Item 10(a)(2).

                                 CERTIFICATIONS

I, James S. Riepe, certify that:

1.       I have reviewed this report on Form N-CSR of T. Rowe Price High Yield
         Fund;

2.       Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue
         statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary
         to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which
         such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period
         covered by this report;

3.       Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
         information included in this report, fairly present in all material
         respects the financial condition, results of operations, changes in net
         assets, and cash flows (if the financial statements are required to
         include a statement of cash flows) of the registrant as of, and for,
         the periods presented in this report;

4.       The registrant's other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for
         establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as
         defined in rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) and
         internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d)
         under the Investment Company Act of 1940) for the registrant and have:

          (a)  Designed such disclosure controls and procedures,  or caused such
               disclosure  controls  and  procedures  to be  designed  under our
               supervision,  to ensure that material information relating to the
               registrant,  including  its  consolidated  subsidiaries,  is made
               known to us by others within those entities,  particularly during
               the period in which this report is being prepared;

          (b)  Designed  such  internal  control over  financial  reporting,  or
               caused such  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  to be
               designed under our supervision,  to provide reasonable  assurance
               regarding  the   reliability  of  financial   reporting  and  the
               preparation  of financial  statements  for  external  purposes in
               accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

          (c)  Evaluated  the  effectiveness  of  the  registrant's   disclosure
               controls  and   procedures  and  presented  in  this  report  our
               conclusions  about the  effectiveness of the disclosure  controls
               and  procedures,  as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing
               date of this report based on such evaluation; and

          (d)  Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's  internal
               control  over  financial   reporting  that  occurred  during  the
               registrant's  most  recent  fiscal  half-year  (the  registrant's
               second fiscal half-year in the case of an annual report) that has
               materially  affected,  or  is  reasonably  likely  to  materially
               affect,   the   registrant's   internal  control  over  financial
               reporting; and

5.       The registrant's other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed to
         the registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's
         board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

          (a)  All  significant  deficiencies  and  material  weaknesses  in the
               design or operation of internal control over financial  reporting
               which are reasonably  likely to adversely affect the registrant's
               ability  to record,  process,  summarize,  and  report  financial
               information; and

          (b)  Any fraud,  whether or not material,  that involves management or
               other employees who have a significant  role in the  registrant's
               internal control over financial reporting.


Date:  January 16, 2004                              /s/ James S. Riepe
                                                     James S. Riepe
                                                     Principal Executive Officer



                                 CERTIFICATIONS

I, Joseph A. Carrier, certify that:

1.       I have reviewed this report on Form N-CSR of T. Rowe Price High Yield
         Fund;

2.       Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue
         statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary
         to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which
         such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period
         covered by this report;

3.       Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
         information included in this report, fairly present in all material
         respects the financial condition, results of operations, changes in net
         assets, and cash flows (if the financial statements are required to
         include a statement of cash flows) of the registrant as of, and for,
         the periods presented in this report;

4.       The registrant's other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for
         establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as
         defined in rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) and
         internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d)
         under the Investment Company Act of 1940) for the registrant and have:

          (a)  Designed such disclosure controls and procedures,  or caused such
               disclosure  controls  and  procedures  to be  designed  under our
               supervision,  to ensure that material information relating to the
               registrant,  including  its  consolidated  subsidiaries,  is made
               known to us by others within those entities,  particularly during
               the period in which this report is being prepared;

          (b)  Designed  such  internal  control over  financial  reporting,  or
               caused such  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  to be
               designed under our supervision,  to provide reasonable  assurance
               regarding  the   reliability  of  financial   reporting  and  the
               preparation  of financial  statements  for  external  purposes in
               accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

          (c)  Evaluated  the  effectiveness  of  the  registrant's   disclosure
               controls  and   procedures  and  presented  in  this  report  our
               conclusions  about the  effectiveness of the disclosure  controls
               and  procedures,  as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing
               date of this report based on such evaluation; and

          (d)  Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's  internal
               control  over  financial   reporting  that  occurred  during  the
               registrant's  most  recent  fiscal  half-year  (the  registrant's
               second fiscal half-year in the case of an annual report) that has
               materially  affected,  or  is  reasonably  likely  to  materially
               affect,   the   registrant's   internal  control  over  financial
               reporting; and

5.       The registrant's other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed to
         the registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's
         board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

          (a)  All  significant  deficiencies  and  material  weaknesses  in the
               design or operation of internal control over financial  reporting
               which are reasonably  likely to adversely affect the registrant's
               ability  to record,  process,  summarize,  and  report  financial
               information; and

          (b)  Any fraud,  whether or not material,  that involves management or
               other employees who have a significant  role in the  registrant's
               internal control over financial reporting.


Date:  January 16, 2004                              /s/ Joseph A. Carrier
                                                     Joseph A. Carrier
                                                     Principal Financial Officer