Kean vs. UTC

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

 Kean UTC
Location Union, NJ Chattanooga, TN
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 13,352 11,380
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #696 #815
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website kean.edu utc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Kean UTC
Tuition (In State) $11,135 $8,232
Tuition (Out of State) $18,785 $16,296
Room & Board $16,592 $10,052
Avg Net Price $11,593 $13,801
Avg Grant Aid $12,982 $9,834
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 93%

Admission

 Kean UTC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,142 9,096
Admitted 9,335 7,006
Acceptance Rate 76.9% 77%
Enrolled % 21.1% 34%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 3.61
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/25
SAT Range 1020/1198 1005/1185
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Aug 15, 2026 May 1, 2026

Academics

 Kean UTC
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (19%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

 Kean UTC
Graduation Rate 49% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,400 $40,600
Making Student Loan Payments 52% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $20,792
Median Loan Payment $258 $214

Diversity

 Kean UTC
% Men 4% 5%
% Women 12% 8%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 36% 75%
% Black 20% 11%
% Hispanic 27% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 7%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 8% 1%

Students

 Kean UTC
% In-State 89% 88%
% Out-of-State 4% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Kean University is larger than than UTC based on total student enrollment (13,352 students vs. 11,380 students)

Kean vs. UTC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Kean or UTC?

  • Kean University is 35.3% more expensive to attend than UTC for in-state tuition ($11,135.00 vs. $8,232.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 15.3% higher at Kean than The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga ($18,785.00 vs. $16,296.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Kean University than UTC ($11,593 vs. $13,801)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga are 65.1% lower than costs at Kean University ($10,052 vs. $16,592)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga than Kean University (93% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Kean University students is 32% larger than aid received The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga ($12,982 vs. $9,834)

Kean vs. UTC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (1087) is 159 points higher than at Kean (928)
  • Incoming UTC students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Kean (19)
  • Accepted freshman UTC students have a 0.41 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at Kean (3.2)
  • UTC has a higher acceptance rate (77%) than Kean (76.9%)

Kean vs. UTC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Kean 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 Kean.

  • The graduation rate at Kean is higher than The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (49% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from Kean University earn on average $5,800 more per year than UTC graduates after ten years. ($46,400 vs. $40,600)
  • The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga students graduate with a $4,208 lower median federal student loan debt than Kean graduates. ($20,792 vs. $25,000)
  • UTC graduates are paying $44 less per month on federal student loans than Kean graduates. ($214 vs. $258)
  • More UTC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Kean students, three years after graduation. (56% vs. 52%)

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