Software Engineering Degree in Knoxville, TN — Salary & ROI 2026
Software Engineering degree analysis for Knoxville, TN. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$75K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$109K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
1.7 yrs
in Knoxville
Cost of Living
85
index (100 = avg)
Software Engineering in Knoxville, TN Overview
While Knoxville has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, Software Engineering students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $10,300/year, and the car-friendly layout shapes the student experience. Software Engineering has seen growing enrollment nationally, reflecting rising employer demand for Software Design and Testing skills. The adjusted starting salary in Knoxville is approximately $74,800.
Category
STEM
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%
Software Engineering Salary in Knoxville (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Knoxville's cost of living index of 85 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Software Engineering salary: $88,000 starting, $128,000 mid-career, $160,000 senior level.Knoxville adjustment factor: 0.85x based on the local cost of living index.
Software Engineering ROI Calculator for Knoxville
Estimate your return on investment for a Software Engineering 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
$45,050
vs HS diploma in Knoxville
ROI Payback Period
1.7 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Knoxville
$926,632
Lifetime earnings premium ($1,003,000) minus total education cost ($76,368)
Student Loan Payoff for Software Engineering in Knoxville
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Knoxville for Software Engineering
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 Software Engineering in Knoxville
Knoxville offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Software Engineering graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Knoxville Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Software Engineering Job Titles
Software Engineering in Nearby Tennessee Cities
Nashville, TN
$81K starting · COL 92
35 colleges
Memphis, TN
$82K starting · COL 93
22 colleges
Chattanooga, TN
$70K starting · COL 80
5 colleges
Clarksville, TN
$79K starting · COL 90
9 colleges
Murfreesboro, TN
$80K starting · COL 91
10 colleges
Franklin, TN
$104K starting · COL 118.5
4 colleges
Jackson, TN
$73K starting · COL 82.5
3 colleges
Johnson City, TN
$92K starting · COL 105
6 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Knoxville
Prompt Engineering
$43K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$81K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$72K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Data Science
$70K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$43K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$68K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$43K starting · 3 yr ROI
Applied Mathematics
$43K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Software Engineering 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 Software Engineering ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Knoxville.