Tennessee vs. Penn State

Should I go to The University of Tennessee or Penn State Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Tennessee or Penn State 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Virginia Tech UD Auburn Rutgers Alabama UConn Pitt UMass Kentucky UB NC State Michigan State
The University of Tennessee vs. Penn State Main Campus comparison
The University of Tennessee Penn State Main Campus College 3 College 4
The University of Tennessee Penn State Main Campus
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Tennessee Penn State
Location Knoxville, TN University Park, PA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 33,805 50,028
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #232 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website tennessee.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Tennessee Penn State
Tuition (In State) $11,332 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $29,522 $35,946
Room & Board $12,150 $12,744
Avg Net Price $21,880 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $10,593 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 88% 44%

Admission

 Tennessee Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 36,290 85,784
Admitted 24,826 47,360
Acceptance Rate 68.4% 55.2%
Enrolled % 27.6% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.66 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 25/31 26/31
SAT Range 1170/1330 1210/1390
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

 Tennessee Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 Tennessee Penn State
Graduation Rate 63% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,300 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $206 $277

Diversity

 Tennessee Penn State
% Men 45% 53%
% Women 55% 47%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 79% 69%
% Black 7% 4%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 1% 11%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

 Tennessee Penn State
% In-State 54% 51%
% Out-of-State 45% 40%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than Tennessee based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 33,805 students)

Tennessee vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Tennessee or Penn State?

  • Penn State Main Campus is 62.1% more expensive to attend than Tennessee for in-state tuition ($18,368.00 vs. $11,332.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 21.8% higher at Penn State than The University of Tennessee ($35,946.00 vs. $29,522.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of Tennessee than Penn State ($21,880 vs. $26,747)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Tennessee are 4.9% lower than costs at Penn State Main Campus ($12,150 vs. $12,744)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at The University of Tennessee than Penn State Main Campus (88% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The University of Tennessee students is 5.2% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($10,593 vs. $10,066)

Tennessee vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The University of Tennessee (1214) is 12 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
  • Incoming Tennessee students have at the same average ACT score (27) as students at Penn State (27)
  • Tennessee has a higher acceptance rate (68.4%) than Penn State (55.2%)

Tennessee vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Tennessee or Penn State? 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 Penn State and Tennessee.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than The University of Tennessee (87% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from The University of Tennessee earn on average $1,000 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($56,300 vs. $55,300)
  • The University of Tennessee students graduate with a $6,818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($20,000 vs. $26,818)
  • Tennessee graduates are paying $71 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($206 vs. $277)
  • More Tennessee graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 69%)

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