Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication at The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

UT-Knoxville's communications program outperforms most competitors while keeping debt manageable—starting earnings of $42,173 land in the 73rd percentile nationally and beat the state median by $2,400. Among Tennessee's 11 programs, this ranks in the 60th percentile, trailing only the University of Memphis while commanding significantly higher salaries than smaller private competitors. The debt picture looks even better: at $21,368, graduates carry roughly $3,600 less than typical peers and about half their first-year earnings, creating breathing room for recent graduates navigating entry-level media and marketing positions.

The 23% earnings growth to nearly $52,000 by year four suggests decent advancement potential, though communications careers often require strategic job-hopping to accelerate salary gains. With over 100 graduates in the dataset, these numbers represent reliable outcomes rather than statistical noise. The program attracts a predominantly middle-class student body (only 21% Pell recipients), which may reflect both UT's flagship status and the field's traditional career paths.

For Tennessee families, this represents solid value: your student gets flagship credentials and networking advantages while avoiding the debt burden that often saddles communications graduates. The combination of above-average starting salaries and below-average debt creates a financial foundation that won't constrain early-career choices or geographic mobility.