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Architecture · Interior Architecture Rank #8 of 15

Interior Architectureat The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

Graduates earn $45,448/yr in their first year — about 3.0% above the national Interior Architecture average. Base-case 10-year earnings $511K; scenarios range from $484K to $514K depending on AI disruption.

Knoxville, TN Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
43 AVERAGE
44
Optimistic
43
Pessimistic
Earnings
$45,448
1-year post-graduation
ROI
7.4x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$511K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
53% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of Tennessee

As a graduate of UT-Knoxville’s rigorous Interior Architecture program, you're not just an interior decorator; you're a designer grounded in structural and technical knowledge. This reputation attracts recruiters from major commercial and hospitality firms in booming regional hubs like Nashville, Atlanta, and Charlotte. You'll enter the job market with a portfolio that emphasizes not just aesthetics, but building systems, materials science, and code compliance, giving you an edge for roles in large-scale corporate, healthcare, and public projects. The program's strength lies in preparing you for the architectural side of the field, which often leads to more stable, higher-paying positions within established firms. To maximize your prospects, aggressively pursue internships in a major Southeastern city during your summers; your UTK credentials will open doors, but a professional network is what builds a career.

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
$484K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score43/100
Earnings Multiple9.0x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$511K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score43/100
Earnings Multiple9.5x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$514K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score44/100
Earnings Multiple9.5x
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 Interior Architecture 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
Architectural and engineering managers
+3.8% 10-yr growth · 14,500 openings/yr
$167,740/yr
Moderate
2
Architecture teachers, postsecondary
+2.0% 10-yr growth · 900 openings/yr
$101,480/yr
Moderate
3
Interior designers
+3.2% 10-yr growth · 7,800 openings/yr
$63,490/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 Interior Architecture

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

Highest earnings
University of North Texas
TX · Public
55
DW Score
$51K
1-yr earn
12.4x
ROI
Top score
California State University-Sacramento
CA · Public
62
DW Score
$50K
1-yr earn
21.3x
ROI
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
NE · Public
53
DW Score
$46K
1-yr earn
13.1x
ROI
Colorado State University-Fort Collins
CO · Public
43
DW Score
$46K
1-yr earn
7.9x
ROI
Texas Tech University
TX · Public
50
DW Score
$45K
1-yr earn
11.1x
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.

FAQ

Frequently asked about Interior Architecture at University of Tennessee

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

This program scores 43/100 — on the lower end for Interior Architecture. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.

How vulnerable is Interior Architecture to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Interior Architecture 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.