Program directoryPROGRAM-CATEGORY PAYOFF

Economics bachelor's degree outcomes at The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

Knoxville, TN · Public · Federal field 4506

Data scope

Federal records group outcomes by college, four-digit field and credential level. A record may cover several catalog programs or concentrations.

The short version

Reported earnings trail the same-degree benchmark.

$14,784 below the national median for the same field and credential.

Debt pressure
31.9% of annual earnings
Positive-payoff price ceiling
$12,255 / year
10-year scenario
−11% · Negative payoff
Price evidence
College-wide context only
PRICE SENSITIVITY

The price can change the verdict.

Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.

What stays fixed$67,902 observed annual earnings · 4 years of study · $45,000 alternative annual earnings · ten-year horizonThe marked price is this college’s institution-wide average net price, not the exact price of this program category. This is a sensitivity test, not a tuition quote or earnings forecast.
OUTCOME SIGNALS

Graduate outcomes from several angles.

Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.

+56%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$46,302$72,348
Not availableEarn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
27Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
40Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median
38Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median
Not availableAwarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credential
Not availableRecent awardsIPEDS 2023–24 first-major completions in this field and credential
NEW FEDERAL PROGRAM CONTEXT

Size, aid and an earnings floor.

The Department of Education’s 2026 informational preview adds current program participation and a preliminary earnings comparison. It does not make a final eligibility determination.

115Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment
Not reportedFederal-aid completers2024–25 program completers
44Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count
60Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$32,989Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$67,902$34,913 above the preliminary benchmark

Additional borrowing reported for this category: 15 Parent PLUS borrowers.

Source: U.S. Department of Education PPD:2026 informational preview. Program categories use OPEID, four-digit field and credential level; federal-aid counts do not represent every enrolled student.

01 · PRICE CONTEXT$18,976

Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.

02 · BORROWING$21,650

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$67,902

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$230/mo

Estimated standard 10-year federal payment.

WHAT WILL IT COST?

Published college costs provide the starting point.

Your exact offering, aid, residency and time to finish determine the price you actually pay.

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AVERAGE NET PRICE$18,976Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$33,678Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE41.6%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE73.9%Institution-wide completion rate
WHAT DO GRADUATES EARN?

Reported earnings after completion.

Each point may represent a different federal cohort. A missing bar means the figure was unavailable or suppressed.

$46,302Year 1
$67,902Year 4
$72,348Year 5
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

4.1% of gross monthly earnings

Estimated monthly payment divided by observed gross monthly earnings. This excludes taxes, other debts and income-driven repayment.

Gross monthly earnings$5,659
Estimated loan payment$230
38borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$67,902 vs. $82,686

$14,784 below the national median for the same field and credential.

Same-field national median
WHAT WORK CAN IT LEAD TO?

Related occupations, wages and outlook.

Official CIP–SOC links show careers the curriculum may prepare students for, not observed jobs held by this school’s graduates. BLS wages describe everyone working in an occupation.

BLS May 2025 wage estimates and 2025–35 employment projections.
Economists$117,650 median wageTN estimate · 80 jobs · 19-3011+4.7% projected U.S. growth · 1.1k openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeEconomics Teachers, Postsecondary$104,560 median wageTN estimate · 250 jobs · 25-1063+2.4% projected U.S. growth · 1k openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeManagers, All Other$99,430 median wageTN estimate · 17,510 jobs · 11-9199+4.9% projected U.S. growth · 100.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSocial Science Research Assistants$46,410 median wageTN estimate · 140 jobs · 19-4061+5.0% projected U.S. growth · 4.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSurvey Researchers$66,900 median wageTN estimate · 210 jobs · 19-3022-4.8% projected U.S. growth · 0.6k openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeData Scientists$100,330 median wageTN estimate · 2,790 jobs · 15-2051+34.6% projected U.S. growth · 24.8k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeStatisticians$98,230 median wageTN estimate · 530 jobs · 15-2041+11.0% projected U.S. growth · 1.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeMarket Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$69,790 median wageTN estimate · 13,040 jobs · 13-1161+7.0% projected U.S. growth · 82k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$61,860 median wageTN estimate · 21,230 jobs · 25-2031-0.2% projected U.S. growth · 63.5k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degree
Possible alternatives

Same degree, stronger on at least one reported measure.

Every option below reports higher earnings, lower federal debt or a lower college-wide net price. Same-state options appear first.

Nashville, TN

Vanderbilt University

$72,435 higher earnings · $9,226 less debt · $3,130 lower annual net price

Earnings
$140,337
Debt
$12,424
Annual net price
$15,846
View outcomes →
Memphis, TN

Rhodes College

$15,048 higher earnings · $2,150 less debt

Earnings
$82,950
Debt
$19,500
Annual net price
$28,585
View outcomes →
Sewanee, TN

The University of the South

$19,860 higher earnings

Earnings
$87,762
Debt
$24,798
Annual net price
$27,872
View outcomes →
Murfreesboro, TN

Middle Tennessee State University

$5,617 lower annual net price

Earnings
$42,701
Debt
Not available
Annual net price
$13,359
View outcomes →
Compare these programs →
DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

40 observations in the earnings cohort

June 10, 2026 College Scorecard release

Observed, estimated and contextual figures are labeled separately throughout this page

IS IT WORTH IT AT YOUR PRICE?

Your price and current earnings determine the result.

Add your grants, borrowing and current salary to estimate payment pressure, break-even time and ten-year payoff.

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