CU vs. UTC

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

CU UTC
Location Lebanon, TN Chattanooga, TN
Setting Distant Town Midsize City
Enrollment 2,588 11,283
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #788
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cumberland.edu utc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CU UTC
Tuition (In State) $25,200 $7,992
Tuition (Out of State) $25,200 $24,110
Room & Board $8,990 $9,500
Avg Net Price $18,528 $14,417
Avg Grant Aid $22,145 $9,309
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 94%

Admission

CU UTC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,137 8,345
Admitted 1,415 6,897
Acceptance Rate 66.2% 82.6%
Enrolled % 44.5% 32.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.61
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/26
SAT Range 1023/1210
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline May 1, 2025

Academics

CU UTC
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (46%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Biology (4%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (4%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

CU UTC
Graduation Rate 34% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,900 $40,600
Making Student Loan Payments 60% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,729 $20,792
Median Loan Payment $224 $214

Diversity

CU UTC
% Men 42% 42%
% Women 58% 58%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 63% 75%
% Black 12% 11%
% Hispanic 3% 3%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 7%
% International 4% 1%
% Unknown Race 16% 1%

Students

CU UTC
% In-State 88% 89%
% Out-of-State 8% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is larger than than CU based on total student enrollment (11,283 students vs. 2,588 students)

CU vs. UTC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CU or UTC?

  • Cumberland University is 215.3% more expensive to attend than UTC for in-state tuition ($25,200.00 vs. $7,992.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.5% higher at CU than The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga ($25,200.00 vs. $24,110.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga than CU ($14,417 vs. $18,528)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cumberland University are 5.7% lower than costs at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga ($8,990 vs. $9,500)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cumberland University than The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (100% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cumberland University students is 137.9% larger than aid received The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga ($22,145 vs. $9,309)

CU vs. UTC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (1087) is 98 points higher than at CU (989)
  • Incoming UTC students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at CU (21)
  • Accepted freshman UTC students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at CU (3.3)
  • UTC has a higher acceptance rate (82.6%) than CU (66.2%)

CU vs. UTC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CU or UTC? 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 UTC and CU.

  • The graduation rate at UTC is higher than Cumberland University (39% vs. 34%)
  • Graduates from The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga earn on average $700 more per year than CU graduates after ten years. ($40,600 vs. $39,900)
  • The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga students graduate with a $937 lower median federal student loan debt than CU graduates. ($20,792 vs. $21,729)
  • UTC graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than CU graduates. ($214 vs. $224)
  • More CU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UTC students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 56%)

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