ETSU vs. Memphis

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

 ETSU Memphis
Location Johnson City, TN Memphis, TN
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 13,483 21,917
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #652 #883
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website etsu.edu memphis.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ETSU Memphis
Tuition (In State) $7,722 $8,352
Tuition (Out of State) $11,532 $12,576
Room & Board $9,613 $10,126
Avg Net Price $14,350 $13,873
Avg Grant Aid $8,739 $9,625
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 98%

Admission

 ETSU Memphis
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,609 15,767
Admitted 8,193 14,916
Acceptance Rate 85.3% 94.6%
Enrolled % 25.1% 16.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.33 3.48
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 17/24
SAT Range 980/1190 930/1230
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 Jul 1, 2025

Academics

 ETSU Memphis
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Business (21%)
  • General Studies (11%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (6%)

Outcomes

 ETSU Memphis
Graduation Rate 44% 38%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,000 $42,200
Making Student Loan Payments 50% 37%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $25,250
Median Loan Payment $211 $261

Diversity

 ETSU Memphis
% Men 37% 40%
% Women 63% 60%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU No No
% White 82% 50%
% Black 7% 37%
% Hispanic 2% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

 ETSU Memphis
% In-State 75% 81%
% Out-of-State 23% 17%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Memphis is larger than than ETSU based on total student enrollment (21,917 students vs. 13,483 students)

ETSU vs. Memphis Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ETSU or Memphis?

  • University of Memphis is 8.2% more expensive to attend than ETSU for in-state tuition ($8,352.00 vs. $7,722.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.1% higher at Memphis than East Tennessee State University ($12,576.00 vs. $11,532.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Memphis than ETSU ($13,873 vs. $14,350)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at East Tennessee State University are 5.3% lower than costs at University of Memphis ($9,613 vs. $10,126)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at East Tennessee State University than University of Memphis (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Memphis students is 10.1% larger than aid received East Tennessee State University ($9,625 vs. $8,739)

ETSU vs. Memphis Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at East Tennessee State University (1068) is 39 points higher than at Memphis (1029)
  • Incoming ETSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Memphis (22)
  • Accepted freshman Memphis students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.48) than students at ETSU (3.33)
  • Memphis has a higher acceptance rate (94.6%) than ETSU (85.3%)

ETSU vs. Memphis Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ETSU or Memphis? 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 Memphis and ETSU.

  • The graduation rate at ETSU is higher than University of Memphis (44% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from University of Memphis earn on average $2,200 more per year than ETSU graduates after ten years. ($42,200 vs. $40,000)
  • East Tennessee State University students graduate with a $4,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Memphis graduates. ($20,500 vs. $25,250)
  • ETSU graduates are paying $50 less per month on federal student loans than Memphis graduates. ($211 vs. $261)
  • More ETSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Memphis students, three years after graduation. (50% vs. 37%)

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