Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) vs The University of the South

Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) and The University of the South (Sewanee) are two distinct institutions of higher learning located in Tennessee, each offering unique educational experiences. MTSU, a public university in Murfreesboro, boasts a larger student body and a wider range of academic programs, including popular majors in business, education, and nursing. Sewanee, a private liberal arts college in Sewanee, offers a more intimate learning environment with smaller class sizes and a focus on the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. While both universities have strong academic reputations, MTSU has a higher acceptance rate and a more diverse student body, while Sewanee has a higher graduation rate and a more selective admissions process. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover which university better aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Middle Tennessee State University logo

Middle Tennessee State University

The University of the South logo

The University of the South

Overview

Location Murfreesboro, Tennessee Sewanee, Tennessee
Campus setting City: Midsize Rural: Distant
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 75.0% 90.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation Protestant

Admission

Acceptance rate 68.4% 60.3%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $25

Graduate: $35
SAT range 1010 - 1210 1200 - 1390
ACT range 19 - 26 26 - 31
Students submitting SAT score 7.0% 25.0%
Students submitting ACT score 92.0% 49.0%
Total number of applicants 11,244 4,162
Total number of admissions given out 7,691 2,508
Admitted students who chose to enroll 2,752 474
Yield rate 35.8% 18.9%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $24,554

Out of state: $43,586
$66,480
Average net price $12,617 $29,626
Tuition
In state: $7,344

Out of state: $26,376
$49,146
Room & board $9,576
Room/dormitory: $7,314

Meal plan: $6,798
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

97.0%
Average amount $8,747
95.0%
Average amount $35,383
Students receiving federal student loan 36.0%
Average amount $4,835
74.0%
Average amount $5,329
Students taking out private loans 3.0%
Average amount $12,638
0.0%
Average amount $0

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 18,603
Men 45.2% Women 54.8%
1,735
Men 47.1% Women 52.9%
Graduate students 2,965
Men 36.1% Women 63.9%
85
Men 58.8% Women 41.2%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Very Low
Out-of-state students N/A 77.6%
International students 2.4% 3.9%
Campus local/setting City: Midsize Rural: Distant
Dormitory capacity 2,518 1,800
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A Tennessee Georgia North Carolina Texas Alabama

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Education
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Social Sciences
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Theology
  • History
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures
Students to faculty ratio 16:1 10:1
Institutional accreditation Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome

Graduation rate 53.7% 80.2%
Dropout rate 14.7% 1.9%
Transferred out 28.5% 17.9%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $88,408
  • Year 2: $85,760
  • Year 3: $90,571
Psychology, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $49,120
  • Year 2: $59,485
  • Year 3: $88,221
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,903
  • Year 2: $66,104
  • Year 3: $78,609
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,709
  • Year 2: $67,101
  • Year 3: $72,118
Construction Management (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,220
  • Year 2: $66,541
  • Year 3: $69,654
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,896
  • Year 2: $57,860
  • Year 3: $67,093
Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $50,963
  • Year 2: $57,995
  • Year 3: $66,752
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,662
  • Year 2: $54,192
  • Year 3: $66,144
Engineering-Related Fields (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,628
  • Year 2: $58,943
  • Year 3: $61,839
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $55,209
  • Year 2: $55,061
  • Year 3: $58,677
Theological and Ministerial Studies (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,807
  • Year 2: $75,204
  • Year 3: $77,812
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $50,532
  • Year 2: $47,595
  • Year 3: $63,733
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,235
  • Year 2: $37,568
  • Year 3: $52,168
International/Global Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $28,960
  • Year 3: $47,601
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $31,230
  • Year 2: $26,353
  • Year 3: $38,096
Natural Resources Conservation and Research (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $25,774
  • Year 3: $33,693
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $15,922
  • Year 3: N/A
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $27,028
  • Year 2: $25,194
  • Year 3: N/A
History (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $37,568
  • Year 3: N/A

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