School value profile

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga OT value profile

Review why University of Tennessee at Chattanooga ranks #54 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 #5451.3 value score$10,448 in-state tuition$19,500 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.

Value score51.3The OT Index composite score for this public-program value ranking.
In-state tuition$10,448College Scorecard institution-wide in-state tuition.
Median debt$19,500Institution-wide median debt, not OT-program-specific debt.
Completion50%Institution-wide completion rate used in the value score.

Our take

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga value assessment

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is a weaker value proposition than most public institutions in this comparison for an in-state applicant. Both tuition and debt beat the comparison midpoint, so the #54 rank is supported by two affordability measures rather than one unusually low number. The 50% completion rate weakens the case.

Why it stands out

  • $10,448 in-state tuition is $24 below the public-program midpoint in this comparison. That is a meaningful recurring price advantage.
  • $19,500 median debt is $1,451 below the midpoint, so lower published tuition appears to translate into lower borrowing at the institution level.

Tradeoffs that matter

  • 50% 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 #54 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 University of Tennessee at Chattanooga 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 profileValue contextNext step
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga OT doctorate profileOT doctorate program; ACOTE next on-site review 2033/2034.Open profile

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Other public OT value profiles

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