Quad

The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

Knoxville, TNQuad's selectivityVery selective
Known forBig campusApplications grew 4× since fall 2014
WebsiteAdmissionsApplyVisitFinancial aid

Admissions · Fall 2024

1 in 2 applicants admitted

U. Tennessee-Knoxville admits about 1 in 2 applicants (42%). That puts it in the "Very selective" tier, more selective than 88% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

42%

42%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivityVery selective

Applied

59,764

Admitted

24,863

Yield

27%

of admits enroll

SAT middle 50%

1200–1370

10001600
ACT middle 50%

25–31

1836
Applications +287% since fall 2014 · admit rate 75% → 42%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A very large campus of 30,418 undergrads, where 19% receive Pell Grants, a low share compared to other colleges.

30.4K

undergrads · larger than 97% of colleges

Diversity index

0.38

Pell Grant

19%

below the median

First generation

25%

below the median

Midsize cityNCAA D-I FBS · Southeastern ConferenceROTCStudy abroadUndergrad research
Steady · index 0.35 → 0.38 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Marketing/Marketing Management, General (7% of graduates). 18 students for every faculty member, more than at 83% of colleges. 83% of faculty are full-time. Spends $13,098 a year on instruction per student.

18 to 1

students per faculty member · more than at 83% of colleges

Most popular major

Marketing/Marketing Management, General

7% of 2024–25 graduates

Top-earning major

Industrial Engineering

$107.1K four years after completion

Full-time faculty

83%

of faculty

Instruction spending

$13.1K

per student a year

All majors with search, earnings by major, and faculty

Cost & aid · 2023–24

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $29,748 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $5.5K more than the national median. The 94% who received grants paid $21,648 on average; the other 6% paid the full sticker price of $33,678 in-state / $52,168 out-of-state.

27%

$29.7K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $5.5K above the national median

$0$110K$400K+
Full price, in-state
$33,678 a year
tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid
Published data end at $110K
use the college's net price calculator for higher incomes
Aid generosity

Moderate

grants cover 27% of full price

Federal loans

29%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office Veterans' benefits
Cost rising · +6% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $60,249 ten years after enrolling, more than at 69% of colleges; 71% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 2.0 years of that salary.

71%

71%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$60.2K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$20.5K

≈ $217/month for 10 years

Retention

92%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 69% → 74% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price rose 4% after inflation, and what the average first-year paid moved with it. Applications rose 287% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 75% to 42%.

  • Cost

    Rising

    +6% after inflation

  • Applications

    Growing

    +287%

  • Selectivity

    More selective

    admit rate 75% → 42%

  • Diversity

    Steady

    index 0.35 → 0.38

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

Schools like this one

Clemson University

42% admit · SAT 1325 · 23.3K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar scoresSimilar size
Compare side-by-side

Auburn University

46% admit · SAT 1325 · 26.8K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar scoresSimilar size
Compare side-by-side

University of South Carolina-Columbia

57% admit · SAT 1280 · 29.8K undergrads

Similar scoresSimilar sizeAlso Southeast
Compare side-by-side

College of Charleston

60% admit · SAT 1225 · 10.6K undergrads

Similar sizeAlso SoutheastAlso public
Compare side-by-side
Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

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    IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  2. 2
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  3. 3
    IPEDS Admissions survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  4. 4
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    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  5. 5
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  6. 6
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  7. 7
    IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12

  8. 8
    College Scorecard Field of Study data

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  9. 9
    IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  10. 10
    IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

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    Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  12. 12
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    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  13. 13
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  14. 14
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  15. 15
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  16. 16
    State laws on public colleges

    State legislatures (statutes read and summarized by hand) · In effect since May 9, 2025 · retrieved 2026-10-04

  17. 17
    IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  18. 18
    IPEDS Outcome Measures survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  19. 19
    The University of Tennessee-Knoxville (2026)

    The University of Tennessee-Knoxville · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 221759 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything