Memphis vs. Vanderbilt

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

Memphis Vanderbilt
Location Memphis, TN Nashville, TN
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 21,917 13,710
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #883 #14
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website memphis.edu vanderbilt.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Memphis Vanderbilt
Tuition (In State) $8,352 $58,130
Tuition (Out of State) $12,576 $58,130
Room & Board $10,126 $19,862
Avg Net Price $13,873 $25,606
Avg Grant Aid $9,625 $53,932
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 65%

Admission

Memphis Vanderbilt
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 15,767 46,377
Admitted 14,916 3,093
Acceptance Rate 94.6% 6.7%
Enrolled % 16.2% 52.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.48 3.89
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Easy Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme
ACT Range 17/24 34/35
SAT Range 930/1230 1490/1570
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 1, 2025 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

Memphis Vanderbilt
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • General Studies (11%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (6%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • General Studies (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

Memphis Vanderbilt
Graduation Rate 38% 92%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,200 $83,100
Making Student Loan Payments 37% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,250 $14,000
Median Loan Payment $261 $144

Diversity

Memphis Vanderbilt
% Men 40% 44%
% Women 60% 56%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 50% 55%
% Black 37% 8%
% Hispanic 4% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 1% 7%
% Unknown Race 0% 5%

Students

Memphis Vanderbilt
% In-State 81% 9%
% Out-of-State 17% 79%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Memphis is larger than than Vanderbilt based on total student enrollment (21,917 students vs. 13,710 students)

Memphis vs. Vanderbilt Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Memphis or Vanderbilt?

  • Vanderbilt University is 596% more expensive to attend than Memphis for in-state tuition ($58,130.00 vs. $8,352.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 362.2% higher at Vanderbilt than University of Memphis ($58,130.00 vs. $12,576.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Memphis than Vanderbilt ($13,873 vs. $25,606)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Memphis are 96.1% lower than costs at Vanderbilt University ($10,126 vs. $19,862)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Memphis than Vanderbilt University (98% vs. 65%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Vanderbilt University students is 460.3% larger than aid received University of Memphis ($53,932 vs. $9,625)

Memphis vs. Vanderbilt Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Vanderbilt University (1498) is 469 points higher than at Memphis (1029)
  • Incoming Vanderbilt students have a 12 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Memphis (22)
  • Accepted freshman Vanderbilt students have a 0.41 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at Memphis (3.48)
  • Memphis has a higher acceptance rate (94.6%) than Vanderbilt (6.7%)

Memphis vs. Vanderbilt Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Vanderbilt is higher than University of Memphis (92% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from Vanderbilt University earn on average $40,900 more per year than Memphis graduates after ten years. ($83,100 vs. $42,200)
  • Vanderbilt University students graduate with a $11,250 lower median federal student loan debt than Memphis graduates. ($14,000 vs. $25,250)
  • Vanderbilt graduates are paying $117 less per month on federal student loans than Memphis graduates. ($144 vs. $261)
  • More Vanderbilt graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Memphis students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 37%)

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