Chattanooga State Community College vs. Southwest

Comparable Facts

Compare Chattanooga State Community College in Chattanooga, TN with Southwest Tennessee Community College in Memphis, TN on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Chattanooga State Community College is larger than Southwest based on total student enrollment (7,623 students vs. 7,004 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Chattanooga State Community College is located in Chattanooga, TN (Midsize City setting); Southwest Tennessee Community College is in Memphis, TN (Large City setting).
• Chattanooga State Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Southwest Tennessee Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Chattanooga State Community College 15:1; Southwest Tennessee Community College 20:1.

Chattanooga State Community College vs. Southwest Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Chattanooga State Community College or Southwest? 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 Southwest Tennessee Community College than Chattanooga State Community College ($5,396 vs. $5,908).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Chattanooga State Community College are 23.7% lower than at Southwest Tennessee Community College ($7,200 vs. $9,431).
• Southwest Tennessee Community College is 0.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Chattanooga State Community College (about $6 more per year; $4,778.00 vs. $4,772.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 0% higher at Chattanooga State Community College than at Southwest Tennessee Community College (about $6 more per year; $17,756.00 vs. $17,750.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Chattanooga State Community College than at Southwest Tennessee Community College (92% vs. 91%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Southwest Tennessee Community College students is 1.2% larger than aid received by Chattanooga State Community College students ($7,399 vs. $7,311).

Chattanooga State Community College vs. Southwest Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Chattanooga State Community College or Southwest? 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 Southwest and Chattanooga State Community College.

• Chattanooga State Community College reports an open admissions policy.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Chattanooga State Community College - Open admission; Southwest - Not reported.

Chattanooga State Community College vs. Southwest Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Chattanooga State Community College and Southwest? 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 $4,300 more per year than Southwest graduates about ten years after starting college ($32,100 vs. $27,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.

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.