Top Public · Knoxville, TN
University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Calculate your Tennessee oddsQuick Facts
| Acceptance rate | — |
| Type | Public · Top Public |
| Setting | Campus setting |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Last verified May 2026.
Getting In
University of Tennessee-Knoxville is among the most selective institutions in the country. The application is read holistically. Test scores and GPA establish baseline academic credibility but rarely drive the final decision. The rest of the application (activities, recommendations, and especially essays) reveals who you are and what you would add to the community.
Personalized estimate
What are your actual odds at Tennessee?
Enter your SAT/ACT, GPA, activities, and target schools. Get a probability calibrated to real admit data, not a headline acceptance rate.
Run the calculatorBeyond the Numbers
Tennessee is best known for the Haslam College of Business, Tickle College of Engineering, and the SEC flagship in Knoxville. Admissions readers are looking for applicants whose specific interests and ways of working would actually thrive in that environment. Not generic “passion.” Concrete curiosity that already shows up in what you do.
Tennessee essay tools
Score, brainstorm, or revise Tennessee essays with tools tuned to Tennessee's prompts.
Tennessee vs. Peer Schools
Side-by-side comparison with similar Top Public schools applicants typically consider.
| School | Accept | SAT mid-50 | Net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee This page | — | — | — |
| UC Berkeley | 11.0% | — | $13,481 |
| UCLA | 9.0% | — | $12,548 |
| UC San Diego | 26.7% | — | $12,470 |
| Michigan | 15.6% | 1360–1530 | $13,138 |
| UNC | 15.3% | 1390–1530 | $11,655 |
Sources
All numerical data on this page is sourced from official, primary sources. Admissions stats reflect the most recent publicly published cycle. Verify current figures with Tennessee's admissions office before applying.
- U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard — federally maintained dataset on admissions, cost, demographics, and post-graduation outcomes (IPEDS-derived).
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) — the underlying federal data collection that all U.S. accredited institutions report into annually.
- Tennessee Common Data Set — the standardized annual data document published by the school.
Last verified May 2026. Stats reflect Tennessee's most recent publicly published admit cycle.