Kentucky vs. Tennessee

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

Kentucky Tennessee
Location Lexington, KY Knoxville, TN
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 31,547 33,805
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #408 #232
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uky.edu tennessee.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Kentucky Tennessee
Tuition (In State) $11,496 $11,332
Tuition (Out of State) $30,913 $29,522
Room & Board $14,676 $12,150
Avg Net Price $18,693 $21,880
Avg Grant Aid $14,114 $10,593
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 88%

Admission

Kentucky Tennessee
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,109 36,290
Admitted 20,979 24,826
Acceptance Rate 94.9% 68.4%
Enrolled % 28.9% 27.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.59 3.66
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/28 25/31
SAT Range 1070/1290 1170/1330
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Feb 15, 2025

Academics

Kentucky Tennessee
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)

Outcomes

Kentucky Tennessee
Graduation Rate 59% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $56,300
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,750 $20,000
Median Loan Payment $235 $206

Diversity

Kentucky Tennessee
% Men 40% 45%
% Women 60% 55%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 79%
% Black 8% 7%
% Hispanic 4% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 3%

Students

Kentucky Tennessee
% In-State 61% 54%
% Out-of-State 37% 45%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • The University of Tennessee is larger than than Kentucky based on total student enrollment (33,805 students vs. 31,547 students)

Kentucky vs. Tennessee Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Kentucky or Tennessee?

  • University of Kentucky is 1.4% more expensive to attend than Tennessee for in-state tuition ($11,496.00 vs. $11,332.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.7% higher at Kentucky than The University of Tennessee ($30,913.00 vs. $29,522.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Kentucky than Tennessee ($18,693 vs. $21,880)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Tennessee are 20.8% lower than costs at University of Kentucky ($12,150 vs. $14,676)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Kentucky than The University of Tennessee (94% vs. 88%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Kentucky students is 33.2% larger than aid received The University of Tennessee ($14,114 vs. $10,593)

Kentucky vs. Tennessee Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The University of Tennessee (1214) is 71 points higher than at Kentucky (1143)
  • Incoming Tennessee students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Kentucky (25)
  • Accepted freshman Tennessee students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at Kentucky (3.59)
  • Kentucky has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than Tennessee (68.4%)

Kentucky vs. Tennessee Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Kentucky 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 Kentucky.

  • The graduation rate at Tennessee is higher than University of Kentucky (63% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from The University of Tennessee earn on average $5,300 more per year than Kentucky graduates after ten years. ($56,300 vs. $51,000)
  • The University of Tennessee students graduate with a $2,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Kentucky graduates. ($20,000 vs. $22,750)
  • Tennessee graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than Kentucky graduates. ($206 vs. $235)
  • More Tennessee graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Kentucky students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 62%)

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