ETSU vs. Tennessee

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

 ETSU Tennessee
Location Johnson City, TN Knoxville, TN
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 13,586 36,304
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #702 #222
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website etsu.edu tennessee.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ETSU Tennessee
Tuition (In State) $7,950 $11,332
Tuition (Out of State) $11,790 $29,522
Room & Board $10,270 $12,500
Avg Net Price $16,033 $20,885
Avg Grant Aid $9,228 $11,491
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 85%

Admission

 ETSU Tennessee
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,903 50,488
Admitted 8,622 23,221
Acceptance Rate 87.1% 46%
Enrolled % 24.8% 28.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.33 3.66
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/26 25/31
SAT Range 950/1170 1190/1340
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline

Academics

 ETSU Tennessee
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)

Outcomes

 ETSU Tennessee
Graduation Rate 44% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,000 $56,300
Making Student Loan Payments 50% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $20,000
Median Loan Payment $211 $206

Diversity

 ETSU Tennessee
% Men 7% 9%
% Women 14% 11%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 82% 79%
% Black 7% 7%
% Hispanic 2% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

 ETSU Tennessee
% In-State 78% 58%
% Out-of-State 20% 41%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • The University of Tennessee is larger than than ETSU based on total student enrollment (36,304 students vs. 13,586 students)

ETSU vs. Tennessee Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ETSU or Tennessee?

  • The University of Tennessee is 42.5% more expensive to attend than ETSU for in-state tuition ($11,332.00 vs. $7,950.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 150.4% higher at Tennessee than East Tennessee State University ($29,522.00 vs. $11,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at East Tennessee State University than Tennessee ($16,033 vs. $20,885)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at East Tennessee State University are 21.7% lower than costs at The University of Tennessee ($10,270 vs. $12,500)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at East Tennessee State University as The University of Tennessee (85% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The University of Tennessee students is 24.5% larger than aid received East Tennessee State University ($11,491 vs. $9,228)

ETSU vs. Tennessee Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The University of Tennessee (1214) is 146 points higher than at ETSU (1068)
  • Incoming Tennessee students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at ETSU (23)
  • Accepted freshman Tennessee students have a 0.33 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at ETSU (3.33)
  • ETSU has a higher acceptance rate (87.1%) than Tennessee (46%)

ETSU vs. Tennessee Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ETSU 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 ETSU.

  • The graduation rate at Tennessee is higher than East Tennessee State University (63% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from The University of Tennessee earn on average $16,300 more per year than ETSU graduates after ten years. ($56,300 vs. $40,000)
  • The University of Tennessee students graduate with a $500 lower median federal student loan debt than ETSU graduates. ($20,000 vs. $20,500)
  • Tennessee graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than ETSU graduates. ($206 vs. $211)
  • More Tennessee graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ETSU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 50%)

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