Memphis vs. Tennessee

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

 Memphis Tennessee
Location Memphis, TN Knoxville, TN
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 21,917 33,805
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #883 #232
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website memphis.edu tennessee.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Memphis Tennessee
Tuition (In State) $8,352 $11,332
Tuition (Out of State) $12,576 $29,522
Room & Board $10,126 $12,150
Avg Net Price $13,873 $21,880
Avg Grant Aid $9,625 $10,593
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 88%

Admission

 Memphis Tennessee
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 15,767 36,290
Admitted 14,916 24,826
Acceptance Rate 94.6% 68.4%
Enrolled % 16.2% 27.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.48 3.66
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/24 25/31
SAT Range 930/1230 1170/1330
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Jul 1, 2025

Academics

 Memphis Tennessee
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • General Studies (11%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (6%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)

Outcomes

 Memphis Tennessee
Graduation Rate 38% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,200 $56,300
Making Student Loan Payments 37% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,250 $20,000
Median Loan Payment $261 $206

Diversity

 Memphis Tennessee
% Men 40% 45%
% Women 60% 55%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 50% 79%
% Black 37% 7%
% Hispanic 4% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 3%

Students

 Memphis Tennessee
% In-State 81% 54%
% Out-of-State 17% 45%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • The University of Tennessee is larger than than Memphis based on total student enrollment (33,805 students vs. 21,917 students)

Memphis vs. Tennessee Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Memphis or Tennessee?

  • The University of Tennessee is 35.7% more expensive to attend than Memphis for in-state tuition ($11,332.00 vs. $8,352.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 134.7% higher at Tennessee than University of Memphis ($29,522.00 vs. $12,576.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Memphis than Tennessee ($13,873 vs. $21,880)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Memphis are 20% lower than costs at The University of Tennessee ($10,126 vs. $12,150)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Memphis than The University of Tennessee (98% vs. 88%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The University of Tennessee students is 10.1% larger than aid received University of Memphis ($10,593 vs. $9,625)

Memphis vs. Tennessee Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The University of Tennessee (1214) is 185 points higher than at Memphis (1029)
  • Incoming Tennessee students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Memphis (22)
  • Accepted freshman Tennessee students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at Memphis (3.48)
  • Memphis has a higher acceptance rate (94.6%) than Tennessee (68.4%)

Memphis vs. Tennessee Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Memphis 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 Memphis.

  • The graduation rate at Tennessee is higher than University of Memphis (63% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from The University of Tennessee earn on average $14,100 more per year than Memphis graduates after ten years. ($56,300 vs. $42,200)
  • The University of Tennessee students graduate with a $5,250 lower median federal student loan debt than Memphis graduates. ($20,000 vs. $25,250)
  • Tennessee graduates are paying $55 less per month on federal student loans than Memphis graduates. ($206 vs. $261)
  • More Tennessee graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Memphis students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 37%)

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