Agricultural Engineering at The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

Based on comparable agricultural engineering programs nationwide, Tennessee graduates can expect first-year earnings around $65,000—a solid starting point for a technical degree. The estimated $23,000 in debt translates to a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.35, meaning roughly four months of gross salary to cover what students typically borrow. That's a manageable burden for an engineering credential, though it's worth noting these figures come from peer programs across the country rather than UT-Knoxville's specific outcomes.

The challenge here is that UT-Knoxville is the only school in Tennessee offering this bachelor's program, and its graduate numbers are too small for the Department of Education to publish actual data. Similar programs nationally show a fairly tight range—the top quarter of programs produce first-year earnings around $72,000, suggesting the field offers consistent rather than wildly variable returns. Agricultural engineering sits in an interesting niche: combining traditional engineering problem-solving with agricultural applications, from precision farming technology to water management systems.

For parents willing to invest in this specialized field, the estimated numbers suggest reasonable value, but understand you're relying on national patterns rather than Tennessee-specific outcomes. The program makes sense if your student is genuinely interested in agriculture-focused engineering work, but the small cohort size means limited local data to validate the investment. If your child is considering engineering more broadly, comparing this to UT's mechanical or civil engineering programs—which likely have reported outcomes—would provide firmer ground for decision-making.