MSU vs. Tennessee

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

MSU Tennessee
Location Bozeman, MT Knoxville, TN
Setting Remote Town Midsize City
Enrollment 16,681 33,805
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #590 #232
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website montana.edu tennessee.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

MSU Tennessee
Tuition (In State) $5,824 $11,332
Tuition (Out of State) $27,391 $29,522
Room & Board $11,300 $12,150
Avg Net Price $17,250 $21,880
Avg Grant Aid $5,749 $10,593
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 88%

Admission

MSU Tennessee
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 28,794 36,290
Admitted 21,116 24,826
Acceptance Rate 73.3% 68.4%
Enrolled % 17.8% 27.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.66
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 20/27 25/31
SAT Range 1070/1290 1170/1330
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline

Academics

MSU Tennessee
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)

Outcomes

MSU Tennessee
Graduation Rate 51% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,800 $56,300
Making Student Loan Payments 71% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,000 $20,000
Median Loan Payment $248 $206

Diversity

MSU Tennessee
% Men 52% 45%
% Women 48% 55%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 86% 79%
% Black 1% 7%
% Hispanic 4% 3%
% Native American 2% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

MSU Tennessee
% In-State 35% 54%
% Out-of-State 65% 45%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • The University of Tennessee is larger than than MSU based on total student enrollment (33,805 students vs. 16,681 students)

MSU vs. Tennessee Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MSU or Tennessee?

  • The University of Tennessee is 94.6% more expensive to attend than MSU for in-state tuition ($11,332.00 vs. $5,824.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.8% higher at Tennessee than Montana State University ($29,522.00 vs. $27,391.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Montana State University than Tennessee ($17,250 vs. $21,880)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Montana State University are 7.5% lower than costs at The University of Tennessee ($11,300 vs. $12,150)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Montana State University than The University of Tennessee (100% vs. 88%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The University of Tennessee students is 84.3% larger than aid received Montana State University ($10,593 vs. $5,749)

MSU vs. Tennessee Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The University of Tennessee (1214) is 83 points higher than at MSU (1131)
  • Incoming Tennessee students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at MSU (25)
  • Accepted freshman Tennessee students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at MSU (3.5)
  • MSU has a higher acceptance rate (73.3%) than Tennessee (68.4%)

MSU vs. Tennessee Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, MSU 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 MSU.

  • The graduation rate at Tennessee is higher than Montana State University (63% vs. 51%)
  • Graduates from The University of Tennessee earn on average $10,500 more per year than MSU graduates after ten years. ($56,300 vs. $45,800)
  • The University of Tennessee students graduate with a $4,000 lower median federal student loan debt than MSU graduates. ($20,000 vs. $24,000)
  • Tennessee graduates are paying $42 less per month on federal student loans than MSU graduates. ($206 vs. $248)
  • More MSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Tennessee students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 69%)

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