The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Public Relations and Advertising: earnings, debt & careers

Public Relations and Advertising graduates of The University of Tennessee-Knoxville earn a median $63,314 four years after graduating ($42,173 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $21,368. That is $1,050 above the U.S. median for Public Relations and Advertising graduates ($62,264 across 173 colleges), and ranks 2nd of 4 Tennessee colleges.

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Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$63,314

U.S. median for this major: $62,264.

College Scorecard field of study; 124 graduates with earnings reported

Earnings, 1 year after
$42,173

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$21,368

About 34% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $24,722.

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 Public Relations and Advertising: pay against the field, and payback

Same major, other colleges

The University of Tennessee-Knoxville graduates$63,314
Tennessee median (4 colleges)$60,776 (+$2,538)
U.S. median (173 colleges)$62,264 (+$1,050)

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.

Public Relations and Advertising 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$42,9241.5 years
$30–48k$12,162$52,0531.8 years
$48–75k$18,206$77,9222.7 years
$75–110k$23,627$101,1243.5 years
$110k+$25,688$109,9453.8 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 Public Relations and Advertising graduates 4 years after graduating ($63,314) minus $34,518 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in TN (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $28,796 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.

Public Relations and Advertising at Tennessee colleges

Every Tennessee college we cover that reports Public Relations and Advertising graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.

RankCollegeEarnings, 4 yrsMedian debtAvg. net priceGraduation
1Belmont University$67,040—$33,14771%
2The University of Tennessee-Knoxville$63,314$21,368$18,97674%
3University of Memphis$58,237$25,000$12,39751%
4Lee University$41,882$27,000$18,87863%

9 more Tennessee colleges offer Public Relations and Advertising but have too few graduates to report earnings.

Careers for Public Relations and Advertising graduates

Public relations specialist

Knoxville area$57,360
Tennessee$60,900
U.S.$74,750

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +1.8% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Training and Development Specialists

Knoxville area$61,960
Tennessee$62,280
U.S.$69,280

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +10.8% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Human Resources Managers

Knoxville area$132,200
Tennessee$131,760
U.S.$149,280

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +5.5% 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 Public Relations and Advertising questions

How much do The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Public Relations and Advertising graduates earn?

Public Relations and Advertising graduates of The University of Tennessee-Knoxville earn a median $63,314 four years after graduating and $42,173 one year after. The U.S. median for Public Relations and Advertising graduates across 173 colleges is $62,264.

How much debt do The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Public Relations and Advertising graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Public Relations and Advertising graduates of The University of Tennessee-Knoxville is $21,368, about 34% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,722.

Is The University of Tennessee-Knoxville a good school for Public Relations and Advertising in Tennessee?

On pay, Public Relations and Advertising graduates of The University of Tennessee-Knoxville earn $63,314 four years out, $2,538 above the median for the same major across 4 Tennessee colleges ($60,776) and $1,050 above the U.S. median ($62,264). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.

Where does The University of Tennessee-Knoxville rank for Public Relations and Advertising in Tennessee?

Of 4 Tennessee colleges reporting Public Relations and Advertising graduate earnings, The University of Tennessee-Knoxville ranks 2nd. The highest is Belmont University at $67,040.

What jobs do Public Relations and Advertising 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 training and development specialists and human resources managers.

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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 Public Relations and Advertising: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/the-university-of-tennessee-knoxville/majors/public-relations-and-advertising (College Scorecard and BLS data).