Finance and Financial Management Services at Carson-Newman University

Based on comparable finance programs in Tennessee, graduates here can expect to earn around $45,325 in their first year—roughly $8,000 less than the national median for finance bachelor's degrees. That gap matters: Tennessee's finance graduates overall trail their national peers, and Carson-Newman appears positioned at the state median rather than breaking above it. For context, UT-Knoxville finance grads earn nearly $54,000 starting out, suggesting there's meaningful variation even within the state.

The estimated $25,800 in debt exceeds both the Tennessee state median ($20,500) and sits above the national median for finance programs ($23,332). With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.57, you're looking at borrowing roughly seven months of first-year salary—manageable by typical standards, but not impressive when combined with below-average earnings. Similar private institutions nationally report this debt level, but they often pair it with stronger salary outcomes.

The practical reality: if your child attends Carson-Newman for finance, they'll likely start their career earning less than peers from larger state universities while carrying more debt than typical Tennessee finance graduates. That's not a dealbreaker—the ratio remains workable—but it does mean the financial return is modest compared to what's available elsewhere in the state. If Carson-Newman offers something specific your family values beyond the degree itself, factor that in; otherwise, the numbers suggest looking at Tennessee's public options where stronger earnings meet lower debt.