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The University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Knoxville, TN 28,763 Undergrads 70.5% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$32,658
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$18,109
After Aid
Median Earnings
$60,249
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$18,109
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$60,249
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate70.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients21.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time96.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS76.4%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
46.0%
SAT Avg
1,304
SAT Reading
25th: 60063075th: 670
SAT Math
25th: 59062575th: 670
ACT Composite
25th: 252875th: 31
ROI Sensitivity Analysis
This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.
Lifetime Value Added (NPV)
Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$519k
+$122k
+$34k
Median Cost$18k/yr
+$454k
+$57k
-$31k
Full Cost$33k/yr
+$401k
+$5k
-$83k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
41
∞
Median Cost$18k/yr
Never
-47%
Full Cost$33k/yr
Never
-71%
Analysis Assumptions:
- Starting Salary: Estimated from the 10-year median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
- Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
- Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
- NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.
Social Impact ROINew
Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.
Donor Return-33%
Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.
Taxpayer Return-64%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.
Program ROI Analysis
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$85,054
Lifetime Value Added
+$167k
Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering
BachCIP: 1402
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$85,604
Lifetime Value Added
+$171k
Agricultural Public Services
BachCIP: 0108
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$51,673
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Animal Sciences
BachCIP: 0109
Median Debt
$20,265
Earnings (5yr)
$50,966
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$26,949
Earnings (5yr)
$45,042
Lifetime Value Added
-$145k
Architecture
BachCIP: 0402
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (5yr)
$64,865
Lifetime Value Added
+$15k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$22,078
Earnings (5yr)
$58,414
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Biomedical/Medical Engineering
BachCIP: 1405
Median Debt
$22,200
Earnings (5yr)
$93,023
Lifetime Value Added
+$226k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$79,000
Lifetime Value Added
+$121k
Business/Managerial Economics
BachCIP: 5206
Median Debt
$23,847
Earnings (5yr)
$76,592
Lifetime Value Added
+$103k
Chemical Engineering
BachCIP: 1407
Median Debt
$21,295
Earnings (5yr)
$89,398
Lifetime Value Added
+$199k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$16,962
Earnings (5yr)
$58,622
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (5yr)
$81,419
Lifetime Value Added
+$139k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$19,611
Earnings (5yr)
$57,807
Lifetime Value Added
-$41k
Computer Engineering
BachCIP: 1409
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (2yr)
$58,390
Lifetime Value Added
-$8k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$17,066
Earnings (5yr)
$101,926
Lifetime Value Added
+$293k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,974
Lifetime Value Added
-$55k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$35,606
Lifetime Value Added
-$225k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$20,750
Earnings (5yr)
$72,348
Lifetime Value Added
+$71k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$21,565
Earnings (5yr)
$99,479
Lifetime Value Added
+$275k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$21,278
Earnings (5yr)
$44,483
Lifetime Value Added
-$150k
Family and Consumer Economics and Related Studies
BachCIP: 1904
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (5yr)
$58,779
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$78,862
Lifetime Value Added
+$120k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$25,877
Earnings (5yr)
$38,246
Lifetime Value Added
-$203k
Food Science and Technology
BachCIP: 0110
Median Debt
$20,632
Earnings (5yr)
$79,504
Lifetime Value Added
+$125k
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1905
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$65,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$17k
Geography and Cartography
BachCIP: 4507
Median Debt
$24,500
Earnings (5yr)
$52,073
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
BachCIP: 4006
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$47,395
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$61,292
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$15,750
Earnings (5yr)
$43,336
Lifetime Value Added
-$160k
Hospitality Administration/Management
BachCIP: 5209
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$56,614
Lifetime Value Added
-$50k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1907
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$41,713
Lifetime Value Added
-$173k
Human Resources Management and Services
BachCIP: 5210
Median Debt
$20,248
Earnings (5yr)
$54,269
Lifetime Value Added
-$69k
Industrial Engineering
BachCIP: 1435
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$84,642
Lifetime Value Added
+$163k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$20,157
Earnings (5yr)
$51,252
Lifetime Value Added
-$94k
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
BachCIP: 1601
Median Debt
$20,612
Earnings (2yr)
$30,771
Lifetime Value Added
-$250k
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
BachCIP: 5213
Median Debt
$24,812
Earnings (5yr)
$88,397
Lifetime Value Added
+$192k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$19,248
Earnings (5yr)
$62,427
Lifetime Value Added
-$4k
Materials Engineering
BachCIP: 1418
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (2yr)
$58,221
Lifetime Value Added
-$9k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$50,409
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$90,860
Lifetime Value Added
+$210k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$48,158
Lifetime Value Added
-$119k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$23,331
Earnings (5yr)
$38,564
Lifetime Value Added
-$200k
Nuclear Engineering
BachCIP: 1423
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (5yr)
$94,044
Lifetime Value Added
+$234k
Nutrition Sciences
BachCIP: 3019
Median Debt
$24,914
Earnings (5yr)
$53,505
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$41,933
Lifetime Value Added
-$171k
Plant Sciences
BachCIP: 0111
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$43,215
Lifetime Value Added
-$161k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$55,196
Lifetime Value Added
-$62k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$21,832
Earnings (5yr)
$45,972
Lifetime Value Added
-$138k
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
BachCIP: 0909
Median Debt
$21,119
Earnings (5yr)
$62,859
Lifetime Value Added
-$845
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$12,500
Earnings (5yr)
$74,229
Lifetime Value Added
+$85k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,323
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$22,750
Earnings (5yr)
$47,083
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$49,839
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k
Soil Sciences
BachCIP: 0112
Median Debt
$22,798
Earnings (5yr)
$62,443
Lifetime Value Added
-$4k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,724
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management
BachCIP: 0306
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$50,817
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$97,661
Lifetime Value Added
+$386k
Architecture
MastCIP: 0402
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$68,939
Lifetime Value Added
+$139k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$40,816
Earnings (5yr)
$149,644
Lifetime Value Added
+$829k
Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$95,395
Lifetime Value Added
+$367k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$54,488
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
Communication and Media Studies
MastCIP: 0901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$57,318
Lifetime Value Added
+$67k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$36,269
Earnings (5yr)
$61,150
Lifetime Value Added
+$70k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
MastCIP: 1907
Median Debt
$16,430
Earnings (5yr)
$48,330
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
Human Resources Management and Services
MastCIP: 5210
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$79,355
Lifetime Value Added
+$229k
Library Science and Administration
MastCIP: 2501
Median Debt
$35,963
Earnings (5yr)
$57,638
Lifetime Value Added
+$38k
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
MastCIP: 5213
Median Debt
$31,504
Earnings (5yr)
$133,752
Lifetime Value Added
+$694k
Mathematics
MastCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$64,246
Lifetime Value Added
+$98k
Mechanical Engineering
MastCIP: 1419
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$116,277
Lifetime Value Added
+$546k
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$34,623
Earnings (5yr)
$47,761
Lifetime Value Added
-$55k
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$67,519
Lifetime Value Added
+$127k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$61,500
Earnings (5yr)
$108,396
Lifetime Value Added
+$478k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$39,967
Earnings (5yr)
$53,501
Lifetime Value Added
-$355
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$18,950
Earnings (5yr)
$48,602
Lifetime Value Added
-$47k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$50,535
Lifetime Value Added
-$28k
Graduate Certificates
Social Work
Gr-CertCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$50,412
Lifetime Value Added
+$31k
Doctoral Degrees
Chemistry
DocCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$49,683
Lifetime Value Added
-$120k
Education, General
DocCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$61,500
Earnings (5yr)
$71,739
Lifetime Value Added
+$25k
Mathematics
DocCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$49,683
Lifetime Value Added
-$120k
Nuclear Engineering
DocCIP: 1423
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$75,204
Lifetime Value Added
+$84k
Professional Degrees
Dentistry
ProfCIP: 5104
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$159,282
Lifetime Value Added
+$659k
Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$61,500
Earnings (5yr)
$96,435
Lifetime Value Added
+$205k
Medicine
ProfCIP: 5112
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$84,804
Lifetime Value Added
+$120k
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration
ProfCIP: 5120
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$139,134
Lifetime Value Added
+$514k
Veterinary Medicine
ProfCIP: 0180
Median Debt
$163,453
Earnings (5yr)
$111,314
Lifetime Value Added
+$313k
Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate, accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.
For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results should not be compared with those Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors starting at age 18.