The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Business Economics: earnings, debt & careers

Business Economics graduates of The University of Tennessee-Knoxville earn a median $80,415 four years after graduating ($44,025 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $23,847. That is $250 above the U.S. median for Business Economics graduates ($80,165 across 83 colleges), and ranks 1st of 4 Tennessee colleges.

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Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$80,415

U.S. median for this major: $80,165.

College Scorecard field of study; 27 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution

Earnings, 1 year after
$44,025

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$23,847

About 30% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $22,419.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$18,976 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $33,678. College Scorecard.

The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Business Economics: pay against the field, and payback

Same major, other colleges

The University of Tennessee-Knoxville graduates$80,415
Tennessee median (4 colleges)$71,088 (+$9,327)
U.S. median (83 colleges)$80,165 (+$250)

Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.

Business Economics nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →

Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income

Uses The University of Tennessee-Knoxville's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.

Family incomeNet price / yrCost to finishYears to pay back
$0–30k$10,029$42,924under 1 year
$30–48k$12,162$52,0531.1 years
$48–75k$18,206$77,9221.7 years
$75–110k$23,627$101,1242.2 years
$110k+$25,688$109,9452.4 years

Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (56% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Business Economics graduates 4 years after graduating ($80,415) minus $34,518 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in TN (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $45,897 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method

College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.

Business Economics at Tennessee colleges

Every Tennessee college we cover that reports Business Economics graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.

RankCollegeEarnings, 4 yrsMedian debtAvg. net priceGraduation
1The University of Tennessee-Knoxville$80,415$23,847$18,97674%
2Belmont University$76,276—$33,14771%
3Tennessee Technological University$65,900—$14,24658%
4University of Memphis$57,162$26,000$12,39751%

6 more Tennessee colleges offer Business Economics but have too few graduates to report earnings.

Careers for Business Economics graduates

Management Analysts

Knoxville area$97,470
Tennessee$99,260
U.S.$101,860

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +10.1% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Financial Risk Specialists

Knoxville area$83,240
Tennessee$90,950
U.S.$117,330

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +7.4% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.

What families pay at The University of Tennessee-Knoxville, by income

School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard

About The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

Related majors at The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Business Economics questions

How much do The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Business Economics graduates earn?

Business Economics graduates of The University of Tennessee-Knoxville earn a median $80,415 four years after graduating and $44,025 one year after. The U.S. median for Business Economics graduates across 83 colleges is $80,165.

How much debt do The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Business Economics graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Business Economics graduates of The University of Tennessee-Knoxville is $23,847, about 30% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $22,419.

Is The University of Tennessee-Knoxville a good school for Business Economics in Tennessee?

On pay, Business Economics graduates of The University of Tennessee-Knoxville earn $80,415 four years out, $9,327 above the median for the same major across 4 Tennessee colleges ($71,088) and $250 above the U.S. median ($80,165). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.

Where does The University of Tennessee-Knoxville rank for Business Economics in Tennessee?

Of 4 Tennessee colleges reporting Business Economics graduate earnings, The University of Tennessee-Knoxville ranks 1st, the highest.

What jobs do Business Economics graduates get?

A common career is management analysts, with a median wage of $97,470 in the Knoxville, TN area and $101,860 nationally. Others include financial risk specialists.

Is The University of Tennessee-Knoxville the right fit for your family?

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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
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Cite this: “The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Business Economics: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/the-university-of-tennessee-knoxville/majors/business-economics (College Scorecard and BLS data).