UNK vs. UTC

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

UNK UTC
Location Kearney, NE Chattanooga, TN
Setting Remote Town Midsize City
Enrollment 6,041 11,283
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #571 #788
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website unk.edu utc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UNK UTC
Tuition (In State) $6,220 $7,992
Tuition (Out of State) $12,036 $24,110
Room & Board $11,390 $9,500
Avg Net Price $16,564 $14,417
Avg Grant Aid $7,282 $9,309
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 94%

Admission

UNK UTC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,794 8,345
Admitted 5,842 6,897
Acceptance Rate 86% 82.6%
Enrolled % 14.8% 32.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.24 3.61
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 20/26
SAT Range 1000/1200 1023/1210
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 Aug 15, 2025 May 1, 2025

Academics

UNK UTC
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (5%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

UNK UTC
Graduation Rate 61% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,400 $40,600
Making Student Loan Payments 71% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,250 $20,792
Median Loan Payment $219 $214

Diversity

UNK UTC
% Men 34% 42%
% Women 66% 58%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 75%
% Black 2% 11%
% Hispanic 11% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 7%
% International 5% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

UNK UTC
% In-State 85% 89%
% Out-of-State 11% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is larger than than UNK based on total student enrollment (11,283 students vs. 6,041 students)

UNK vs. UTC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNK or UTC?

  • The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is 28.5% more expensive to attend than UNK for in-state tuition ($7,992.00 vs. $6,220.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 100.3% higher at UTC than University of Nebraska at Kearney ($24,110.00 vs. $12,036.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga than UNK ($14,417 vs. $16,564)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga are 19.9% lower than costs at University of Nebraska at Kearney ($9,500 vs. $11,390)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Nebraska at Kearney than The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (100% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga students is 27.8% larger than aid received University of Nebraska at Kearney ($9,309 vs. $7,282)

UNK vs. UTC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (1087) is 38 points higher than at UNK (1049)
  • Incoming UTC students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at UNK (23)
  • Accepted freshman UTC students have a 0.37 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at UNK (3.24)
  • UNK has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than UTC (82.6%)

UNK vs. UTC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UNK 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 UNK.

  • The graduation rate at UNK is higher than The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (61% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from University of Nebraska at Kearney earn on average $2,800 more per year than UTC graduates after ten years. ($43,400 vs. $40,600)
  • The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga students graduate with a $458 lower median federal student loan debt than UNK graduates. ($20,792 vs. $21,250)
  • UTC graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than UNK graduates. ($214 vs. $219)
  • More UNK graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UTC students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 56%)

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