LSU vs. Tennessee

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

LSU Tennessee
Location Baton Rouge, LA Knoxville, TN
Setting Rural Fringe Midsize City
Enrollment 37,348 33,805
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #367 #232
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lsu.edu tennessee.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

LSU Tennessee
Tuition (In State) $8,038 $11,332
Tuition (Out of State) $8,038 $29,522
Room & Board $13,956 $12,150
Avg Net Price $21,296 $21,880
Avg Grant Aid $12,374 $10,593
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 88%

Admission

LSU Tennessee
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 38,853 36,290
Admitted 29,419 24,826
Acceptance Rate 75.7% 68.4%
Enrolled % 25.2% 27.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.77 3.66
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/28 25/31
SAT Range 1140/1320 1170/1330
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Jul 15, 2025

Academics

LSU Tennessee
Student to Faculty Ratio 22:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)

Outcomes

LSU Tennessee
Graduation Rate 60% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,900 $56,300
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,900 $20,000
Median Loan Payment $216 $206

Diversity

LSU Tennessee
% Men 44% 45%
% Women 56% 55%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 73% 79%
% Black 12% 7%
% Hispanic 6% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 3%

Students

LSU Tennessee
% In-State 65% 54%
% Out-of-State 34% 45%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Louisiana State University is larger than than Tennessee based on total student enrollment (37,348 students vs. 33,805 students)

LSU vs. Tennessee Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, LSU or Tennessee?

  • The University of Tennessee is 41% more expensive to attend than LSU for in-state tuition ($11,332.00 vs. $8,038.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 267.3% higher at Tennessee than Louisiana State University ($29,522.00 vs. $8,038.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Louisiana State University than Tennessee ($21,296 vs. $21,880)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Tennessee are 14.9% lower than costs at Louisiana State University ($12,150 vs. $13,956)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Louisiana State University than The University of Tennessee (98% vs. 88%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Louisiana State University students is 16.8% larger than aid received The University of Tennessee ($12,374 vs. $10,593)

LSU vs. Tennessee Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The University of Tennessee (1214) is 51 points higher than at LSU (1163)
  • Incoming Tennessee students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at LSU (26)
  • Accepted freshman LSU students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.77) than students at Tennessee (3.66)
  • LSU has a higher acceptance rate (75.7%) than Tennessee (68.4%)

LSU vs. Tennessee Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, LSU 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 LSU.

  • The graduation rate at Tennessee is higher than Louisiana State University (63% vs. 60%)
  • Graduates from Louisiana State University earn on average $600 more per year than Tennessee graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $56,300)
  • The University of Tennessee students graduate with a $900 lower median federal student loan debt than LSU graduates. ($20,000 vs. $20,900)
  • Tennessee graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than LSU graduates. ($206 vs. $216)
  • More Tennessee graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former LSU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 67%)

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