School value profile
East Tennessee State University OT value profile
Review why East Tennessee State University ranks #52 in The OT Index public-program value ranking, including institution-level cost, debt, completion, state labor-market context, and matched ACOTE program profiles.
Value rank #5252.1 value score$10,472 in-state tuition$19,442 median debt
Value snapshot
Cost, debt, completion, and career-return context
This profile keeps College Scorecard institution-level measures separate from ACOTE and NBCOT program-specific context so applicants can see what is known and what still needs direct confirmation.
Our take
East Tennessee State University value assessment
Why it stands out
- $19,442 median debt is $1,509 below the midpoint, so lower published tuition appears to translate into lower borrowing at the institution level.
Tradeoffs that matter
- 53% completion trails the 54% comparison midpoint, so the institution pairs its price with a less reassuring completion record.
- Tennessee's labor-market score is below the program-set midpoint. Lower local opportunity reduces the value of choosing the school mainly for geographic convenience.
- A #52 rank places the institution in the lower half of the public-value comparison; stronger-priced alternatives are readily available in the same dataset.
What to compare next
- Compare East Tennessee State University with the two nearest-ranked public options on tuition and debt separately; similar value scores can be driven by different affordability strengths.
- Compare the matched OT doctorate program profile on degree and delivery format before treating the institution-level price advantage as a program-level win.
- Put Tennessee's labor-market score beside the state where you expect to work after graduation; local value is less relevant when the likely first job is elsewhere.
Applicant read
What makes this school look affordable—or not
The value score is strongest when low cost, manageable debt, institution-wide completion strength, and local labor-market opportunity point in the same direction.
Published tuition
The published in-state tuition is competitive, but program fees and living costs can erase some of that advantage.
Median debt
The institution-wide median debt is moderate, so tuition—not unusually low borrowing—is doing most of the work in the value score.
Completion rate
The institution-wide completion rate is low enough to undercut the value case: a low price matters less when completion is less dependable.
State opportunity
Tennessee ranks lower for OT pay and employment in this model, so this program's value depends more heavily on low cost and the applicant's intended setting.
Program profiles
Linked ACOTE program profiles
Open the program-level profiles before treating the institution-level value score as an application decision.
| Program profile | Value context | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| East Tennessee State University OT doctorate profile | OT doctorate program; ACOTE next on-site review 2031/2032. | Open profile |
Compare value options
Other public OT value profiles
Compare the value score against other public options before narrowing your application list.
Rank #54
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
$10,448 in-state tuition; $19,500 median debt; 51.3 value score.
Open value profile Rank #71Tennessee State University
$8,616 in-state tuition; $27,000 median debt; 44.4 value score.
Open value profile Rank #51Louisiana State University Health Shreveport
$7,518 in-state tuition; $22,500 median debt; 52.6 value score.
Open value profile
East Tennessee State University is a weaker value proposition than most public institutions in this comparison for an in-state applicant. The value case is debt-led rather than the result of especially low published tuition. The 53% completion rate weakens the case.