Computer Engineering at The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

UT Knoxville's computer engineering program lands squarely in the middle tier nationally but performs better within Tennessee—ranking in the 60th percentile among the state's eight programs. Graduates earn $74,085 in their first year, about $5,000 below the national median but nearly $5,000 above Tennessee's typical outcome. With $26,000 in debt, the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.35 is reasonable, suggesting graduates should be able to manage loan payments without undue hardship. For context, that's about a third of first-year salary, leaving substantial room for living expenses and savings.

The caveat here matters: fewer than 30 graduates reported data, which means these numbers could shift substantially in either direction with a larger sample. Still, the pattern makes sense for a solid state flagship engineering program. You're not getting MIT-level outcomes, but you're also avoiding the price tag and admission pressure. Compared to Tennessee Tech (which reports the same earnings at the state median) or Memphis (about $9,000 less), UT Knoxville offers competitive value, especially for in-state students.

For a Tennessee family, this represents a practical path to a high-earning technical career without excessive debt. The program won't catapult your child to the top of the earnings distribution, but it provides dependable preparation for the job market at a manageable financial cost.