Graduate earnings are in line with similar institutions.
What graduates earn 10 years after enrollment.
Annual salary at 10 years
Lower quartile earnings
Upper quartile earnings
How graduate earnings grow in the decade after enrollment.
UTC graduates experience steady earnings growth throughout the early-to-mid career timeline, with median earnings rising from $42,209 six years after enrollment to $47,038 at eight years and reaching $51,151 at the ten-year mark. This progression represents 21.2% growth from the six-year baseline, indicating consistent career advancement patterns.
How outcomes compare to similar institutions.
Graduate earnings align with peer institutions — outcomes are in line with similar schools.
Financial justification for the investment.
Healthy debt burden. Most graduates can manage $19,500 in debt with typical earnings.
UTC graduates carry median debt of $19,500, which compares favorably to the peer median of $21,105—a $1,605 advantage. Student debt spans from $5,500 at the 25th percentile to $24,250 at the 75th percentile, indicating most students borrow moderate amounts rather than taking maximum loan limits.
The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga demonstrates around the national average return performance, ranking at the 50.5th percentile with typical return outcomes. Graduates earn $407 beyond expectations compared to students with similar backgrounds and institutional characteristics, placing UTC at the 57.7th percentile for earnings uplift—indicating above-average value creation.
Approximately 25.5% of UTC graduates continue to graduate or professional study, with high confidence in this estimate based on program mix analysis. ...
Program mix explains much of the earnings story.
Program-specific earnings drive UTC's overall return performance, with engineering disciplines leading institutional outcomes. Electrical Engineering graduates earn $88,939, Chemical Engineering at $84,045, and Mechanical Engineering at $81,689—all substantially above the institutional median.
Computer Science graduates earn $77,869, while Civil Engineering produces $77,793. Adult Health Nursing graduates earn $62,910, demonstrating healthcare sector strength.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
The earnings distribution spans from $33,200 at the 25th percentile to $74,361 at the 75th percentile, creating a 2.2:1 ratio that reflects meaningful variation in career outcomes. Low-income graduates earn $39,500, demonstrating UTC's capacity to support economic mobility for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
