Ground Transportation at Fortis Institute-Cookeville

A $30,416 starting salary for ground transportation work puts Fortis-Cookeville graduates nearly $11,000 below Tennessee's median for this field and $8,600 behind the typical program nationally. To put that gap in perspective: students at Chattanooga State, just an hour away, earn $48,579—almost 60% more—in the same industry. While this program ranks in the bottom 5% nationally, the 73% Pell grant rate suggests it serves students with limited options, making these outcomes particularly significant for families counting on career mobility.

The debt picture offers a silver lining at $6,333—below both state and national averages—keeping the financial risk relatively contained. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.21, graduates theoretically owe less than three months of income. However, when several Tennessee programs deliver substantially higher earnings with similar or lower debt loads, the opportunity cost becomes clear. That $18,000 annual earnings gap versus Chattanooga State compounds to nearly $100,000 over five years.

Given the small sample size, these numbers could shift with more data. But based on what's available, families should seriously investigate alternatives. Multiple Tennessee schools prove that ground transportation certificates can launch graduates into $40,000-$50,000 careers without additional debt. Unless location constraints make Fortis-Cookeville the only viable option, the substantial earnings gap makes this difficult to recommend when stronger programs exist within the state.