lower-income families get a real discount. Tennessee Tech fits you well if you're set on engineering or want a low-cost in-state degree. Look elsewhere if you need a non-engineering major to pay a premium.