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UC Riverside Auburn Alabama Kentucky UCSB UC Davis Cal Poly Clemson San Jose State UC Merced San Diego State UCI| University of California Santa Cruz | The University of Tennessee | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
UCSC | Tennessee | ||
| Location | Santa Cruz, CA | Knoxville, TN | ||
| Setting | Small City | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 19,764 | 36,304 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #251 | #222 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | ucsc.edu | tennessee.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UCSC | Tennessee | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,834 | $11,332 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $42,611 | $29,522 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,785 | $12,500 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $16,526 | $20,885 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $21,564 | $11,491 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 65% | 85% |
Admission |
UCSC | Tennessee | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 68,845 | 50,488 | ||
| Admitted | 43,054 | 23,221 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 62.5% | 46% | ||
| Enrolled % | 10.2% | 28.8% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.63 | 3.66 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 25/33 | 25/31 | ||
| SAT Range | 1160/1360 | 1190/1340 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Required to be considered for admission | ||
| Application Deadline | Nov 30, 2025 |
Academics |
UCSC | Tennessee | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 22:1 | 18:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UCSC | Tennessee | ||
| Graduation Rate | 73% | 63% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $50,400 | $56,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 74% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,959 | $20,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $206 | $206 |
Diversity |
UCSC | Tennessee | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 5% | 9% | ||
| % Women | 5% | 11% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 33% | 79% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 7% | ||
| % Hispanic | 31% | 3% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 3% | ||
| % International | 4% | 1% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 3% |
Students |
UCSC | Tennessee | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 91% | 58% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 7% | 41% | ||
Campus |
UCSC | 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 UCSC based on total student enrollment (36,304 students vs. 19,764 students)
UCSC vs. Tennessee Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UCSC or Tennessee?
- University of California Santa Cruz is 4.4% more expensive to attend than Tennessee for in-state tuition ($11,834.00 vs. $11,332.00)
- Out of state tuition is 44.3% higher at UCSC than The University of Tennessee ($42,611.00 vs. $29,522.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Santa Cruz than Tennessee ($16,526 vs. $20,885)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Tennessee are 50.3% lower than costs at University of California Santa Cruz ($12,500 vs. $18,785)
- More students receive financial grant aid at The University of Tennessee than University of California Santa Cruz (85% vs. 65%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Santa Cruz students is 87.7% larger than aid received The University of Tennessee ($21,564 vs. $11,491)
UCSC vs. Tennessee Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UCSC or Tennessee? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Tennessee or UCSC .
- The average SAT score at The University of Tennessee (1214) is 13 points higher than at UCSC (1201)
- Incoming UCSC students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Tennessee (27)
- Accepted freshman Tennessee students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at UCSC (3.63)
- UCSC has a higher acceptance rate (62.5%) than Tennessee (46%)
UCSC vs. Tennessee Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UCSC 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 UCSC.
- The graduation rate at UCSC is higher than The University of Tennessee (73% vs. 63%)
- Graduates from The University of Tennessee earn on average $5,900 more per year than UCSC graduates after ten years. ($56,300 vs. $50,400)
- University of California Santa Cruz students graduate with a $41 lower median federal student loan debt than Tennessee graduates. ($19,959 vs. $20,000)
- The University of Tennessee and UCSC graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($206 vs. $206)
- More UCSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Tennessee students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 69%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/