ONU vs. Tennessee

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

ONU Tennessee
Location Ada, OH Knoxville, TN
Setting Distant Town Midsize City
Enrollment 3,015 33,805
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #211 #232
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website onu.edu tennessee.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ONU Tennessee
Tuition (In State) $35,480 $11,332
Tuition (Out of State) $35,480 $29,522
Room & Board $12,900 $12,150
Avg Net Price $27,398 $21,880
Avg Grant Aid $24,235 $10,593
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 88%

Admission

ONU Tennessee
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,625 36,290
Admitted 3,602 24,826
Acceptance Rate 54.4% 68.4%
Enrolled % 18.5% 27.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.78 3.66
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 25/30 25/31
SAT Range 1160/1340 1170/1330
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Aug 15, 2025

Academics

ONU Tennessee
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)

Outcomes

ONU Tennessee
Graduation Rate 65% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $71,200 $56,300
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $20,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $206

Diversity

ONU Tennessee
% Men 52% 45%
% Women 48% 55%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 84% 79%
% Black 3% 7%
% Hispanic 1% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 4% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 3%

Students

ONU Tennessee
% In-State 83% 54%
% Out-of-State 16% 45%

Campus

ONU 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

  • The University of Tennessee is larger than than ONU based on total student enrollment (33,805 students vs. 3,015 students)

ONU vs. Tennessee Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ONU or Tennessee?

  • Ohio Northern University is 213.1% more expensive to attend than Tennessee for in-state tuition ($35,480.00 vs. $11,332.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 20.2% higher at ONU than The University of Tennessee ($35,480.00 vs. $29,522.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of Tennessee than ONU ($21,880 vs. $27,398)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Tennessee are 6.2% lower than costs at Ohio Northern University ($12,150 vs. $12,900)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ohio Northern University than The University of Tennessee (97% vs. 88%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ohio Northern University students is 128.8% larger than aid received The University of Tennessee ($24,235 vs. $10,593)

ONU vs. Tennessee Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The University of Tennessee (1214) is 56 points higher than at ONU (1158)
  • Incoming Tennessee students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at ONU (26)
  • Accepted freshman ONU students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.78) than students at Tennessee (3.66)
  • Tennessee has a higher acceptance rate (68.4%) than ONU (54.4%)

ONU vs. Tennessee Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ONU 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 ONU.

  • The graduation rate at ONU is higher than The University of Tennessee (65% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Ohio Northern University earn on average $14,900 more per year than Tennessee graduates after ten years. ($71,200 vs. $56,300)
  • The University of Tennessee students graduate with a $7,000 lower median federal student loan debt than ONU graduates. ($20,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Tennessee graduates are paying $73 less per month on federal student loans than ONU graduates. ($206 vs. $279)
  • More ONU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Tennessee students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 69%)

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