Finance and Financial Management Services at The University of Tennessee-Martin

UT-Martin's finance program lands right at Tennessee's median—both in starting salary ($45,325) and debt ($20,500)—which tells you something important: it's delivering exactly what most in-state finance programs deliver, but at a significant discount to what you'd see nationally. The 60th percentile state ranking means this program is slightly above average for Tennessee, though it notably trails UT-Knoxville's grads who earn about $8,500 more out of the gate.

The challenge is that Tennessee's finance market appears weaker than the national picture. These graduates start nearly $8,300 below the national median for finance majors, placing them in just the 14th percentile nationally. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.45 is manageable—less than half a year's salary—but the relatively modest earnings trajectory matters. Growing from $45,000 to $49,000 over four years suggests limited early advancement compared to finance grads in stronger markets.

For families focused on keeping costs down while staying in Tennessee, this delivers solid value—the debt load is reasonable and the starting salary covers it comfortably. But if your student has ambitions for corporate finance roles in major markets or could gain admission to a more competitive program, the 86th percentile national gap in earnings is worth considering. This is a sensible choice for Tennessee-bound grads who want stable employment without excessive debt, not those chasing Wall Street-level compensation.