U.S. median for this major: $54,283.
College Scorecard field of study; 175 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 36% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $25,000.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $33,678. College Scorecard.
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Communications: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
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.
Communications 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 income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $10,029 | $42,924 | 1.9 years |
| $30–48k | $12,162 | $52,053 | 2.3 years |
| $48–75k | $18,206 | $77,922 | 3.4 years |
| $75–110k | $23,627 | $101,124 | 4.4 years |
| $110k+ | $25,688 | $109,945 | 4.8 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 Communications graduates 4 years after graduating ($57,394) minus $34,518 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in TN (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $22,876 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.
Communications at Tennessee colleges
Every Tennessee college we cover that reports Communications graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | King University | $58,770 | — | $22,347 | 48% |
| 2 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | $57,394 | $20,875 | $18,976 | 74% |
| 3 | Lipscomb University | $52,267 | $21,253 | $24,739 | 72% |
| 4 | Belmont University | $48,737 | $22,125 | $33,147 | 71% |
| 5 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | $48,212 | $21,831 | $14,265 | 50% |
| 6 | Carson-Newman University | $46,614 | $20,235 | $20,251 | 53% |
| 7 | Middle Tennessee State University | $45,155 | $24,329 | $13,359 | 54% |
| 8 | The University of Tennessee-Martin | $44,231 | $24,481 | $10,701 | 53% |
| 9 | Milligan University | $44,175 | — | $21,365 | 63% |
| 10 | Lee University | $44,095 | — | $18,878 | 63% |
| 11 | Austin Peay State University | $43,511 | $25,000 | $9,735 | 40% |
| 12 | Tennessee State University | $43,121 | $30,625 | $15,796 | 34% |
| 13 | University of Memphis | $42,605 | $23,381 | $12,397 | 51% |
| 14 | East Tennessee State University | $41,570 | $23,250 | $15,983 | 53% |
| 15 | Trevecca Nazarene University | $36,070 | $21,625 | $16,813 | 53% |
| 16 | Bryan College-Dayton | $32,530 | — | $20,614 | 50% |
11 more Tennessee colleges offer Communications but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Communications graduates
Public relations specialist
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +1.8% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Fundraisers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +5.5% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Editors
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -1.1% 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
- Acceptance rate: 42% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 74% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $60,249
- Full cost breakdown · all 82 majors · overview
Related majors at The University of Tennessee-Knoxville
- Public Relations and Advertising$63,314
- Journalism$52,663
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Communications questions
How much do The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Communications graduates earn?
Communications graduates of The University of Tennessee-Knoxville earn a median $57,394 four years after graduating and $41,258 one year after. The U.S. median for Communications graduates across 639 colleges is $54,283.
How much debt do The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Communications graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Communications graduates of The University of Tennessee-Knoxville is $20,875, about 36% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is The University of Tennessee-Knoxville a good school for Communications in Tennessee?
On pay, Communications graduates of The University of Tennessee-Knoxville earn $57,394 four years out, $13,191 above the median for the same major across 16 Tennessee colleges ($44,203) and $3,111 above the U.S. median ($54,283). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does The University of Tennessee-Knoxville rank for Communications in Tennessee?
Of 16 Tennessee colleges reporting Communications graduate earnings, The University of Tennessee-Knoxville ranks 2nd. The highest is King University at $58,770.
What jobs do Communications graduates get?
A common career is public relations specialist, with a median wage of $57,360 in the Knoxville, TN area and $74,750 nationally. Others include fundraisers and editors.
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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
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Communications: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/the-university-of-tennessee-knoxville/majors/communications (College Scorecard and BLS data).