Nutrition Sciencesat The University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Graduates earn $18,122/yr in their first year — about 41.0% below the national Nutrition Sciences average. Base-case 10-year earnings $645K; scenarios range from $580K to $659K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at University of Tennessee
The earnings trajectory for Nutrition Sciences at UTK often reflects the regional labor market and typical entry-level roles for this degree. Many graduates find fulfilling work in clinical settings at local hospitals, community health centers, or public health departments across East Tennessee. These vital roles, while impactful for patient education and wellness, frequently start with more structured salary bands compared to highly specialized or corporate nutrition positions found in more expensive, larger metropolitan areas. The program likely prepares you well for these foundational roles, but advancing often requires further professional certification, like becoming a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN). Consider pursuing this credential aggressively and exploring niches in sports nutrition, food science, or health administration to significantly broaden your professional scope and earning potential.
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.
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.
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.
Peer schools offering Nutrition Sciences
How University of Tennessee stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at University of Tennessee
Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Tennessee, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Nutrition Sciences at University of Tennessee
How does The University of Tennessee-Knoxville's Nutrition Sciences program score?
This program scores 27/100 — on the lower end for Nutrition Sciences. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.
Do The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Nutrition Sciences graduates earn enough to justify the loans?
The debt-to-income ratio of 1.4x suggests an extended repayment window. Whether it's 'worth it' depends on career trajectory, not just first-year pay.
How vulnerable is Nutrition Sciences to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Nutrition Sciences careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 44% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Why are Nutrition Sciences earnings lower at The University of Tennessee-Knoxville?
Lower starting pay at The University of Tennessee-Knoxville may reflect local labor market conditions rather than program quality. Many graduates see convergence with national averages within 3-5 years.