Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering at The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

UT-Knoxville's aerospace engineering program carries a debt load of $25,243—right at the national median—for first-year earnings that national peer programs suggest land around $72,000. That 0.35 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates could theoretically pay off their loans with about four months of gross income, a manageable threshold that reflects aerospace engineering's strong earning potential even for entry-level positions. Worth noting: the actual four-year earnings data ($72,121) aligns almost exactly with the estimated first-year figure, suggesting either unusual earnings stagnation or that aerospace salaries plateau quickly, which would be atypical for this field.

What's less clear is whether UT-Knoxville specifically offers advantages beyond what the national data implies. As Tennessee's only aerospace engineering program, there's no in-state competition to benchmark against, and the estimated figures don't capture any premium this particular program might command through industry connections, co-op placements, or regional aerospace clusters. The 46% admission rate and solid SAT profile (1304) suggest a respectable program, but without actual graduate outcomes, you're banking on UT-Knoxville delivering results consistent with peer schools elsewhere.

The debt is reasonable and the field is solid, but verify that UT-Knoxville's aerospace program specifically has strong placement records and industry ties before committing—these estimated numbers only tell you what similar programs typically produce, not what this one delivers.