University of Tennessee Acceptance Rate, Tuition, Majors – 2025

October 31, 2025

university of Tennessee acceptance rate

Established in 1794, is quickly growing in popularity. In fact, 2024 brought the largest number of undergraduate first-year applicants in the school鈥檚 history and produced the lowest-ever University of Tennessee acceptance rate. Applications for the Class of 2029 hover at near and are up 20% since 2023.

Located in Knoxville, a vibrant city with historic attractions, museums, and nature centers, it鈥檚 no wonder the ideal location of this campus is a major draw to prospective students. Plus, the school is rated highly as the #1 public university in the state. Known for its D-1 sports teams鈥斺淭he Volunteers鈥濃擥reek life, and, as the flagship campus for the state school, UT is growing at an unprecedented rate. This growth means the University of Tennessee acceptance rate is sure to reflect this influx.

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University of Tennessee Acceptance Rate

Though the official admit numbers haven’t been released, UT Knoxville received . We know that it accepted at least 23,187, putting it on the path for roughly a 39% acceptance rate. Let’s look at some historical admissions data for context.

Applicants Admits Acceptance Rate
Class of 2028 59,764 24,863 41%
Class of 2027 50,488 23,221 46%
Class of 2026 36,289 24,826 68%
Class of 2025 29,909 22,413 75%

In-state vs Out-of-state Acceptance Rate

As part of the university鈥檚 mission, UT plans to enroll a first-year class with two-thirds in-state residents. One aspect of this plan is an . This policy aims to make college more accessible for Tennessee residents. High schoolers who meet certain requirements and apply early decision will have guaranteed acceptance. This is likely one of the reasons in the recent spike in applications to UT Knoxville.

Because of the increase in overall applications, this means out-of-state students will have increased difficulty finding acceptance. This is borne out in the data. For the Class of 2028, UT received 13,520 applications for in-state admission. Of those, they accepted 9,478, giving UT Knoxville a 70% in-state acceptance rate. Out-of-state admission is a different story. Of the 45,233 out-of-state applications for the Class of 2028, UT accepted 15,096, giving it an out-of-state acceptance rate of just 33%.

What GPA do you need to get into UT Knoxville?

For the Class of 2029, the mid-50% weighted GPA for admitted studetns was 4.07-4.50. This is in line with previous years. For example, the average GPA for enrolled Class of 2028 students was 4.17.

What class rank do you need to get accepted to UT Knoxville?

Among enrolled 2024-25 first-year students, 40% were in the top tenth of their graduating class while 70% were in the top quarter. 93% were in the top half of their graduating class and a miniscule 1% were in the bottom quarter.

What is the minimum SAT or ACT score for UT Knoxville?

Class of 2028 enrolled freshmen had a mid-50% SAT composite score of 1210-1360 and a mid-50% ACT composite score of 25-31. The Class of 2029 looks to be even stronger, with a mid-50% ACT composite score between 27-32 (though these scores are for admitted students rather than enrolled).

How Much Does the University of Tennessee Cost?

But first, to give you a better idea of how much the University of Tennessee tuition is, let鈥檚 look at tution for the academic year.

  • In-State Tuition and Fees: $13,812/year
  • Out-of-State Tuition and Fees: $33,256/year

When you add up all the other costs and fees (i.e., housing, transportation, loan fees, etc.), in-state students are looking at approximately $35,502 per year. This goes up to $54,946 per year for out-of-state students.

Financial Aid at UT Knoxville

Over the previous academic year, 90% of University of Tennessee students received scholarships or financial aid. Plus, nearly half of UT undergraduates complete their degree debt-free.

With scholarships available based on , (Tennessee counties), and , there are many opportunities to earn financial aid. In fact, who apply by the the Nov. 1 deadline will automically be considered for scholarships.

If you鈥檙e worried about your chances as an out-of-state student, then you will be happy to hear there are four specific scholarships available for out-of-state students. Plus, international students have the opportunity to qualify for three scholarships designated for international students, especially.

University of Tennessee Majors

The University of Tennessee offers over 900 programs, degrees, and certificates. More specifically, there are over 360 undergraduate programs. So, chances are, you can find a program that fits your specific interest. Plus, with an 18:1 student-to-faculty ratio, students can receive individualized instruction and even enjoy smaller class sizes.

According to the University, the top 5 majors for the Class of 2028 are:

  • Nursing
  • Finance
  • Marketing
  • Management
  • Biological Sciences

However, there are many other major programs the university specializes in. Let鈥檚 take a look at a few undergraduate majors by field.

Bachelor of Arts

  • Anthropology
  • Art History
  • Economics
  • English
  • Geography
  • Global Studies
  • History
  • Music
  • Philosophy
  • Political Science
  • Psychology
  • Sustainability
  • Theatre

Bachelor of Science

  • Information Science
  • Geology and Environmental Studies
  • Kinesiology
  • Mathematics
  • Medical Laboratory Science
  • Neuroscience
  • Physics
  • Recreation and Sport Management
  • Statistics
  • Chemistry

Additionally, there are specialty programs students can major in, such as:

  • Aerospace Engineering
  • Animal Science
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Biosystems Engineering
  • Child and Family Studies
  • Construction Science and Management
  • Deaf Studies
  • Environmental and Soil Sciences
  • Forestry
  • Nuclear Engineering
  • Pre-professional programs
    • Dentistry
    • Law
    • Medicine
    • Pharmacy
    • Veterinary Medicine

Of course, this is not a comprehensive list of . However, we hope this list provides you with a good idea of the University of Tennessee majors and varied programs the school is equipped to offer. Each program allows for its own set of requirements as you work toward the degree, so it is important to review the before registering for classes.

Specific Admission Requirements

Additionally, certain programs may have their own set of . Especially with more specialized programs, these requirements will determine a student鈥檚 chances at admission.

For example, the Pre-Pharmacy direct admissions program requires a minimum GPA requirement of 3.5 and an ACT of 25 or higher.

Plus, The University of Tennessee is also a well-known engineering school. For consideration into the Tickle College of Engineering, students must aim for a certain Success Prediction Indicator (SPI) score. The SPI is calculated based on subject scores for the SAT or ACT mathematics section and student GPA. For the SAT, students should aim for a 590 mathematics section score. For the ACT, students should aim for a 25 mathematics section score. Additionally, students should be prepared to have a GPA of 3.5 or higher.

The SPI score is calculated by multiplying the ACT mathematics score to 10 times their core high school GPA. Here is an example from the university website:

SPI EXAMPLE: A student with a high school core GPA of 3.5 and an ACT mathematics score of 28 would have an SPI of 63 using the formula (3.5 X 10) + 28 = 63. SAT scores are converted to an equivalent ACT score to perform this calculation.

Students need to produce a minimum 60 SPI score for admission to the Tickle College of Engineering.

University of Tennessee Notable Alumni

You may be surprised to learn that you are familiar with more than one graduate from the University of Tennessee. With a long history of producing successful alumni, the school has many recognizable faces with UT degrees to their name.

Enjoy sports? Then, you鈥檙e probably familiar with University of Tennessee notable alumni Candace Parker (2008; BA Sports Management), Tamika Catchings (2001; BA Sports Management), and Peyton Manning (1997; BA Speech Communication).

Astronaut Scott Kelly (1996; MS Aviation Systems) also comes to mind, along with writer Kurt Vonnegut. Vonnegut participated in an Army Specialized Training Program, which included taking courses at the University of Tennessee from 1943-1944 in thermodynamics, calculus, and shop practice.

University of Tennessee Acceptance Rate 鈥 In Review

Overall, the University of Tennessee is a rapidly growing institution. With the class of 2028 seeing more applicants than in any other period of the school鈥檚 history, it鈥檚 clear UT鈥檚 programs are increasingly competitive. Its new acceptance rate puts the university on par with other competitive schools, like the College of William and Mary (33%), San Diego State University (37%) and other regional universities like University of Georgia (43%) and Auburn University (44%).

Of course, it鈥檚 difficult to predict exactly where the university goes from here. There may be concerns about the accessibly of student accommodations and resources on campus. Space may become an issue, with parking and student housing concerns. However, it鈥檚 likely the Office of Undergraduate Admissions took these considerations to heart when finalizing decisions.

No matter what the future holds for the University of Tennessee, it鈥檚 clear the school is equipped to navigate any upcoming issues with tact. Plus, the new attention on the campus will likely reinvigorate students and faculty alike.

Additional Articles

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