Engineering at The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

Engineering programs nationally produce first-year earnings around $73,000, and UT-Knoxville's graduates likely fall into this range based on peer institutions. With estimated debt of $22,875, the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.31 is well within manageable territory—you'd need roughly four months of gross salary to cover the total debt burden. This is among the more favorable financial profiles available in undergraduate education.

The challenge here is that both the earnings and debt figures are estimates drawn from similar engineering programs nationally, not actual outcomes from UT-Knoxville specifically. The school's solid admission profile (46% acceptance rate, 1304 average SAT) suggests it attracts capable students, but without reported data, we can't know whether Tennessee's engineering job market or UT-Knoxville's particular program strengths produce outcomes above or below these national norms. Engineering is generally a safe bet financially, but you're making that judgment on projected rather than proven returns for this specific campus.

The fundamentals work in your favor: engineering credentials consistently lead to strong starting salaries, and a debt load under $23,000 is modest for a bachelor's degree. Just recognize you're relying on national patterns rather than track record when evaluating this particular program.