What are the pros and cons of getting a graduate-school-level
degree(Master's or PhD) from a public university versus a private one?
Specifically, I am referring to getting a MBA or Master's in
Engineering from either Tennessee Technological University (public)
versus a degree from Vanderbilt University (private). Right now,
Tennessee's governmental budget allocation is extremely disorganized
as a result of defunct TennCare and large-scale spending on public
roads, so public education as a whole is suffering. Please provide
answers relevant to the standpoints of companies seeking to hire
engineers - not just in Tennessee, but nationally and somewhat more
emphatically in the southeastern region. Which type of college do they
generally favor? Answer based on financial earnings and economical
opportunity.

I've been observing such matters for 54 years without noticing a
preference for public vs private. The judgement is typically that
graduates from the xyz engineering program of some schools perform
better as employees than most. From the same school, graduates of the
uvw engineering program are likely to be inferior.   Neil

My guess is a genaric engineering course will be less valuable than a
specilzed course in computer, electronics, mechanical, chemical,
areospace or electrical.  Neil