Chattanooga State Community College vs. Fortis Institute-Nashville

Comparable Facts

Compare Chattanooga State Community College in Chattanooga, TN with Fortis Institute Nashville in Nashville, TN on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Chattanooga State Community College is larger than Fortis Institute-Nashville based on total student enrollment (7,623 students vs. 393 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Chattanooga State Community College is located in Chattanooga, TN (Midsize City setting); Fortis Institute Nashville is in Nashville, TN (Large City setting).
• Chattanooga State Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Fortis Institute Nashville is a private, for-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Chattanooga State Community College 15:1; Fortis Institute Nashville 28:1.

Chattanooga State Community College vs. Fortis Institute-Nashville Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Chattanooga State Community College or Fortis Institute-Nashville? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Chattanooga State Community College than Fortis Institute-Nashville ($5,908 vs. $28,679).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Chattanooga State Community College are 62% lower than at Fortis Institute Nashville ($7,200 vs. $18,963).
• Fortis Institute Nashville is 227.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than Chattanooga State Community College (about $10,855 more per year; $15,627.00 vs. $4,772.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 13.6% higher at Chattanooga State Community College than at Fortis Institute Nashville (about $2,129 more per year; $17,756.00 vs. $15,627.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Fortis Institute Nashville than at Chattanooga State Community College (93% vs. 92%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Chattanooga State Community College students is 3.1% larger than aid received by Fortis Institute Nashville students ($7,311 vs. $7,091).

Chattanooga State Community College vs. Fortis Institute-Nashville Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Chattanooga State Community College or Fortis Institute-Nashville? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Fortis Institute-Nashville and Chattanooga State Community College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Chattanooga State Community College - Open admission; Fortis Institute-Nashville - Open admission.

Chattanooga State Community College vs. Fortis Institute-Nashville Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Chattanooga State Community College and Fortis Institute-Nashville? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Graduates from Chattanooga State Community College earn a median of about $4,200 more per year than Fortis Institute-Nashville graduates about ten years after starting college ($32,100 vs. $27,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Chattanooga State Community College graduates have a $3,000 lower median loan debt than Fortis Institute-Nashville graduates ($9,500 vs. $12,500).
• Among borrowers, Chattanooga State Community College graduates have an estimated $31 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Fortis Institute-Nashville graduates ($98 vs. $129).
• More Chattanooga State Community College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Fortis Institute-Nashville students, three years after graduation. (31% vs. 23%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.