Quad

Head-to-head

U. Memphis
U. California-Riverside

Key differences

The biggest gaps between these schools, largest first.

  1. 1

    U. California-Riverside graduates 26 pts more of its students than U. Memphis (79% vs. 53%)

    Graduation rate
  2. 2

    U. California-Riverside grads earn $19.2K more ten years out than U. Memphis's ($67,699 vs. $48,458)

    Median earnings, 10 yrs
  3. 3

    U. California-Riverside has 12 pts more first-gen students than U. Memphis (48% vs. 37%)

    First-generation students
  4. 4

    U. Memphis costs about $5.8K less per year on average than U. California-Riverside ($17,826 vs. $23,650, all students)

    Average cost, all students
  5. 5

    U. California-Riverside has 1.8× as many undergrads as U. Memphis

    Undergrads
  6. 6

    U. California-Riverside's grants cover 44% of its full price on average, vs. 38% at U. Memphis

    Aid generosity

The shape of each school

Each axis is a national rank among 4-year colleges; further out = more of it.

SelectivityTest scoresSizePell shareFirst-genDiversity

Hollow dots at the center mean that measure isn't reported.

Who's hardest to get into

U. Memphis admits 72%, U. California-Riverside 76%; U. Memphis's yield is higher, at 18%.

Acceptance rate
U. Memphis72%
U. California-Riverside76%
Quad's selectivity
  • U. MemphisAccessible
  • U. California-RiversideSelective
SAT middle 50%Axis 800–1600
U. Memphis
915–1180
U. California-RiversideTest-blind
How they read a recordfirst-years at 3.75+
  • U. MemphisGPA and school record required
  • U. California-RiversideRigor and GPA very important51%

Who's on each campus

U. California-Riverside has 1.8× as many undergrads as U. Memphis and has the larger Pell share.

Undergrads
U. Memphis12.7K
U. California-Riverside22.6K
Pell Grant share
U. Memphis41%
U. California-Riverside47%

Majors and faculty

Exercise Science and Kinesiology leads at U. Memphis, and Business Administration and Management at U. California-Riverside.

Students per faculty member
U. Memphis16 to 1
U. California-Riverside22 to 1
Most popular majorshare of graduates
  • U. MemphisExercise Science and Kinesiology12%
  • U. California-RiversideBusiness Administration and Management, General16%

What each costs

U. Memphis costs about $5.8K less a year than U. California-Riverside on average; U. California-Riverside's grants cover the larger share of its price.

Average cost, all students
U. Memphis$17.8K
U. California-Riverside$23.7K
Aid generosity
U. Memphis38%
U. California-Riverside44%

What each pays off

U. California-Riverside's former students earn more, a median $67.7K ten years after enrolling.

Median earnings, 10 years
U. Memphis$48.5K
U. California-Riverside$67.7K
Graduation rate
U. Memphis53%
U. California-Riverside79%

How each has changed

Applications grew at both; both got less selective.

Applications, 10-year change
  • U. MemphisGrowing+33%
  • U. California-RiversideGrowing+61%
All the numbersEvery figure for these colleges in one table, with differences highlighted.
Sources for this comparisonEvery dataset and year behind the numbers in this comparison; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;College Scorecard, Fall 2024;College Scorecard, most recent release;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey, 2023–24;College Scorecard, Entered fall 2023;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D), Fall 2024;IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field), 2024–25 graduates;College Scorecard, 2023–24;IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients), Entered fall 2018;University of California-Riverside Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025;University of California-Riverside Common Data Set 2025–26, Entered fall 2019About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)

Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why