Program Analysis
Graduates earn $37,730/yr, roughly in line with the $36,554 national median for Social Work. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.
At 9.1x the cost of in-state tuition, the ten-year earnings outlook represents a strong return. Not exceptional, but meaningfully positive.
AI risk is moderate — 24% task exposure — and the 4% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
The $22,750 debt-to-$37,730 income ratio translates to about 7 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.
At #196 out of 338 programs, The University of Tennessee-Knoxville's financial outcomes for Social Work trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.
The five-year earnings trajectory from $37,730 to $47,083 shows 25% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.