UCF vs. Tennessee

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

 UCF Tennessee
Location Orlando, FL Knoxville, TN
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 69,233 36,304
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #387 #222
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucf.edu tennessee.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UCF Tennessee
Tuition (In State) $4,478 $11,332
Tuition (Out of State) $19,810 $29,522
Room & Board $12,070 $12,500
Avg Net Price $13,110 $20,885
Avg Grant Aid $9,585 $11,491
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 85%

Admission

 UCF Tennessee
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 60,627 50,488
Admitted 23,961 23,221
Acceptance Rate 39.5% 46%
Enrolled % 34.2% 28.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.64 3.66
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 25/29 25/31
SAT Range 1190/1350 1190/1340
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline May 1, 2026

Academics

 UCF Tennessee
Student to Faculty Ratio 29:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Engineering (5%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)

Outcomes

 UCF Tennessee
Graduation Rate 63% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,900 $56,300
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,270 $20,000
Median Loan Payment $188 $206

Diversity

 UCF Tennessee
% Men 6% 9%
% Women 8% 11%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 53% 79%
% Black 11% 7%
% Hispanic 24% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

 UCF Tennessee
% In-State 92% 58%
% Out-of-State 8% 41%

Campus

 UCF 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

  • University of Central Florida is larger than than Tennessee based on total student enrollment (69,233 students vs. 36,304 students)

UCF vs. Tennessee Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCF or Tennessee?

  • The University of Tennessee is 153.1% more expensive to attend than UCF for in-state tuition ($11,332.00 vs. $4,478.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 49% higher at Tennessee than University of Central Florida ($29,522.00 vs. $19,810.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Central Florida than Tennessee ($13,110 vs. $20,885)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Central Florida are 3.6% lower than costs at The University of Tennessee ($12,070 vs. $12,500)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at University of Central Florida as The University of Tennessee (85% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The University of Tennessee students is 19.9% larger than aid received University of Central Florida ($11,491 vs. $9,585)

UCF vs. Tennessee Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The University of Tennessee (1214) is 35 points higher than at UCF (1179)
  • Incoming Tennessee students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at UCF (26)
  • Accepted freshman Tennessee students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at UCF (3.64)
  • Tennessee has a higher acceptance rate (46%) than UCF (39.5%)

UCF vs. Tennessee Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCF 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 UCF.

  • The graduation rate at UCF is the same as at The University of Tennessee (63% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from The University of Tennessee earn on average $7,400 more per year than UCF graduates after ten years. ($56,300 vs. $48,900)
  • University of Central Florida students graduate with a $1,730 lower median federal student loan debt than Tennessee graduates. ($18,270 vs. $20,000)
  • UCF graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than Tennessee graduates. ($188 vs. $206)
  • More Tennessee graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCF students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 59%)

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