Bachelor's · Knoxville, Tennessee

Is Communication and Media Studies at The University of Tennessee-Knoxville worth it?

High confidence High confidence: 100+ graduates behind the earnings figures.

The verdict · all families, in-state, half paid with loans

Pays back in time: graduates typically recover the cost in about 5.4 years.

Earnings 1 year after graduating: $47,154; Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Earnings 4 years after graduating: $61,648; Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Typical federal debt at graduation: $16,500; NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
Net cost to graduate, all families: $78k (likely $78k – $100k); AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
Earnings bump, year 4: $24k a year vs high-school graduates aged 25–34 in TN; 2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
Payback: 5.4 years (likely 4.6–6.7); Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
10-year net return: −$26k (likely −$98k – $21k); Today's dollars
20-year net return: $273k (likely $146k – $407k); Today's dollars
Odds of finishing (school-wide): 74%; Fall 2019 or AcadYr 2019-20 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
Borrowers making progress / in default, 2 years in: not reported / ≤ 10%; NSLDS AY2016-17, AY2017-18 pooled cohorts measured in 2018-19, 2019-20

Change income, residency or loans Compare Communication and Media Studies at other schools

🎬 Getting ready in high school

Students heading toward media & storytelling majors like this one often take these classes. Every school offers a different mix, so check with your counselor.

AP classes

AP English Language and Composition
AP English Literature and Composition
AP Seminar

IB Higher Level

Language A: Literature HL or Language and Literature HL
Film HL

Build my roadmap 🗺️ Middle school to career, plus high schools near you that offer these classes.

Other majors at The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

Industrial Engineering (Master's)$150,903
Computer Science (Master's)$135,764
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's)$132,036
Veterinary Medicine (First professional)$123,713
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Master's)$123,330
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's)$120,482
Chemistry (Doctoral)$114,312
Engineering, Other (Doctoral)$113,720
Mechanical Engineering (Master's)$112,342
Accounting and Related Services (Master's)$112,249
Psychology, General (Doctoral)$108,390
Industrial Engineering (Bachelor's)$107,093

Communication and Media Studies at other schools in Tennessee

King University$58,770
Lipscomb University$52,267
Belmont University$48,737
The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga$48,212
Carson-Newman University$46,614
Middle Tennessee State University$45,155
The University of Tennessee-Martin$44,231
Milligan University$44,175
Lee University$44,095
Austin Peay State University$43,511