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Design and Applied Arts at The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

Knoxville, TN · Public · Bachelor's Degree
42 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
42
Optimistic
42
Base Case
48
Pessimistic
Earnings $36,061/yr (6% vs median)
AI Risk High (38% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (101,000 openings/yr)
ROI 10.5x earnings multiple (4.4x out-of-state)
Ranked #86 of 290 Design and Applied Arts programs Top 50%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Design and Applied Arts graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $573K $567K $528K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 10.6x 10.5x 9.8x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 4.5x 4.4x 4.1x
Probability of Field Employment 63% 57% 46%
DegreeOutlook Score 42 42 48

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 (4.4x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$72,436
-34% less than sticker · See by income
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$55,974
55% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $36,061/yr, edging above the $33,862 national average for Design and Applied Arts — a modest premium that suggests solid regional demand.

The 10.5x 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 — 38% task exposure — and the 8% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

Ranked #86 out of 290 programs, The University of Tennessee-Knoxville's Design and Applied Arts offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.

Earnings growth from $36,061 to $55,974 over five years (55% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

With a 46% acceptance rate, The University of Tennessee-Knoxville is moderately selective, with 28,763 students enrolled in Knoxville, TN.

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

Top Career Paths

Art directors $111,040/yr
Architecture teachers, postsecondary $101,480/yr
Special effects artists and animators $99,800/yr
View all 14 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 290 schools offering Design and Applied Arts →

Design and Applied Arts at Other Schools

Carnegie Mellon University ($66,274) University of Southern California ($64,846) University of Washington-Seattle Campus ($63,449) University of California-Los Angeles ($57,615) Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus ($52,694) University of Cincinnati-Main Campus ($52,526) Utah State University ($52,431) Interior Designers Institute ($51,188)

Other Majors at The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

Chemical Engineering ($76,302) Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($75,316) Computer Engineering ($74,085) Industrial Engineering ($73,822) Nuclear Engineering ($73,724) Computer Science ($70,193) Mechanical Engineering ($65,756) Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($65,298)

Consider the Trade Route?

Compare Design and Applied Arts trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

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 Design and Applied Arts program score?
This program scores 42/100 — on the lower end for Design and Applied Arts. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.
How vulnerable is Design and Applied Arts to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Design and Applied Arts careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 38% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →