UNC Chapel Hill vs. Tennessee

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

UNC Chapel Hill Tennessee
Location Chapel Hill, NC Knoxville, TN
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 31,705 33,805
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #64 #232
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website unc.edu tennessee.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UNC Chapel Hill Tennessee
Tuition (In State) $7,019 $11,332
Tuition (Out of State) $35,580 $29,522
Room & Board $12,254 $12,150
Avg Net Price $10,614 $21,880
Avg Grant Aid $18,066 $10,593
% Receiving Grant Aid 40% 88%

Admission

UNC Chapel Hill Tennessee
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 56,341 36,290
Admitted 9,639 24,826
Acceptance Rate 17.1% 68.4%
Enrolled % 46% 27.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.83 3.66
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Difficult
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 30/34 25/31
SAT Range 1350/1530 1170/1330
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2025

Academics

UNC Chapel Hill Tennessee
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Communication (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)

Outcomes

UNC Chapel Hill Tennessee
Graduation Rate 89% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,100 $56,300
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,479 $20,000
Median Loan Payment $170 $206

Diversity

UNC Chapel Hill Tennessee
% Men 40% 45%
% Women 60% 55%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 64% 79%
% Black 8% 7%
% Hispanic 8% 3%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 3%

Students

UNC Chapel Hill Tennessee
% In-State 83% 54%
% Out-of-State 12% 45%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • The University of Tennessee is larger than than UNC Chapel Hill based on total student enrollment (33,805 students vs. 31,705 students)

UNC Chapel Hill vs. Tennessee Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNC Chapel Hill or Tennessee?

  • The University of Tennessee is 61.4% more expensive to attend than UNC Chapel Hill for in-state tuition ($11,332.00 vs. $7,019.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 20.5% higher at UNC Chapel Hill than The University of Tennessee ($35,580.00 vs. $29,522.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill than Tennessee ($10,614 vs. $21,880)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Tennessee are 0.9% lower than costs at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ($12,150 vs. $12,254)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at The University of Tennessee than University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (88% vs. 40%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill students is 70.5% larger than aid received The University of Tennessee ($18,066 vs. $10,593)

UNC Chapel Hill vs. Tennessee Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1343) is 129 points higher than at Tennessee (1214)
  • Incoming UNC Chapel Hill students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Tennessee (27)
  • Accepted freshman UNC Chapel Hill students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at Tennessee (3.66)
  • Tennessee has a higher acceptance rate (68.4%) than UNC Chapel Hill (17.1%)

UNC Chapel Hill vs. Tennessee Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UNC Chapel Hill 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 UNC Chapel Hill.

  • The graduation rate at UNC Chapel Hill is higher than The University of Tennessee (89% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill earn on average $9,800 more per year than Tennessee graduates after ten years. ($66,100 vs. $56,300)
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill students graduate with a $3,521 lower median federal student loan debt than Tennessee graduates. ($16,479 vs. $20,000)
  • UNC Chapel Hill graduates are paying $36 less per month on federal student loans than Tennessee graduates. ($170 vs. $206)
  • More UNC Chapel Hill graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Tennessee students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 69%)

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