Chattanooga State Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Chattanooga, Tennessee. It enrolls 5,284 students (a large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (2-Year). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
64/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes17
Value84
Affordability66
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Chattanooga State Community College generally admits all qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Chattanooga State Community College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $5,283 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$5,283
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
36%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
13%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$4,772
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$17,756
Room & Board (off-campus)
$7,200
Books & Supplies
$1,500
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$4,200
Total Cost of Attendance
$13,348
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$4,369
$30,001 – $48,000
$4,920
$48,001 – $75,000
$6,708
$75,001 – $110,000
$8,002
Over $110,000
$7,201
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$1,75010%percentile
$3,14525%percentile
$10,419Medianpercentile
$14,21675%percentile
$25,75090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $8,123
↓ $2,296
No Pell $5,500
↓ $4,919
Dependent students $5,500
↓ $4,919
Independent students $9,500
↓ $919
Female students $8,000
↓ $2,419
Male students $5,969
↓ $4,450
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,500, less than completers ($10,419), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
26% of full-time students who enrolled at Chattanooga State Community College graduate within six years, and 58% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
26%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
58%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Chattanooga State Community College earn a median of $37,598 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$37,598
Earning > $25K
62%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$29,900
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$38,900
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$28,900
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$36,900
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$42,500
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $9,000, about 23% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
21.6 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Moderate. Only 67% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Chattanooga State Community College is home to 5,284 students, a large student community. Some distinctive traits: 46% are first-generation college students, 43% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
5,284
Part-Time
43%
First-Generation
46%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 64.0%3,379
Black 16.1%849
Hispanic 11.2%589
Other 5.9%313
Asian 1.6%85
International 0.6%29
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Chattanooga State Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Midsize CityChattanooga, Tennessee
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
24%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Chattanooga State Community College offers
a varied set of programs:
26 distinct programs across
13 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Chattanooga State Community College is 14:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
14:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$6,136
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$6.4M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$58,467
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
226 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
40
18%
$74,477
Associate Professors
73
32%
$62,996
Assistant Professors
30
13%
$56,024
Instructors
83
37%
$47,651
Pros & Cons of Chattanooga State Community College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Chattanooga State Community College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Very affordable net price after aid
Open admissions
Reasonable class sizes
Low typical debt at graduation
First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
Best for:
Based on the data, Chattanooga State Community College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; families focused on keeping net cost low; working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Chattanooga State Community College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Chattanooga State Community College.
Is Chattanooga State Community College hard to get into?
Chattanooga State Community College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Chattanooga State Community College?
Chattanooga State Community College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Chattanooga State Community College cost?
The average net price after aid at Chattanooga State Community College is $5,283 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Chattanooga State Community College worth it?
Strong return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $37,598 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $5,283 per year. That's roughly 7.1x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Chattanooga State Community College known for?
Chattanooga State Community College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Nursing, Engineering Technologies/Technicians. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Chattanooga State Community College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Chattanooga State Community College are $37,598, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Chattanooga State Community College accredited?
Yes. Chattanooga State Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Chattanooga State Community College?
Chattanooga State Community College enrolls 5,284 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Chattanooga State Community College?
Chattanooga State Community College graduates 26% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Chattanooga State Community College a public or private college?
Chattanooga State Community College is a Public institution.
Where is Chattanooga State Community College located?
Chattanooga State Community College is located in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
What programs does Chattanooga State Community College offer?
Chattanooga State Community College offers 26 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Nursing, Engineering Technologies/Technicians.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Chattanooga State Community College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Chattanooga State Community College is 14:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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