Memphis vs. CBU

Should I go to University of Memphis or Christian Brothers University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Memphis or CBU 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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University of Memphis vs. Christian Brothers University comparison
University of Memphis Christian Brothers University College 3 College 4
University of Memphis
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Overview

 Memphis CBU
Location Memphis, TN Memphis, TN
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 21,736 2,043
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #926 #588
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website memphis.edu cbu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Memphis CBU
Tuition (In State) $8,520 $37,300
Tuition (Out of State) $12,960 $37,300
Room & Board $10,344 $10,731
Avg Net Price $13,656 $17,068
Avg Grant Aid $11,234 $29,076
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 100%

Admission

 Memphis CBU
Applied 15,640 1,105
Admitted 14,605 977
Acceptance Rate 93.4% 88.4%
Enrolled % 17.7% 20.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.48 3.67
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/24 18/23
SAT Range 905/1205 1040/1300
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 1, 2026

Academics

 Memphis CBU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • General Studies (11%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (6%)
  • Business (39%)
  • Psychology (18%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Physical Sciences (9%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

 Memphis CBU
Graduation Rate 38% 52%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,200 $50,600
Making Student Loan Payments 37% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,250 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $261 $279

Diversity

 Memphis CBU
% Men 10% 24%
% Women 13% 18%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 50% 43%
% Black 37% 29%
% Hispanic 4% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 1% 7%
% Unknown Race 0% 6%

Students

 Memphis CBU
% In-State 80% 67%
% Out-of-State 17% 24%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Memphis is larger than than CBU based on total student enrollment (21,736 students vs. 2,043 students)

Memphis vs. CBU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Memphis or CBU?

  • Christian Brothers University is 337.8% more expensive to attend than Memphis for in-state tuition ($37,300.00 vs. $8,520.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 187.8% higher at CBU than University of Memphis ($37,300.00 vs. $12,960.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Memphis than CBU ($13,656 vs. $17,068)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Memphis are 3.7% lower than costs at Christian Brothers University ($10,344 vs. $10,731)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Christian Brothers University than University of Memphis (100% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Christian Brothers University students is 158.8% larger than aid received University of Memphis ($29,076 vs. $11,234)

Memphis vs. CBU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Christian Brothers University (1105) is 76 points higher than at Memphis (1029)
  • Incoming CBU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Memphis (22)
  • Accepted freshman CBU students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.67) than students at Memphis (3.48)
  • Memphis has a higher acceptance rate (93.4%) than CBU (88.4%)

Memphis vs. CBU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Memphis or CBU? 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 CBU and Memphis.

  • The graduation rate at CBU is higher than University of Memphis (52% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from Christian Brothers University earn on average $8,400 more per year than Memphis graduates after ten years. ($50,600 vs. $42,200)
  • University of Memphis students graduate with a $1,750 lower median federal student loan debt than CBU graduates. ($25,250 vs. $27,000)
  • Memphis graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than CBU graduates. ($261 vs. $279)
  • More CBU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Memphis students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 37%)

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