Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Dickson is a public institution offering certificate degrees based in Dickson, Tennessee. It enrolls 714 students (a small, tight-knit student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.
These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (2-Year), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.
Good
69/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes77
Value35
Affordability40
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Dickson admits essentially everyone who qualifies, so plan around cost and completion instead of your odds of getting in.
Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $14,780 a year on average, it sits below what public colleges charge nationally. That still leaves most families a gap to cover, but a manageable one. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$14,472
$30,001 – $48,000
$14,488
$48,001 – $75,000
$18,722
$75,001 – $110,000
$15,445
What this means:
34% of students receive Pell grants. Most cost is borne by families above Pell thresholds. Verify your individual aid offer before deciding.
Graduation Rate & Retention
56% of students who start here finish within six years, and 72% come back after first year. Roughly half finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.
6-Year Graduation Rate
56%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
72%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $36,829 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$36,829
Earning > $25K
59%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$26,000
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$31,600
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $5,600, about 18% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
What this means:
Moderate return on investment. Every dollar of net annual cost is matched by ~$2.5 of median earnings 10 years out. Compare carefully against your funding plan.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 714 students, a small, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 52% are the first in their family to go to college.
Total Enrolled
714
Part-Time
5%
First-Generation
52%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 64.3%459
Black 16.4%117
Hispanic 10.4%74
Other 6.2%44
Asian 0.3%2
International 0.3%2
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Dickson. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Dickson offers
a varied set of programs:
13 distinct programs across
9 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
There are 19 students for every instructor here: on the higher side, so larger classes are common.
Student : Faculty
19:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$10,251
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Pros & Cons of Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Dickson
No college is right for everyone. Here is where Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Dickson is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Best for:
Based on the data, Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Dickson is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.
Frequently Asked Questions about Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Dickson
The questions families ask most about Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Dickson, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Dickson hard to get into?
Not especially. Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Dickson admits most qualified applicants, and reports no competitive acceptance rate. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Dickson?
No acceptance rate is reported, which for a college like this normally means admission is open to anyone meeting the basic requirements. Confirm with the admissions office rather than assuming it.
How much does Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Dickson cost?
Budget around $14,780 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Dickson worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $36,829 a year against a net price of $14,780, about 2.5 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Dickson known for?
Mostly Precision Metal Working, Cosmetology, Practical Nursing. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Dickson graduates earn?
About $36,829 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Dickson accredited?
Yes. Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Dickson is accredited by the Council on Occupational Education.
How many students attend Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Dickson?
714 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Dickson?
56% finish within six years. That leaves a meaningful share who do not finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Dickson a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Dickson located?
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Dickson is located in Dickson, Tennessee.
What programs does Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Dickson offer?
13 different programs, most commonly Precision Metal Working, Cosmetology, Practical Nursing. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Dickson?
19 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
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