Tennessee vs. Penn State

Deciding between The University of Tennessee Knoxville and Penn State Main Campus? 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.

The University of Tennessee Knoxville
Penn State Main Campus

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Tennessee Knoxville, TN
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Tennessee Midsize City
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Tennessee 38,728
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Tennessee Public 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Tennessee #226
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Tennessee -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Tennessee Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Tennessee
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Tennessee $13,812
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Tennessee $33,256
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Tennessee $13,356
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Tennessee $21,648
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Tennessee $11,434
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Tennessee 94%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Tennessee 59,764
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Tennessee 24,863
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Tennessee 41.6%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Tennessee 27.4%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Tennessee 1290
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Tennessee 28
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Tennessee 3.66
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Tennessee B+
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Tennessee Difficult
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Tennessee Low
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Tennessee 25/31
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Tennessee 1200/1370
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Tennessee Required to be considered for admission
  • Penn State Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
  • Application Deadline
  • Tennessee
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Tennessee 18:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Tennessee
    • Business (20%)
    • Psychology (10%)
    • Communication (10%)
    • Social Sciences (9%)
    • Engineering (8%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Tennessee 63%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Tennessee $56,300
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Tennessee 69%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Tennessee $20,000
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Tennessee $206
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Tennessee 44%
  • Penn State 51%
  • % Women
  • Tennessee 56%
  • Penn State 49%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Tennessee Low
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Tennessee No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Tennessee 79%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Tennessee 3%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Tennessee 7%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Tennessee 3%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Tennessee 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Tennessee 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Tennessee 3%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Tennessee 1%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Tennessee 3%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Tennessee 64%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Tennessee 35%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare The University of Tennessee Knoxville in Knoxville, TN with Penn State Main Campus in University Park, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Penn State Main Campus is larger than Tennessee based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 38,728 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • The University of Tennessee Knoxville is located in Knoxville, TN (Midsize City setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • The University of Tennessee Knoxville is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: The University of Tennessee Knoxville 18:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Tennessee vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Tennessee or Penn State? 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 Penn State ($21,648 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Tennessee Knoxville are 7.7% lower than at Penn State Main Campus ($13,356 vs. $14,474).
  • Penn State Main Campus is 49.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than Tennessee (about $6,832 more per year; $20,644.00 vs. $13,812.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 25.7% higher at Penn State than at The University of Tennessee Knoxville (about $8,534 more per year; $41,790.00 vs. $33,256.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at The University of Tennessee Knoxville than at Penn State Main Campus (94% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The University of Tennessee Knoxville students is 0.9% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($11,434 vs. $11,336).

Tennessee vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Tennessee or Penn State? 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 Penn State and Tennessee.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Main Campus (1330) is 40 points higher than at Tennessee (1290).
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (29 vs. 28 at Tennessee).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: The University of Tennessee Knoxville 1200/1370; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: The University of Tennessee Knoxville 25/31; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Tennessee - Required to be considered for admission; Penn State - Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional).
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than Tennessee (41.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 27.4% at Tennessee vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Tennessee vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Tennessee and Penn State? 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).

  • Penn State Main Campus'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 $1,000 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($56,300 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, The University of Tennessee Knoxville graduates have a $6,818 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($20,000 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Tennessee graduates have an estimated $71 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($206 vs. $277).
  • More Tennessee graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (69% 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.