Auburn vs. Vanderbilt

Should I go to Auburn University or Vanderbilt University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Auburn or Vanderbilt is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Auburn University vs. Vanderbilt University comparison
Auburn University Vanderbilt University College 3 College 4
Auburn University Vanderbilt University
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Overview

Auburn Vanderbilt
Location Auburn University, AL Nashville, TN
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 31,764 13,710
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #307 #14
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website auburn.edu vanderbilt.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Auburn Vanderbilt
Tuition (In State) $10,392 $58,130
Tuition (Out of State) $31,176 $58,130
Room & Board $14,998 $19,862
Avg Net Price $25,271 $25,606
Avg Grant Aid $9,791 $53,932
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 65%

Admission

Auburn Vanderbilt
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 45,693 46,377
Admitted 19,988 3,093
Acceptance Rate 43.7% 6.7%
Enrolled % 26.5% 52.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.89
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Elite
Applicant Competition Low Extreme
ACT Range 24/30 34/35
SAT Range 1220/1380 1490/1570
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2025 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

Auburn Vanderbilt
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • General Studies (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

Auburn Vanderbilt
Graduation Rate 66% 92%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,100 $83,100
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $14,000
Median Loan Payment $222 $144

Diversity

Auburn Vanderbilt
% Men 49% 44%
% Women 51% 56%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU No No
% White 84% 55%
% Black 7% 8%
% Hispanic 3% 8%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 5%
% International 1% 7%
% Unknown Race 1% 5%

Students

Auburn Vanderbilt
% In-State 57% 9%
% Out-of-State 41% 79%

Campus

Auburn Vanderbilt
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Auburn University is larger than than Vanderbilt based on total student enrollment (31,764 students vs. 13,710 students)

Auburn vs. Vanderbilt Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Auburn or Vanderbilt?

  • Vanderbilt University is 459.4% more expensive to attend than Auburn for in-state tuition ($58,130.00 vs. $10,392.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 86.5% higher at Vanderbilt than Auburn University ($58,130.00 vs. $31,176.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Auburn University than Vanderbilt ($25,271 vs. $25,606)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Auburn University are 32.4% lower than costs at Vanderbilt University ($14,998 vs. $19,862)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Auburn University than Vanderbilt University (74% vs. 65%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Vanderbilt University students is 450.8% larger than aid received Auburn University ($53,932 vs. $9,791)

Auburn vs. Vanderbilt Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Auburn or Vanderbilt? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Vanderbilt or Auburn .

  • The average SAT score at Vanderbilt University (1498) is 280 points higher than at Auburn (1218)
  • Incoming Vanderbilt students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Auburn (27)
  • Accepted freshman Auburn students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Vanderbilt (3.89)
  • Auburn has a higher acceptance rate (43.7%) than Vanderbilt (6.7%)

Auburn vs. Vanderbilt Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Auburn or Vanderbilt? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Vanderbilt and Auburn.

  • The graduation rate at Vanderbilt is higher than Auburn University (92% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from Vanderbilt University earn on average $29,000 more per year than Auburn graduates after ten years. ($83,100 vs. $54,100)
  • Vanderbilt University students graduate with a $7,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Auburn graduates. ($14,000 vs. $21,500)
  • Vanderbilt graduates are paying $78 less per month on federal student loans than Auburn graduates. ($144 vs. $222)
  • More Vanderbilt graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Auburn students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 73%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/