Home › The University of Tennessee-Knoxville › Public Relations & Advertising

Public Relations & Advertising at The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

Knoxville, TN · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $42,173/yr (7% vs median)

AI Risk High (51% exposed)

Job Market Very Large (161,400 openings/yr)

ROI 11.1x earnings multiple (4.7x out-of-state)

Ranked #32 of 183 Public Relations & Advertising programs Top 25%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Public Relations & Advertising graduates.

	Optimistic No Disruption	Base Case Gradual AI	Pessimistic Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings	$613K	$600K	$543K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	11.4x	11.1x	10.1x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	4.8x	4.7x	4.2x
Probability of Field Employment	62%	55%	40%
DegreeOutlook Score	58	57	56

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$53,936

Out-of-state: $127,896 (4.7x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$72,436

-34% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$21,119

6.0 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$62,859

49% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $42,173 at The University of Tennessee-Knoxville come in 7% above the national median of $39,349 for Public Relations & Advertising programs.

The 11.1x 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 — 51% task exposure — and the 11% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The $21,119 debt-to-$42,173 income ratio translates to about 6 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.

Ranked #32 out of 183 programs, The University of Tennessee-Knoxville's Public Relations & Advertising program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

The five-year earnings trajectory from $42,173 to $62,859 shows 49% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.

About The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

A 46% admission rate makes The University of Tennessee-Knoxville accessible to a wide range of qualified students, serving a student body of 28,763 in Knoxville, TN.

See all programs and financial aid at The University of Tennessee-Knoxville →

Top Career Paths

Human resources managers $140,030/yr

Public relations managers $138,520/yr

Training and development managers $127,090/yr

View all 17 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Public Relations & Advertising at Other Schools

Other Majors at The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

Consider the Trade Route?

Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does The University of Tennessee-Knoxville's Public Relations & Advertising program score?

This program scores 57/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for Public Relations & Advertising graduates.

How vulnerable is Public Relations & Advertising to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Public Relations & Advertising careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 51% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.

Why does The University of Tennessee-Knoxville rank so high for Public Relations & Advertising?

The #32 ranking out of 183 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →