History Degree in Knoxville, TN — Salary & ROI 2026
History degree analysis for Knoxville, TN. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$37K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$53K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
10 yrs
in Knoxville
Cost of Living
85
index (100 = avg)
History in Knoxville, TN Overview
While Knoxville has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, History students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $10,300/year, and the car-friendly layout shapes the student experience. Although national enrollment in History has been declining, graduates with skills in Research and Writing remain competitive in the job market. The adjusted starting salary in Knoxville is approximately $37,400.
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%
History Salary in Knoxville (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Knoxville's cost of living index of 85 (national average = 100).
Note: National average History salary: $44,000 starting, $62,000 mid-career, $78,000 senior level.Knoxville adjustment factor: 0.85x based on the local cost of living index.
History ROI Calculator for Knoxville
Estimate your return on investment for a History 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
$7,650
vs HS diploma in Knoxville
ROI Payback Period
10 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Knoxville
$93,632
Lifetime earnings premium ($170,000) minus total education cost ($76,368)
Student Loan Payoff for History in Knoxville
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Knoxville for History
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 History in Knoxville
Knoxville offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for History graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Knoxville Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common History Job Titles
History in Nearby Tennessee Cities
Nashville, TN
$40K starting · COL 92
35 colleges
Memphis, TN
$41K starting · COL 93
22 colleges
Chattanooga, TN
$35K starting · COL 80
5 colleges
Clarksville, TN
$40K starting · COL 90
9 colleges
Murfreesboro, TN
$40K starting · COL 91
10 colleges
Franklin, TN
$52K starting · COL 118.5
4 colleges
Jackson, TN
$36K starting · COL 82.5
3 colleges
Johnson City, TN
$46K 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
Classics
$43K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$36K starting · 5 yr ROI
Art History
$43K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
History 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 History ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Knoxville.