UTC vs. RU

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

UTC RU
Location Chattanooga, TN Radford, VA
Setting Midsize City Distant Town
Enrollment 11,283 7,718
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #788 #566
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website utc.edu radford.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UTC RU
Tuition (In State) $7,992 $8,156
Tuition (Out of State) $24,110 $20,246
Room & Board $9,500 $10,567
Avg Net Price $14,417 $17,105
Avg Grant Aid $9,309 $9,733
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 96%

Admission

UTC RU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,345 11,442
Admitted 6,897 10,680
Acceptance Rate 82.6% 93.3%
Enrolled % 32.6% 11.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.61 3.31
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/26 19/23
SAT Range 1023/1210 960/1160
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 May 1, 2025

Academics

UTC RU
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Business (18%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

UTC RU
Graduation Rate 39% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,600 $47,400
Making Student Loan Payments 56% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,792 $23,000
Median Loan Payment $214 $237

Diversity

UTC RU
% Men 42% 33%
% Women 58% 67%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 75% 71%
% Black 11% 13%
% Hispanic 3% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 5%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

UTC RU
% In-State 89% 89%
% Out-of-State 11% 11%

Campus

UTC RU
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 at Chattanooga is larger than than RU based on total student enrollment (11,283 students vs. 7,718 students)

UTC vs. RU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UTC or RU?

  • Radford University is 2.1% more expensive to attend than UTC for in-state tuition ($8,156.00 vs. $7,992.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 19.1% higher at UTC than Radford University ($24,110.00 vs. $20,246.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga than RU ($14,417 vs. $17,105)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga are 11.2% lower than costs at Radford University ($9,500 vs. $10,567)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Radford University than The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (96% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Radford University students is 4.6% larger than aid received The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga ($9,733 vs. $9,309)

UTC vs. RU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman UTC students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at RU (3.31)
  • RU has a higher acceptance rate (93.3%) than UTC (82.6%)

UTC vs. RU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UTC or RU? 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 RU and UTC.

  • The graduation rate at RU is higher than The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (56% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from Radford University earn on average $6,800 more per year than UTC graduates after ten years. ($47,400 vs. $40,600)
  • The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga students graduate with a $2,208 lower median federal student loan debt than RU graduates. ($20,792 vs. $23,000)
  • UTC graduates are paying $23 less per month on federal student loans than RU graduates. ($214 vs. $237)
  • More RU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UTC students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 56%)

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