Location: Chattanooga, TN•In-State Tuition: $4,550•Out-of-State Tuition: $17,750
Median Earnings (1yr)
$41,400
74th percentile
60th percentile in Tennessee
Median Debt
$16,484
10% above national median
D/E Ratio: 0.40 ManageableSample: 30 graduates

Analysis

Chattanooga State's computer science associate program punches above its weight nationally but sits in the middle of Tennessee's community college pack. Starting at $41,400—above both state and national medians—graduates earn more than peers at 14 of the 17 Tennessee schools offering this degree. That 60th percentile state ranking matters because you're competing with in-state options like Pellissippi State ($44,224) and Nashville State ($42,160), but you're clearly outperforming budget alternatives like Southwest Tennessee.

The 27% earnings jump to $52,697 by year four is particularly strong for an associate degree, suggesting graduates are successfully translating their credentials into career advancement rather than hitting early salary ceilings. With debt at $16,484—manageable at just 40% of first-year earnings—you're looking at a reasonable payback timeline even if your student starts at the lower end of the salary range.

The catch? This performs solidly but not exceptionally in Tennessee's competitive community college landscape. If Chattanooga is your natural choice for location or cost reasons, this program delivers clear value. But if you're equally positioned to attend Pellissippi or Nashville State, those programs show slightly stronger earning outcomes that might justify the comparison shopping.

Where Chattanooga State Community College Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all computer and information sciences associates's programs nationally

Chattanooga State Community CollegeOther computer and information sciences programs

Dashed lines show national medians. Upper-left = best value.

Earnings Distribution

How Chattanooga State Community College graduates compare to all programs nationally

Chattanooga State Community College earns $41k — 74th percentile among computer and information sciences associates programs.

Earnings Over Time

How earnings evolve from 1 year to 4 years after graduation

School1 Year4 YearsGrowth
Chattanooga State Community College$41,400$52,697+27%
Salt Lake Community College$55,961$75,016+34%
Pellissippi State Community College$44,224$47,845+8%
Jackson State Community College$30,258$37,892+25%
Northeast State Community College$27,882$37,012+33%

Compare to Similar Programs in Tennessee

Computer and Information Sciences associates's programs at peer institutions in Tennessee (17 total in state)

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)Earnings (4yr)Median DebtDebt/Earnings
Chattanooga State Community CollegeChattanooga$4,550$41,400$52,697$16,4840.40
Pellissippi State Community CollegeKnoxville$4,576$44,224$47,845$10,0000.23
Nashville State Community CollegeNashville$4,498$42,160—$9,1250.22
Walters State Community CollegeMorristown$4,519$36,266———
Volunteer State Community CollegeGallatin$4,524$35,042—$16,7450.48
Southwest Tennessee Community CollegeMemphis$4,550$33,171———
National Median—$35,760—$14,9320.42

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with computer and information sciences graduates

Computer and Information Systems Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as electronic data processing, information systems, systems analysis, and computer programming.

$171,200/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Computer and Information Research Scientists

Conduct research into fundamental computer and information science as theorists, designers, or inventors. Develop solutions to problems in the field of computer hardware and software.

$140,910/yrJobs growth:Master's degree

Software Developers

Research, design, and develop computer and network software or specialized utility programs. Analyze user needs and develop software solutions, applying principles and techniques of computer science, engineering, and mathematical analysis. Update software or enhance existing software capabilities. May work with computer hardware engineers to integrate hardware and software systems, and develop specifications and performance requirements. May maintain databases within an application area, working individually or coordinating database development as part of a team.

$131,450/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers

Develop and execute software tests to identify software problems and their causes. Test system modifications to prepare for implementation. Document software and application defects using a bug tracking system and report defects to software or web developers. Create and maintain databases of known defects. May participate in software design reviews to provide input on functional requirements, operational characteristics, product designs, and schedules.

$131,450/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Computer Network Architects

Design and implement computer and information networks, such as local area networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN), intranets, extranets, and other data communications networks. Perform network modeling, analysis, and planning, including analysis of capacity needs for network infrastructures. May also design network and computer security measures. May research and recommend network and data communications hardware and software.

$130,390/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Telecommunications Engineering Specialists

Design or configure wired, wireless, and satellite communications systems for voice, video, and data services. Supervise installation, service, and maintenance.

$130,390/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Information Security Analysts

Plan, implement, upgrade, or monitor security measures for the protection of computer networks and information. Assess system vulnerabilities for security risks and propose and implement risk mitigation strategies. May ensure appropriate security controls are in place that will safeguard digital files and vital electronic infrastructure. May respond to computer security breaches and viruses.

$124,910/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Database Administrators

Administer, test, and implement computer databases, applying knowledge of database management systems. Coordinate changes to computer databases. Identify, investigate, and resolve database performance issues, database capacity, and database scalability. May plan, coordinate, and implement security measures to safeguard computer databases.

$123,100/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Database Architects

Design strategies for enterprise databases, data warehouse systems, and multidimensional networks. Set standards for database operations, programming, query processes, and security. Model, design, and construct large relational databases or data warehouses. Create and optimize data models for warehouse infrastructure and workflow. Integrate new systems with existing warehouse structure and refine system performance and functionality.

$123,100/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Data Warehousing Specialists

Design, model, or implement corporate data warehousing activities. Program and configure warehouses of database information and provide support to warehouse users.

$123,100/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Data Scientists

Develop and implement a set of techniques or analytics applications to transform raw data into meaningful information using data-oriented programming languages and visualization software. Apply data mining, data modeling, natural language processing, and machine learning to extract and analyze information from large structured and unstructured datasets. Visualize, interpret, and report data findings. May create dynamic data reports.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Business Intelligence Analysts

Produce financial and market intelligence by querying data repositories and generating periodic reports. Devise methods for identifying data patterns and trends in available information sources.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree
About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At Chattanooga State Community College, approximately 35% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Sample Size: Based on 30 graduates with reported earnings and 26 graduates with debt data. Small samples may not be representative.