CofC vs. Tennessee

Should I go to College of Charleston or The University of Tennessee? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CofC or Tennessee 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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College of Charleston vs. The University of Tennessee comparison
College of Charleston The University of Tennessee College 3 College 4
College of Charleston The University of Tennessee
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Overview

CofC Tennessee
Location Charleston, SC Knoxville, TN
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 10,885 33,805
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #428 #232
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cofc.edu tennessee.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CofC Tennessee
Tuition (In State) $12,518 $11,332
Tuition (Out of State) $35,338 $29,522
Room & Board $12,986 $12,150
Avg Net Price $21,120 $21,880
Avg Grant Aid $9,499 $10,593
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 88%

Admission

CofC Tennessee
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,020 36,290
Admitted 16,666 24,826
Acceptance Rate 75.7% 68.4%
Enrolled % 13.3% 27.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.94 3.66
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 24/30 25/31
SAT Range 1130/1300 1170/1330
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2025

Academics

CofC Tennessee
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)

Outcomes

CofC Tennessee
Graduation Rate 63% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,200 $56,300
Making Student Loan Payments 60% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $20,000
Median Loan Payment $222 $206

Diversity

CofC Tennessee
% Men 32% 45%
% Women 68% 55%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 80% 79%
% Black 7% 7%
% Hispanic 5% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

CofC Tennessee
% In-State 44% 54%
% Out-of-State 54% 45%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • The University of Tennessee is larger than than CofC based on total student enrollment (33,805 students vs. 10,885 students)

CofC vs. Tennessee Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CofC or Tennessee?

  • College of Charleston is 10.5% more expensive to attend than Tennessee for in-state tuition ($12,518.00 vs. $11,332.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 19.7% higher at CofC than The University of Tennessee ($35,338.00 vs. $29,522.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at College of Charleston than Tennessee ($21,120 vs. $21,880)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Tennessee are 6.9% lower than costs at College of Charleston ($12,150 vs. $12,986)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at College of Charleston than The University of Tennessee (100% vs. 88%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The University of Tennessee students is 11.5% larger than aid received College of Charleston ($10,593 vs. $9,499)

CofC vs. Tennessee Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The University of Tennessee (1214) is 73 points higher than at CofC (1141)
  • Incoming Tennessee students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at CofC (26)
  • Accepted freshman CofC students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at Tennessee (3.66)
  • CofC has a higher acceptance rate (75.7%) than Tennessee (68.4%)

CofC vs. Tennessee Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CofC or Tennessee? 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 Tennessee and CofC.

  • The graduation rate at CofC is the same as at The University of Tennessee (63% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from The University of Tennessee earn on average $10,100 more per year than CofC graduates after ten years. ($56,300 vs. $46,200)
  • The University of Tennessee students graduate with a $1,500 lower median federal student loan debt than CofC graduates. ($20,000 vs. $21,500)
  • Tennessee graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than CofC graduates. ($206 vs. $222)
  • More Tennessee graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CofC students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 60%)

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