Kenyon vs. Tennessee

Deciding between Kenyon College and The University of Tennessee Knoxville? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Kenyon College
The University of Tennessee Knoxville

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Kenyon Gambier, OH
  • Tennessee Knoxville, TN
  • Setting
  • Kenyon Distant Rural
  • Tennessee Midsize City
  • Total enrollment
  • Kenyon 2,249
  • Tennessee 38,728
  • Type
  • Kenyon Private 4 Year
  • Tennessee Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Kenyon #62
  • Tennessee #226
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Kenyon -
  • Tennessee -
  • Status
  • Kenyon Non-profit
  • Tennessee Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Kenyon
  • Tennessee

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Kenyon $71,520
  • Tennessee $13,812
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Kenyon $71,520
  • Tennessee $33,256
  • Room & Board
  • Kenyon $15,640
  • Tennessee $13,356
  • Average Net Price
  • Kenyon $46,859
  • Tennessee $21,648
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Kenyon $40,731
  • Tennessee $11,434
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Kenyon 82%
  • Tennessee 94%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Kenyon 7,726
  • Tennessee 59,764
  • Admitted
  • Kenyon 2,397
  • Tennessee 24,863
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Kenyon 31%
  • Tennessee 41.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Kenyon 18.3%
  • Tennessee 27.4%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Kenyon 1430
  • Tennessee 1290
  • Typical ACT score
  • Kenyon 32
  • Tennessee 28
  • Average High School GPA
  • Kenyon 3.84
  • Tennessee 3.66
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Kenyon A-
  • Tennessee B+
  • Admissions Standards
  • Kenyon Exceptional
  • Tennessee Difficult
  • Applicant Competition
  • Kenyon High
  • Tennessee Low
  • ACT Range
  • Kenyon 31/33
  • Tennessee 25/31
  • SAT Range
  • Kenyon 1358/1503
  • Tennessee 1200/1370
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Kenyon Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
  • Tennessee Required to be considered for admission
  • Application Deadline
  • Kenyon Jan 15, 2027
  • Tennessee

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Kenyon 9:1
  • Tennessee 18:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Kenyon
    • Social Sciences (22%)
    • English and Literature (17%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
    • Biology (9%)
    • Foreign Languages (9%)
  • Tennessee
    • Business (20%)
    • Psychology (10%)
    • Communication (10%)
    • Social Sciences (9%)
    • Engineering (8%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Kenyon 87%
  • Tennessee 63%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Kenyon $52,900
  • Tennessee $56,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Kenyon 87%
  • Tennessee 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Kenyon $19,000
  • Tennessee $20,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Kenyon $196
  • Tennessee $206

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Kenyon 45%
  • Tennessee 44%
  • % Women
  • Kenyon 55%
  • Tennessee 56%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Kenyon Low
  • Tennessee Low
  • HBCU
  • Kenyon No
  • Tennessee No
  • % White
  • Kenyon 73%
  • Tennessee 79%
  • % Asian
  • Kenyon 4%
  • Tennessee 3%
  • % Black
  • Kenyon 4%
  • Tennessee 7%
  • % Hispanic
  • Kenyon 7%
  • Tennessee 3%
  • % Native American
  • Kenyon 0%
  • Tennessee 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Kenyon 0%
  • Tennessee 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Kenyon 4%
  • Tennessee 3%
  • % International
  • Kenyon 5%
  • Tennessee 1%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Kenyon 3%
  • Tennessee 3%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Kenyon 12%
  • Tennessee 64%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Kenyon 78%
  • Tennessee 35%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Kenyon Yes
  • Tennessee Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Kenyon Yes
  • Tennessee No
  • Meal Plan
  • Kenyon Yes
  • Tennessee Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Kenyon No
  • Tennessee No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Kenyon No
  • Tennessee No

Comparable Facts

Compare Kenyon College in Gambier, OH with The University of Tennessee Knoxville in Knoxville, TN on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

The University of Tennessee Knoxville is larger than Kenyon based on total student enrollment (38,728 students vs. 2,249 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Kenyon College is located in Gambier, OH (Distant Rural setting); The University of Tennessee Knoxville is in Knoxville, TN (Midsize City setting).
  • Kenyon College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. The University of Tennessee Knoxville is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Kenyon College 9:1; The University of Tennessee Knoxville 18:1.

Kenyon vs. Tennessee Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Kenyon or Tennessee? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of Tennessee Knoxville than Kenyon ($21,648 vs. $46,859).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Tennessee Knoxville are 14.6% lower than at Kenyon College ($13,356 vs. $15,640).
  • Kenyon College is 417.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Tennessee (about $57,708 more per year; $71,520.00 vs. $13,812.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 115.1% higher at Kenyon than at The University of Tennessee Knoxville (about $38,264 more per year; $71,520.00 vs. $33,256.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at The University of Tennessee Knoxville than at Kenyon College (94% vs. 82%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Kenyon College students is 256.2% larger than aid received by The University of Tennessee Knoxville students ($40,731 vs. $11,434).

Kenyon vs. Tennessee Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Kenyon or Tennessee? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Tennessee and Kenyon.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Kenyon College (1430) is 140 points higher than at Tennessee (1290).
  • Incoming Kenyon students have a 4 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (32 vs. 28 at Tennessee).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Kenyon College 1358/1503; The University of Tennessee Knoxville 1200/1370.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Kenyon College 31/33; The University of Tennessee Knoxville 25/31.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Kenyon - Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional); Tennessee - Required to be considered for admission.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Kenyon Jan 15, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Kenyon students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.84) than students at Tennessee (3.66).
  • Tennessee has a higher acceptance rate (41.6%) than Kenyon (31%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 18.3% at Kenyon vs. 27.4% at Tennessee.

Kenyon vs. Tennessee Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Kenyon and Tennessee? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Kenyon College's six-year graduation rate (87%) is higher than The University of Tennessee Knoxville's (63%).
  • Graduates from The University of Tennessee Knoxville earn a median of about $3,400 more per year than Kenyon graduates about ten years after starting college ($56,300 vs. $52,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Kenyon College graduates have a $1,000 lower median loan debt than Tennessee graduates ($19,000 vs. $20,000).
  • Among borrowers, Kenyon graduates have an estimated $10 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Tennessee graduates ($196 vs. $206).
  • More Kenyon graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Tennessee students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 69%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.