Soil Sciencesat The University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Graduates earn $55,322/yr in their first year — about 10.0% above the national Soil Sciences average. Base-case 10-year earnings $553K; scenarios range from $507K to $559K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at University of Tennessee
As the state's flagship land-grant university, Tennessee's entire agricultural and environmental economy is your laboratory. The program's strength isn't just academic; it's tied to deep regional partnerships with organizations like the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, which provide a direct pipeline to internships and high-tech research careers. You're not just studying theory; you're solving real-world problems in land remediation, water quality, and sustainable farming for major regional players. While automation may affect lab analysis, the hands-on fieldwork and complex environmental problem-solving you'll be trained for remain in high demand. For a competitive edge, seek out a faculty-led research project in a specialized area like environmental microbiology or soil chemistry—this will differentiate you and open doors to top-tier graduate programs or specialized consulting roles right after graduation.
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 Soil 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 Soil Sciences at University of Tennessee
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Soil Sciences at The University of Tennessee-Knoxville?
A score of 49/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Soil Sciences. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.
Will AI replace Soil Sciences careers?
With 47% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $506,513 in decade earnings vs $559,202 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.