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The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

⌖ Knoxville, TN · 90 reportable field-and-credential outcomes

MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff

−$89,554 over 10 years

Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.

At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.

15.4 yrsModeled economic break-even
−35%Modeled 10-year ROI
$61,635Observed earnings · year 5
Economic ROI includes direct price and earnings forgone during study · $45,000 comparison earnings · values held flat · see the formula
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK

Estimated payoff over ten years.

The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.

10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$89,554at year 10
Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
−$255,9040
2
4
6
8
−$89,55410
Years after graduationBreak-even: 15.4 years
FEDERAL COST DATA

Four ways to read college price.

Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.

Published in-state tuition$13,812
Sticker price
Published out-of-state tuition$33,256
Sticker price
Average net price$18,976
Title IV student average
Cost of attendance$33,678
Tuition + living budget
PRICE SOURCECollege reported · annual amount · federal dataset
OBSERVED FEDERAL MEASURES

Cost, completion and earnings context

$18,976Average net price / year
$33,678Cost of attendance
$61,635Median earnings · year 5 after completion
73.9%Completion rate
41.6%Admission rate
30,418Student size
NATIONAL CONTEXT

How this college compares

Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.

82thEarnings percentile
73thCompletion percentile
EARNINGS PATH

Reported earnings over time

$44,937Year 1
$67,631Year 4
$61,635Year 5

Separate federal cohorts may underlie different measurement years.

PROGRAM PAYOFF SPREAD

The college average is not the whole story.

Observed earnings vary substantially by field and credential at the same institution.

1Industrial Engineering · Master's Degree$150,9032Computer Science · Master's Degree$135,7643Business Administration, Management and Operations · Master's Degree$132,0364Veterinary Medicine · First Professional Degree$123,7135Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods · Master's Degree$123,3306Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Master's Degree$120,4827Chemistry · Doctoral Degree$114,3128Engineering, Other · Doctoral Degree$113,720

Observed year-4 earnings · compare like fields and credentials before deciding

BUILD A REAL SHORTLIST

Comparable colleges in TN

Currently operating public institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive—not a quality ranking.

Nashville, TN

Tennessee State University

Annual net price
$15,796
Observed earnings · year 5
$51,934
Modeled 10-year ROI
-71%
Open college profile →Chattanooga, TN

The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga

Annual net price
$14,265
Observed earnings · year 5
$53,104
Modeled 10-year ROI
-66%
Open college profile →Cookeville, TN

Tennessee Technological University

Annual net price
$14,246
Observed earnings · year 5
$51,599
Modeled 10-year ROI
-72%
Open college profile →Memphis, TN

University of Memphis

Annual net price
$12,397
Observed earnings · year 5
$52,242
Modeled 10-year ROI
-68%
Open college profile →
ALL REPORTABLE PROGRAM CATEGORIES

Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes

Federal fieldCredentialEarnings, year 4Federal debt
Industrial EngineeringMaster's Degree$150,903Not available
Computer ScienceMaster's Degree$135,764Not available
Business Administration, Management and OperationsMaster's Degree$132,036Not available
Veterinary MedicineFirst Professional Degree$123,713Not available
Management Sciences and Quantitative MethodsMaster's Degree$123,330Not available
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingMaster's Degree$120,482Not available
ChemistryDoctoral Degree$114,312Not available
Engineering, OtherDoctoral Degree$113,720Not available
Mechanical EngineeringMaster's Degree$112,342Not available
Accounting and Related ServicesMaster's Degree$112,249Not available
Psychology, GeneralDoctoral Degree$108,390Not available
Industrial EngineeringBachelor's Degree$107,093$24,125
Computer ScienceBachelor's Degree$106,312$16,750
Nuclear EngineeringMaster's Degree$106,136Not available
Computer EngineeringBachelor's Degree$105,834$26,000
LawFirst Professional Degree$103,272Not available
Nuclear EngineeringBachelor's Degree$99,139$23,000
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications EngineeringBachelor's Degree$93,642$21,630
Management Sciences and Quantitative MethodsBachelor's Degree$92,042$25,000
Chemical EngineeringBachelor's Degree$91,643$22,375
Mechanical EngineeringBachelor's Degree$90,623$23,250
Accounting and Related ServicesBachelor's Degree$89,445$22,000
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space EngineeringBachelor's Degree$89,015$25,243
Soil SciencesBachelor's Degree$88,563$23,149
Civil EngineeringMaster's Degree$88,162Not available
Agricultural EngineeringBachelor's Degree$85,141Not available
Finance and Financial Management ServicesBachelor's Degree$83,793$23,250
StatisticsBachelor's Degree$83,697Not available
Public Policy AnalysisMaster's Degree$82,094Not available
Business Administration, Management and OperationsBachelor's Degree$82,074$20,500
Civil EngineeringBachelor's Degree$80,958$21,450
Business/Managerial EconomicsBachelor's Degree$80,415$23,847
ChemistryBachelor's Degree$79,736$19,500
Education, GeneralDoctoral Degree$77,153Not available
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingBachelor's Degree$77,118$23,292
Public HealthMaster's Degree$72,158Not available
MathematicsMaster's Degree$71,818Not available
MarketingBachelor's Degree$70,661$19,500
Biomedical/Medical EngineeringBachelor's Degree$69,476$22,200
Design and Applied ArtsBachelor's Degree$69,047Not available
ArchitectureBachelor's Degree$68,765$31,000
Food Science and TechnologyBachelor's Degree$68,114$20,632
EconomicsBachelor's Degree$67,902$21,650
Interior ArchitectureBachelor's Degree$65,144$27,000
Family and Consumer Economics and Related StudiesBachelor's Degree$63,996$17,844
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied CommunicationBachelor's Degree$63,314$21,368
Human Resources Management and ServicesBachelor's Degree$63,005$22,018
Plant SciencesBachelor's Degree$61,587$22,564
Clinical, Counseling and Applied PsychologyMaster's Degree$60,295Not available
Political Science and GovernmentBachelor's Degree$60,073$20,500
Agricultural Business and ManagementBachelor's Degree$59,769Not available
Communication Disorders Sciences and ServicesBachelor's Degree$59,347$23,382
PhilosophyBachelor's Degree$59,329$25,000
Agricultural Public ServicesMaster's Degree$58,999Not available
Nutrition SciencesBachelor's Degree$58,972$25,000
Hospitality Administration/ManagementBachelor's Degree$58,854$22,500
Library Science and AdministrationMaster's Degree$58,578Not available
Biology, GeneralBachelor's Degree$58,149$23,579
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/FitnessMaster's Degree$57,810Not available
ForestryBachelor's Degree$57,436$27,000
Communication and Media StudiesBachelor's Degree$57,394$20,875
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/FitnessBachelor's Degree$57,020$21,500
Student Counseling and Personnel ServicesMaster's Degree$56,750Not available
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, OtherBachelor's Degree$56,155$20,500
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related ServicesMaster's Degree$55,719Not available
Social WorkMaster's Degree$55,624Not available
Geography and CartographyBachelor's Degree$54,656$26,000
SociologyBachelor's Degree$53,635$20,013
MusicMaster's Degree$53,019Not available
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and ServicesBachelor's Degree$52,703$20,612
JournalismBachelor's Degree$52,663$22,849
HistoryBachelor's Degree$52,505$19,000
Agricultural Public ServicesBachelor's Degree$52,060$19,500
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject AreasMaster's Degree$51,494Not available
MathematicsBachelor's Degree$50,605$25,000
Special Education and TeachingBachelor's Degree$50,585Not available
Geological and Earth Sciences/GeosciencesBachelor's Degree$50,202$26,000
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related ServicesBachelor's Degree$49,785$22,790
Animal SciencesBachelor's Degree$49,656$21,693
Psychology, GeneralBachelor's Degree$49,003$23,081
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and ManagementBachelor's Degree$48,882$27,000
Social WorkBachelor's Degree$48,510$25,683
MusicBachelor's Degree$46,701$23,453
English Language and Literature, GeneralBachelor's Degree$46,366$22,990
AnthropologyBachelor's Degree$41,767$27,000
Drama/Theatre Arts and StagecraftBachelor's Degree$41,414Not available
Fine and Studio ArtsBachelor's Degree$34,609$27,000
Materials EngineeringBachelor's DegreeNot available$19,500
Neurobiology and NeurosciencesBachelor's DegreeNot available$18,500
PhysicsBachelor's DegreeNot available$25,344

Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.