OU vs. Tennessee

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

 OU Tennessee
Location Norman, OK Knoxville, TN
Setting Small Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 29,145 36,304
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #223 #222
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ou.edu tennessee.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 OU Tennessee
Tuition (In State) $5,070 $11,332
Tuition (Out of State) $22,140 $29,522
Room & Board $13,310 $12,500
Avg Net Price $19,900 $20,885
Avg Grant Aid $10,830 $11,491
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 85%

Admission

 OU Tennessee
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,337 50,488
Admitted 17,097 23,221
Acceptance Rate 76.5% 46%
Enrolled % 30.4% 28.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.66 3.66
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/29 25/31
SAT Range 1140/1330 1190/1340
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 OU Tennessee
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • General Studies (13%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)

Outcomes

 OU Tennessee
Graduation Rate 67% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,300 $56,300
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,000 $20,000
Median Loan Payment $206 $206

Diversity

 OU Tennessee
% Men 10% 9%
% Women 14% 11%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 62% 79%
% Black 5% 7%
% Hispanic 9% 3%
% Native American 4% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 3%
% International 4% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

 OU Tennessee
% In-State 50% 58%
% Out-of-State 48% 41%

Campus

 OU 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 OU based on total student enrollment (36,304 students vs. 29,145 students)

OU vs. Tennessee Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, OU or Tennessee?

  • The University of Tennessee is 123.5% more expensive to attend than OU for in-state tuition ($11,332.00 vs. $5,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 33.3% higher at Tennessee than University of Oklahoma Norman Campus ($29,522.00 vs. $22,140.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Oklahoma Norman Campus than Tennessee ($19,900 vs. $20,885)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Tennessee are 6.5% lower than costs at University of Oklahoma Norman Campus ($12,500 vs. $13,310)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Oklahoma Norman Campus than The University of Tennessee (99% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The University of Tennessee students is 6.1% larger than aid received University of Oklahoma Norman Campus ($11,491 vs. $10,830)

OU vs. Tennessee Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The University of Tennessee (1214) is 10 points higher than at OU (1204)
  • Incoming OU students have at the same average ACT score (27) as students at Tennessee (27)
  • Accepted freshman OU students have at the same average high school GPA (3.66) as students at Tennessee (3.66)
  • OU has a higher acceptance rate (76.5%) than Tennessee (46%)

OU vs. Tennessee Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, OU 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 OU.

  • The graduation rate at OU is higher than The University of Tennessee (67% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from University of Oklahoma Norman Campus earn on average $3,000 more per year than Tennessee graduates after ten years. ($59,300 vs. $56,300)
  • The University of Tennessee and OU graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($20,000 vs. $20,000)
  • The University of Tennessee and OU graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($206 vs. $206)
  • More Tennessee graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former OU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 68%)

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