Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences at The University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Knoxville, TN · Public · Bachelor's Degree
DegreeWorth Score (Base Case)
41
Optimistic
37
Base Case
32
Pessimistic
Earnings
$30,101/yr (-25% vs median)
AI Risk
High (47% exposed)
Job Market
Medium (15,600 openings/yr)
How AI Changes the Outlook
Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences graduates.
| Optimistic No Disruption |
Base Case Gradual AI |
Pessimistic Aggressive AI |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-Year Earnings | $529K | $339K | $225K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 9.8x | 6.3x | 4.2x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 4.1x | 2.7x | 1.8x |
| Viable Career Paths | 7 of 7 | 7 of 7 | 7 of 7 |
| DegreeWorth Score | 41 | 37 | 32 |
10-Year Earnings Projection
*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.
4-Year Tuition (In-State)
$53,936
Out-of-state: $127,896
Median Debt at Graduation
$25,000
10.0 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$47,395
57% growth from Year 1
Career Paths
Where Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences graduates typically work. Raw data — no blending. The scenarios above model how these factors interact. This field has roughly 15,600 combined openings per year.
| Career Path | Wage | Openings/yr | Growth | AI Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural sciences managers | $161,180 | 8,500 | +3.7% | 50% |
| Atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary | $101,390 | 1,000 | +2.6% | 48% |
| Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers | $99,240 | 2,000 | +3.2% | 47% |
| Hydrologists | $92,060 | 500 | -0.1% | 50% |
| Chemistry teachers, postsecondary | $86,220 | 1,900 | +2.2% | 43% |
| Hydrologic technicians | $58,570 | 400 | -2.1% | 50% |
| Geological technicians, except hydrologic technicians | $48,390 | 1,300 | +1.5% | 39% |
Compare & Explore
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the DegreeWorth Score for Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences at The University of Tennessee-Knoxville?
This program scores 37/100 in the Base Case scenario, factoring in earnings, AI disruption risk, job market size, and earnings multiple. The score ranges from 41 (optimistic) to 32 (pessimistic) depending on AI's impact.
How does AI affect Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences career prospects?
We model three scenarios: Optimistic (no disruption), Base Case (gradual AI adoption), and Pessimistic (aggressive AI displacement). In the base case, Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences graduates retain 7 of 7 viable career paths. 10-year earnings range from $225,205 (pessimistic) to $528,695 (optimistic).
How many job openings are there for Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences graduates?
The career paths mapped to Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences have roughly 15,600 combined job openings per year nationally, making this a medium job market.
Is Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences at The University of Tennessee-Knoxville worth it?
In the Base Case, this degree earns 6.3x its in-state tuition over 10 years. Even in the Pessimistic scenario, the multiple is 4.2x. The spread between scenarios tells you how sensitive this degree is to AI disruption.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034
(employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE.
Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections.
"Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI.
Last updated 2025.