More selective than 35% of Tennessee colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $25,663. College Scorecard.
Higher than 72% of Tennessee colleges we cover and 58% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 50% of Tennessee colleges we cover and 36% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
TTU acceptance rate & admissions
Of 8,772 applicants, Tennessee Technological University admitted 7,295 and 1,988 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1048–1310 on the SAT or 20–27 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
TTU tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for Tennessee residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What TTU costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Tennessee Technological University took 4.4 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in Tennessee. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $9,815 | $43,382 | 3.1 years |
| $30–48k | $10,445 | $46,167 | 3.3 years |
| $48–75k | $13,861 | $61,266 | 4.4 years |
| $75–110k | $17,245 | $76,223 | 5.5 years |
| $110k+ | $18,936 | $83,697 | 6.0 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (35% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($48,501) minus $34,518 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in TN (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $13,983 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
TTU majors, earnings & careers
Tennessee Technological University offers 42 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Science & Math · 9
- Business & Finance · 7
- Engineering · 7
- Humanities & Languages · 6
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 4
- Arts & Design · 3
- Education · 2
- Health & Medicine · 2
- Communications & Media · 1
- Technology & Computing · 1
Highest-earning majors at TTU
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Engineering | $98,978 | — |
| Electrical Engineering | $94,179 | $20,034 |
| Chemical Engineering | $91,580 | $13,500 |
| Computer Science | $90,521 | $18,605 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $84,267 | $20,500 |
| Civil Engineering | $78,646 | $20,870 |
| Engineering Technologies / Technicians | $77,658 | $23,000 |
| Nursing | $71,762 | $18,349 |
Quick list of all 42 majors
- Accounting$67,411
- Agriculture$52,085
- Animal Sciences—
- Biology$49,220
- Business Administration$60,642
- Business Economics$65,900
- Chemical Engineering$91,580
- Chemistry$57,088
- Civil Engineering$78,646
- Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other$45,909
- Computer Engineering$98,978
- Computer Science$90,521
- Economics—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$43,264
- Electrical Engineering$94,179
- Engineering—
- Engineering Technologies / Technicians$77,658
- English$40,380
- Environmental Science / Conservation$44,906
- Family and Consumer Sciences / Human Sciences$39,565
- Finance$66,535
- Geology / Earth Science$53,479
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design—
- History$47,111
- Interdisciplinary Studies—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$50,530
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$44,846
- Linguistics—
- Management Information Systems—
- Marketing$64,892
- Mathematics—
- Mechanical Engineering$84,267
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other—
- Music$46,253
- Nursing$71,762
- Physics—
- Political Science$49,898
- Psychology$44,043
- Sociology$42,830
- Special Education—
- Studio Art$37,730
- Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management$45,348
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Education (Elementary / Secondary) → Elementary school teacher
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to shrink 0.4% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Mechanical Engineering → Mechanical engineer
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 11.2% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Cookeville
2 bedrooms $1,102.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 60 inches of rain a year, 6 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
No hazard rated high.
FEMA National Risk Index, Putnam County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Putnam County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare TTU with similar schools
Similar public colleges in Tennessee by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee Technological University | 76% | $14,246 | 58% | $48,501 | This school |
| The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | 81% | $14,265 | 50% | $51,151 | |
| East Tennessee State University | 86% | $15,983 | 53% | $44,859 | |
| University of Memphis | 72% | $12,397 | 51% | $48,458 | |
| The University of Tennessee-Martin | 88% | $10,701 | 53% | $44,213 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Tennessee Technological University would cost you $19 less per year than The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Tennessee Technological University, mostly from higher tuition & fees (+$928).
- Tennessee Technological University gives aided families $193 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Tennessee resident | TTU | UTC | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $11,376 | $10,448 | +$928 |
| Books & supplies | $1,280 | $1,400 | −$120 |
| Housing & meals | $10,502 | $10,052 | +$450 |
| Personal & travel | $5,400 | $4,950 | +$450 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$2,895 | −$1,361 | −$1,534 |
| Sticker price | $25,663 | $25,489 | +$174 |
| Average grants | −$11,417 | −$11,224 | −$193 |
| You pay | $14,246 | $14,265 | −$19 |
“+” means TTU costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about TTU
What is the TTU acceptance rate?
Tennessee Technological University accepts 76% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 7,295 of 8,772 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1048–1310 on the SAT or 20–27 on the ACT.
How much does Tennessee Technological University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $25,663 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $14,246 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $9,815 and families earning $110k+ pay $18,936.
How much do TTU graduates earn?
Former Tennessee Technological University students earn a median $48,501 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the TTU graduation rate?
58% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 78% return for their second year.
How long does a TTU degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Tennessee Technological University costs about $61,266 after grants ($13,861 a year for 4.4 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $48,501 ten years after starting, $13,983 more than high school graduates in Tennessee ($34,518), so the cost is repaid in 4.4 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
Is TTU the right fit for your family?
Get a free report comparing TTU with up to 4 other schools on what you'd actually pay, what graduates in your major earn, and how each fits your priorities.
Build my free reportCheck my chances of getting inWe never share your contact information.
Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Tennessee Technological University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/tennessee-technological-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).