Social Sciences at The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

Drawing on outcomes from similar social sciences programs nationally, graduates here can expect around $36,000 in first-year earnings against roughly $22,000 in debt—a 0.61 ratio that's manageable by most standards. That debt load sits about $3,400 below the national median for social sciences bachelor's programs, which offers some cushion for graduates entering fields that don't always command high starting salaries.

The earnings estimate aligns with the national median but runs significantly ahead of what UT-Chattanooga's social sciences graduates actually reported ($28,194). That $8,000 gap matters when you're making loan payments, though we should note these figures come from peer programs rather than UT-Knoxville's specific outcomes. Tennessee's higher education market shows considerable variation in social sciences earnings, and without program-specific data, it's difficult to know precisely where this program lands.

The relatively selective admissions (46% acceptance rate, 1304 average SAT) and lower Pell enrollment (21%) suggest UT-Knoxville attracts students who may have additional resources or networks to leverage post-graduation. For a social sciences degree—where career paths often depend heavily on internships, graduate school, or geographic mobility—that institutional positioning could matter as much as the credential itself. The estimated debt burden is reasonable enough that it shouldn't foreclose options, but families should verify actual graduate outcomes directly with the program before committing.