Creative Writing Degree in Knoxville, TN — Salary & ROI 2026
Creative Writing degree analysis for Knoxville, TN. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$43K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$47K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6 yrs
in Knoxville
Cost of Living
85
index (100 = avg)
Creative Writing in Knoxville, TN Overview
While Knoxville has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, Creative Writing students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $10,300/year, and the car-friendly layout shapes the student experience. Creative Writing enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Fiction Writing and Poetry. The adjusted starting salary in Knoxville is approximately $42,500.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
5
Public Tuition
$8,792/yr
Private Tuition
$47,660/yr
Room & Board
$10,300/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$10,344/yr
Unemployment
6.6%
Graduation Rate
47%
Creative Writing Salary in Knoxville (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Knoxville's cost of living index of 85 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Creative Writing salary: $50,000 starting, $55,000 mid-career, $68,000 senior level.Knoxville adjustment factor: 0.85x based on the local cost of living index.
Creative Writing ROI Calculator for Knoxville
Estimate your return on investment for a Creative Writing degree using local Knoxville tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $8,792 | Private avg: $47,660
Knoxville avg aid: $10,344/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$76,368
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$12,750
vs HS diploma in Knoxville
ROI Payback Period
6 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Knoxville
$51,132
Lifetime earnings premium ($127,500) minus total education cost ($76,368)
Student Loan Payoff for Creative Writing in Knoxville
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Knoxville for Creative Writing
University of Tennessee
public
$13,264/yr
$53,056 total
Pellissippi State Community College
public
$4,320/yr
$17,280 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Pellissippi State Community College
$4,320/yr
Top Employers for Creative Writing in Knoxville
Knoxville offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Creative Writing graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Knoxville Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Creative Writing Job Titles
Creative Writing in Nearby Tennessee Cities
Nashville, TN
$46K starting · COL 92
35 colleges
Memphis, TN
$47K starting · COL 93
22 colleges
Chattanooga, TN
$40K starting · COL 80
5 colleges
Clarksville, TN
$45K starting · COL 90
9 colleges
Murfreesboro, TN
$46K starting · COL 91
10 colleges
Franklin, TN
$59K starting · COL 118.5
4 colleges
Jackson, TN
$41K starting · COL 82.5
3 colleges
Johnson City, TN
$53K starting · COL 105
6 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Knoxville
Chinese Studies
$47K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$43K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$37K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$43K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$36K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$37K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$43K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$36K starting · 5 yr ROI
Creative Writing Degree in Knoxville — FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Cost of living from BLS Regional Data. College data from NCES/IPEDS. Updated March 2026.
Explore More
Compare Creative Writing ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Knoxville.