Biomedical/Medical Engineering at The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

UT-Knoxville's biomedical engineering program starts graduates at just $47,261—more than $17,000 below the national median and significantly trailing Vanderbilt ($63,402) and Memphis ($62,454) among Tennessee schools. That 5th percentile national ranking is striking, though the small sample size (fewer than 30 graduates) means these numbers may not reflect the typical outcome. The debt load of $22,200 is reasonable, resulting in a manageable 0.47 debt-to-earnings ratio, but that's cold comfort when starting salaries lag this far behind.

The substantial earnings growth to $72,490 by year four offers some reassurance—that 53% jump suggests graduates eventually catch up as they gain experience and move into higher-level engineering roles. However, those initial lean years matter financially, especially when comparing this to other Tennessee options where graduates start stronger. For a student committed to biomedical engineering and UT-Knoxville specifically, the modest debt and strong four-year earnings provide a path to success, but families should investigate whether these outcomes reflect the typical graduate or if the small cohort size is masking better (or worse) typical results. Given the weak starting position, consider whether other Tennessee programs might offer more immediate career traction.