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Business · Accounting Rank #138 of 714

Accountingat The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

Graduates earn $53,197/yr in their first year — about 1.0% below the national Accounting average. Base-case 10-year earnings $794K; scenarios range from $675K to $845K depending on AI disruption.

Knoxville, TN Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
78 STRONG
80
Optimistic
75
Pessimistic
Earnings
$53,197
1-year post-graduation
ROI
14.8x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$794K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
63% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of Tennessee

Graduates earn $53,197/yr, roughly in line with the $53,724 national median for Accounting. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.

The 14.7x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 62% task exposure — and the 20% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

With first-year pay of $53,197 far exceeding the $20,500 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.

Ranked #138 out of 714 programs, The University of Tennessee-Knoxville's Accounting program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

Earnings growth from $53,197 to $85,054 over five years (60% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$675K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score75/100
Earnings Multiple12.5x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$794K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score78/100
Earnings Multiple14.7x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$845K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score80/100
Earnings Multiple15.7x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to University of Tennessee's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Accounting graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Financial managers
+14.8% 10-yr growth · 74,600 openings/yr
$161,700/yr
High
2
Financial risk specialists
+6.5% 10-yr growth · 4,800 openings/yr
$106,000/yr
High
3
Financial and investment analysts
+5.7% 10-yr growth · 25,100 openings/yr
$101,350/yr
Moderate
4
Business teachers, postsecondary
+5.7% 10-yr growth · 8,100 openings/yr
$97,270/yr
Moderate
5
Financial examiners
+18.5% 10-yr growth · 5,700 openings/yr
$90,400/yr
High
6
Budget analysts
+1.0% 10-yr growth · 3,100 openings/yr
$87,930/yr
High
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Accounting

How University of Tennessee stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Georgetown University
DC · Private nonprofit
79
DW Score
$90K
1-yr earn
5.3x
ROI
Washington and Lee University
VA · Private nonprofit
74
DW Score
$82K
1-yr earn
3.1x
ROI
Santa Clara University
CA · Private nonprofit
77
DW Score
$78K
1-yr earn
4.2x
ROI
Villanova University
PA · Private nonprofit
75
DW Score
$78K
1-yr earn
3.4x
ROI
Lehigh University
PA · Private nonprofit
76
DW Score
$77K
1-yr earn
3.8x
ROI
Also at University of Tennessee

Other top programs at University of Tennessee

Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Tennessee, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Accounting offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Accounting trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Accounting at University of Tennessee

How does The University of Tennessee-Knoxville's Accounting program score?

A score of 78/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. The University of Tennessee-Knoxville's Accounting graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.

How vulnerable is Accounting to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Accounting careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 62% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.

Why does The University of Tennessee-Knoxville rank so high for Accounting?

The #138 ranking out of 714 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.