Lees-McRae College vs. UTC

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

 Lees-McRae College UTC
Location Banner Elk, NC Chattanooga, TN
Setting Distant Rural Midsize City
Enrollment 839 11,380
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #815
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lmc.edu utc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Lees-McRae College UTC
Tuition (In State) $28,790 $8,232
Tuition (Out of State) $28,790 $16,296
Room & Board $13,730 $10,052
Avg Net Price $26,009 $13,801
Avg Grant Aid $19,843 $9,834
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 93%

Admission

 Lees-McRae College UTC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,787 9,096
Admitted 1,443 7,006
Acceptance Rate 80.7% 77%
Enrolled % 13.8% 34%
Avg High School GPA - 3.61
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/26 20/25
SAT Range 1040/1240 1005/1185
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline May 1, 2026

Academics

 Lees-McRae College UTC
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (25%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

 Lees-McRae College UTC
Graduation Rate 24% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $34,300 $40,600
Making Student Loan Payments 55% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,000 $20,792
Median Loan Payment $206 $214

Diversity

 Lees-McRae College UTC
% Men 1% 5%
% Women 2% 8%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 67% 75%
% Black 7% 11%
% Hispanic 4% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 7%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 18% 1%

Students

 Lees-McRae College UTC
% In-State 52% 88%
% Out-of-State 44% 11%

Campus

 Lees-McRae College UTC
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is larger than than Lees-McRae College based on total student enrollment (11,380 students vs. 839 students)

Lees-McRae College vs. UTC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Lees-McRae College or UTC?

  • Lees McRae College is 249.7% more expensive to attend than UTC for in-state tuition ($28,790.00 vs. $8,232.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 76.7% higher at Lees-McRae College than The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga ($28,790.00 vs. $16,296.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga than Lees-McRae College ($13,801 vs. $26,009)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga are 36.6% lower than costs at Lees McRae College ($10,052 vs. $13,730)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lees McRae College than The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (100% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lees McRae College students is 101.8% larger than aid received The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga ($19,843 vs. $9,834)

Lees-McRae College vs. UTC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Lees-McRae College has a higher acceptance rate (80.7%) than UTC (77%)

Lees-McRae College vs. UTC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Lees-McRae College 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 Lees-McRae College.

  • The graduation rate at UTC is higher than Lees McRae College (39% vs. 24%)
  • Graduates from The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga earn on average $6,300 more per year than Lees-McRae College graduates after ten years. ($40,600 vs. $34,300)
  • Lees McRae College students graduate with a $792 lower median federal student loan debt than UTC graduates. ($20,000 vs. $20,792)
  • Lees-McRae College graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than UTC graduates. ($206 vs. $214)
  • More UTC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Lees-McRae College students, three years after graduation. (56% vs. 55%)

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