Communications Technology/Technician at Pellissippi State Community College
Knoxville, TN · Public · Associate Degree
TradeSchoolWorth Score (Base Case)
40
Strong Growth
37
Base Case
33
Conservative
Earnings
$25,754/yr (7% vs median)
AI-Proof
Moderate (63% shielded)
Job Market
Small (9,600 openings/yr)
Future-Proof Earnings
Three scenarios modeling future earnings based on technology adoption rates and job market trends for Communications Technology/Technician graduates.
| Strong Growth Full Stability |
Base Case Moderate Changes |
Conservative Max Disruption |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-Year Earnings | $383K | $273K | $204K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 41.9x | 29.8x | 22.2x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 10.8x | 7.7x | 5.7x |
| Viable Career Paths | 4 of 4 | 4 of 4 | 4 of 4 |
| TradeSchoolWorth Score | 40 | 37 | 33 |
10-Year Earnings Projection
*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as technology and market conditions evolve over time.
Program Tuition (In-State)
$9,152
Out-of-state: $35,552
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$35,781
39% growth from Year 1
Career Paths
Where Communications Technology/Technician graduates typically work. Raw data — no blending. The scenarios above model how these factors interact. This field has roughly 9,600 combined openings per year.
| Career Path | Wage | Openings/yr | Growth | AI-Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Media and communication workers, all other | $71,770 | 3,000 | +2.7% | 100% |
| Film and video editors | $70,980 | 3,600 | +4.0% | 47% |
| Sound engineering technicians | $66,430 | 1,200 | -1.7% | 57% |
| Broadcast technicians | $53,920 | 1,800 | -2.8% | 48% |
Compare & Explore
Communications Technology/Technician Overview
Communications Technology/Technician at Other Schools
Other Majors at Pellissippi State Community College
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the TradeSchoolWorth Score for Communications Technology/Technician at Pellissippi State Community College?
This program scores 37/100 in the Base Case scenario, factoring in earnings, AI resilience, job market size, and earnings multiple. The score ranges from 33 (conservative) to 40 (strong growth) depending on market conditions.
How AI-proof is a career in Communications Technology/Technician?
We model three scenarios: Strong Growth (full career stability), Base Case (moderate changes), and Conservative (maximum disruption). In the base case, Communications Technology/Technician graduates retain 4 of 4 viable career paths. 10-year earnings range from $203,585 (conservative) to $383,303 (strong growth).
How many job openings are there for Communications Technology/Technician graduates?
The career paths mapped to Communications Technology/Technician have roughly 9,600 combined job openings per year nationally, making this a small job market.
Is Communications Technology/Technician at Pellissippi State Community College worth it?
In the Base Case, this program earns 29.8x its tuition over 10 years. Even in the Conservative scenario, the multiple is 22.2x. The narrow spread between scenarios shows how stable trade careers are compared to desk jobs.
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 model earnings resilience using AI exposure data and BLS job growth projections.
"Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI.
Last updated 2026.