Geography and Cartography at The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

UT-Knoxville's Geography and Cartography program commands premium pricing—graduates carry $26,000 in debt, above both national and state medians—but delivers earnings that justify the investment. At $44,553 in the first year, graduates earn 15% more than the national median for this field and rank in the 85th percentile nationally. That's a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.58, meaning graduates can realistically pay off their loans in under two years of focused repayment.

The earnings plateau quickly, growing just 1% over four years to $45,199, which is typical for geography roles where early career positions often represent the field's standard pay band. Within Tennessee's limited geography program landscape (only three schools offer this degree), UT-Knoxville sits at the 60th percentile—middle of the pack locally but well ahead of most programs nationally. For a flagship state university with competitive admissions (1304 average SAT), these outcomes reflect solid professional preparation.

The value proposition here is straightforward: your child pays slightly more but enters a field earning above-median wages from day one. The moderate debt load is manageable given first-year salaries, and UT-Knoxville's strong national ranking in this program suggests the additional investment buys real credential value in the job market.