Memphis vs. UTC

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

 Memphis UTC
Location Memphis, TN Chattanooga, TN
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 21,736 11,380
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #926 #815
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website memphis.edu utc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Memphis UTC
Tuition (In State) $8,520 $8,232
Tuition (Out of State) $12,960 $16,296
Room & Board $10,344 $10,052
Avg Net Price $13,656 $13,801
Avg Grant Aid $11,234 $9,834
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 93%

Admission

 Memphis UTC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 15,640 9,096
Admitted 14,605 7,006
Acceptance Rate 93.4% 77%
Enrolled % 17.7% 34%
Avg High School GPA 3.48 3.61
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/24 20/25
SAT Range 905/1205 1005/1185
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Jul 1, 2026 May 1, 2026

Academics

 Memphis UTC
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • General Studies (11%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (6%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

 Memphis UTC
Graduation Rate 38% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,200 $40,600
Making Student Loan Payments 37% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,250 $20,792
Median Loan Payment $261 $214

Diversity

 Memphis UTC
% Men 10% 5%
% Women 13% 8%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 50% 75%
% Black 37% 11%
% Hispanic 4% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 7%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

 Memphis UTC
% In-State 80% 88%
% Out-of-State 17% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Memphis is larger than than UTC based on total student enrollment (21,736 students vs. 11,380 students)

Memphis vs. UTC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Memphis or UTC?

  • University of Memphis is 3.5% more expensive to attend than UTC for in-state tuition ($8,520.00 vs. $8,232.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 25.7% higher at UTC than University of Memphis ($16,296.00 vs. $12,960.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Memphis than UTC ($13,656 vs. $13,801)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga are 2.9% lower than costs at University of Memphis ($10,052 vs. $10,344)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at University of Memphis as The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (93% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Memphis students is 14.2% larger than aid received The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga ($11,234 vs. $9,834)

Memphis vs. UTC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (1087) is 58 points higher than at Memphis (1029)
  • Incoming UTC students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Memphis (22)
  • Accepted freshman UTC students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at Memphis (3.48)
  • Memphis has a higher acceptance rate (93.4%) than UTC (77%)

Memphis vs. UTC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Memphis or UTC? 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 UTC and Memphis.

  • The graduation rate at UTC is higher than University of Memphis (39% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from University of Memphis earn on average $1,600 more per year than UTC graduates after ten years. ($42,200 vs. $40,600)
  • The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga students graduate with a $4,458 lower median federal student loan debt than Memphis graduates. ($20,792 vs. $25,250)
  • UTC graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than Memphis graduates. ($214 vs. $261)
  • More UTC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Memphis students, three years after graduation. (56% vs. 37%)

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