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Business · Finance Rank #138 of 431

Financeat The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

Graduates earn $53,826/yr in their first year — about 3.0% below the national Finance average. Base-case 10-year earnings $716K; scenarios range from $630K to $747K depending on AI disruption.

Knoxville, TN Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
77 STRONG
78
Optimistic
74
Pessimistic
Earnings
$53,826
1-year post-graduation
ROI
13.6x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$716K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
59% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of Tennessee

First-year earnings of $53,826 track close to the $55,340 national median for Finance programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.

Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 13.3x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Finance programs nationally.

Some AI exposure exists in Finance's typical career paths, with 55% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 16% gap from the optimistic case.

At $20,500 in median debt against $53,826 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.

At #138 of 431 Finance programs, The University of Tennessee-Knoxville scores above the median — competitive but not a standout.

Earnings grow from $53,826 to $78,862 over five years — a 47% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career 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
$630K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score74/100
Earnings Multiple11.7x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$716K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score77/100
Earnings Multiple13.3x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$747K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score78/100
Earnings Multiple13.8x
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 Finance 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
Chief executives
+4.3% 10-yr growth · 22,200 openings/yr
$206,420/yr
High
2
Financial managers
+14.8% 10-yr growth · 74,600 openings/yr
$161,700/yr
High
3
Financial risk specialists
+6.5% 10-yr growth · 4,800 openings/yr
$106,000/yr
High
4
General and operations managers
+4.4% 10-yr growth · 308,700 openings/yr
$102,950/yr
Moderate
5
Personal financial advisors
+9.6% 10-yr growth · 24,100 openings/yr
$102,140/yr
High
6
Financial and investment analysts
+5.7% 10-yr growth · 25,100 openings/yr
$101,350/yr
Moderate
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Finance

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

Highest earnings
University of Pennsylvania
PA · Private nonprofit
82
DW Score
$123K
1-yr earn
8.2x
ROI
Georgetown University
DC · Private nonprofit
80
DW Score
$106K
1-yr earn
4.9x
ROI
Washington University in St Louis
MO · Private nonprofit
81
DW Score
$103K
1-yr earn
6.6x
ROI
University of Notre Dame
IN · Private nonprofit
79
DW Score
$99K
1-yr earn
4.5x
ROI
Wake Forest University
NC · Private nonprofit
78
DW Score
$86K
1-yr earn
4.4x
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 Finance offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Finance trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Finance at University of Tennessee

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Finance at The University of Tennessee-Knoxville?

This program scores 77/100 — placing it among the stronger programs for Finance nationally. The score reflects above-average earnings, manageable AI risk, and solid financial return.

Will AI replace Finance careers?

With 55% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $630,386 in decade earnings vs $746,801 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.