Iowa vs. Tennessee

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

Iowa Tennessee
Location Iowa City, IA Knoxville, TN
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 30,015 33,805
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #224 #232
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uiowa.edu tennessee.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Iowa Tennessee
Tuition (In State) $8,711 $11,332
Tuition (Out of State) $30,674 $29,522
Room & Board $11,476 $12,150
Avg Net Price $19,587 $21,880
Avg Grant Aid $9,959 $10,593
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 88%

Admission

Iowa Tennessee
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,729 36,290
Admitted 22,128 24,826
Acceptance Rate 86% 68.4%
Enrolled % 23.4% 27.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.66
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/28 25/31
SAT Range 1130/1340 1170/1330
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline May 1, 2025

Academics

Iowa Tennessee
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)

Outcomes

Iowa Tennessee
Graduation Rate 71% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,800 $56,300
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,616 $20,000
Median Loan Payment $223 $206

Diversity

Iowa Tennessee
% Men 44% 45%
% Women 56% 55%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 67% 79%
% Black 3% 7%
% Hispanic 7% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 12% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

Iowa Tennessee
% In-State 54% 54%
% Out-of-State 45% 45%

Campus

Iowa 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 Iowa based on total student enrollment (33,805 students vs. 30,015 students)

Iowa vs. Tennessee Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Iowa or Tennessee?

  • The University of Tennessee is 30.1% more expensive to attend than Iowa for in-state tuition ($11,332.00 vs. $8,711.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.9% higher at Iowa than The University of Tennessee ($30,674.00 vs. $29,522.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Iowa than Tennessee ($19,587 vs. $21,880)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Iowa are 5.9% lower than costs at The University of Tennessee ($11,476 vs. $12,150)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at The University of Tennessee than University of Iowa (88% vs. 82%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The University of Tennessee students is 6.4% larger than aid received University of Iowa ($10,593 vs. $9,959)

Iowa vs. Tennessee Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The University of Tennessee (1214) is 50 points higher than at Iowa (1164)
  • Incoming Tennessee students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Iowa (26)
  • Accepted freshman Iowa students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at Tennessee (3.66)
  • Iowa has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than Tennessee (68.4%)

Iowa vs. Tennessee Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Iowa 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 Iowa.

  • The graduation rate at Iowa is higher than The University of Tennessee (71% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from University of Iowa earn on average $3,500 more per year than Tennessee graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $56,300)
  • The University of Tennessee students graduate with a $1,616 lower median federal student loan debt than Iowa graduates. ($20,000 vs. $21,616)
  • Tennessee graduates are paying $17 less per month on federal student loans than Iowa graduates. ($206 vs. $223)
  • More Iowa graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Tennessee students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 69%)

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