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Physical Sciences · Chemistry Rank #125 of 205

Chemistryat The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

Graduates earn $41,589/yr in their first year — about 1.0% above the national Chemistry average. Base-case 10-year earnings $567K; scenarios range from $518K to $571K depending on AI disruption.

Knoxville, TN Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
54 AVERAGE
55
Optimistic
53
Pessimistic
Earnings
$41,589
1-year post-graduation
ROI
9.9x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$567K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
49% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of Tennessee

The University of Tennessee-Knoxville's Chemistry program produces graduates earning $41,589/yr — within striking distance of the $41,256 national average for this field.

The 10.5x 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 — 47% task exposure — and the 9% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $16,962 in median debt clears quickly against $41,589 in annual earnings.

At #125 out of 205 programs, The University of Tennessee-Knoxville's financial outcomes for Chemistry trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.

The five-year earnings trajectory from $41,589 to $58,622 shows 41% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable 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
$518K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score53/100
Earnings Multiple9.6x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$567K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score54/100
Earnings Multiple10.5x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$571K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score55/100
Earnings Multiple10.6x
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 Chemistry 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
Natural sciences managers
+3.7% 10-yr growth · 8,500 openings/yr
$161,180/yr
High
2
Computer and information research scientists
+19.7% 10-yr growth · 3,200 openings/yr
$140,910/yr
High
3
Data scientists
+33.5% 10-yr growth · 23,400 openings/yr
$112,590/yr
High
4
Computer occupations, all other
+8.2% 10-yr growth · 31,300 openings/yr
$108,970/yr
High
5
Physics teachers, postsecondary
+2.5% 10-yr growth · 1,300 openings/yr
$97,360/yr
Moderate
6
Environmental science teachers, postsecondary
+2.9% 10-yr growth · 700 openings/yr
$87,710/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 Chemistry

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

Highest earnings
Northeastern University
MA · Private nonprofit
61
DW Score
$63K
1-yr earn
2.8x
ROI
University of California-Berkeley
CA · Public
64
DW Score
$60K
1-yr earn
10.0x
ROI
Montclair State University
NJ · Public
56
DW Score
$55K
1-yr earn
8.4x
ROI
Bridgewater State University
MA · Public
72
DW Score
$55K
1-yr earn
17.2x
ROI
University of Delaware
DE · Public
66
DW Score
$54K
1-yr earn
11.0x
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 Chemistry offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Chemistry trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Chemistry at University of Tennessee

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

A score of 54/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but The University of Tennessee-Knoxville trails the majority of Chemistry programs on relative rankings. Context matters more than the raw number.

How vulnerable is Chemistry to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Chemistry careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 47% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.