UTC-Chattanooga vs Old Dominion University (ODU)

Envision yourself as a student, standing at the crossroads of two esteemed universities: The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga (UTC) and Old Dominion University (ODU). While both institutions offer a wealth of opportunities, they possess distinct characteristics that may influence your academic journey. UTC, nestled in the vibrant city of Chattanooga, boasts a higher acceptance rate, welcoming a diverse student body from various backgrounds. ODU, situated in the coastal city of Norfolk, stands out with its extensive research opportunities and a higher graduation rate. As you navigate the comparison table, explore the nuances of each university, including popular majors, student demographics, and financial aid options. Discover which university aligns with your aspirations and empowers you to thrive in your chosen field.

	Old Dominion University	The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga
Overview
Location	Norfolk, Virginia	Chattanooga, Tennessee
Campus setting	City: Midsize	City: Midsize
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Public	Public
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	72.0%	73.0%
Common app member	Yes	No
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	96.2%	85.7%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $50 Graduate: $50	Undergraduate: $30 Graduate: $35
SAT range	1020 - 1220	1030 - 1230
ACT range	20 - 27	20 - 26
Students submitting SAT score	83.0%	5.0%
Students submitting ACT score	11.0%	89.0%
Total number of applicants	13,586	7,607
Total number of admissions given out	13,074	6,518
Admitted students who chose to enroll	2,899	2,074
Yield rate	22.2%	31.8%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Not required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	In state: $28,088 Out of state: $48,248	In state: $24,798 Out of state: $40,916
Average net price	$17,254	$13,552
Tuition	In state: $7,029 Out of state: $26,664	In state: $7,992 Out of state: $24,110
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $7,690 Meal plan: $5,398	Room/dormitory: $6,348 Meal plan: $4,114
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	91.0% Average amount $7,702	96.0% Average amount $9,566
Students receiving federal student loan	57.0% Average amount $5,222	44.0% Average amount $4,907
Students taking out private loans	7.0% Average amount $15,206	4.0% Average amount $10,148

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	18,678 Men 43.9% Women 56.1%	10,016 Men 41.7% Women 58.3%
Graduate students	4,816 Men 39.4% Women 60.6%	1,441 Men 40.0% Women 60.0%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Low
Out-of-state students	10.2%	11.5%
International students	2.8%	1.2%
Campus local/setting	City: Midsize	City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity	4,361	3,488
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Virginia Maryland Pennsylvania North Carolina New Jersey	Tennessee Georgia Alabama Virgin Islands California

Academics
Popular study areas	Health Professions Education Engineering Computer and Information Science Biological and Biomedical Sciences	Health Professions Engineering Business Education Engineering Technologies
Students to faculty ratio	16:1	18:1
Institutional accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome
Graduation rate	48.7%	53.7%
Dropout rate	19.7%	44.3%
Transferred out	28.2%	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Engineering, Other (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $98,047 Year 2: $106,421 Year 3: $104,107 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $105,948 Year 2: $95,295 Year 3: $103,379 Engineering, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $79,161 Year 2: $78,719 Year 3: $83,937 Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $63,137 Year 2: $72,231 Year 3: $83,852 Education, Other (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $74,043 Year 2: $71,854 Year 3: $77,597 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $64,315 Year 2: $58,673 Year 3: $75,302 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $64,709 Year 2: $66,126 Year 3: $74,887 Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $72,357 Year 2: $71,114 Year 3: $74,858 Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $59,112 Year 2: $61,516 Year 3: $73,924 Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $64,804 Year 2: $62,654 Year 3: $72,559	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $146,119 Year 2: $145,898 Year 3: $147,996 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $74,736 Year 2: $76,041 Year 3: $80,605 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $67,245 Year 2: $72,883 Year 3: $78,427 Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $63,841 Year 2: $63,005 Year 3: $74,942 Psychology, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $40,600 Year 2: $63,005 Year 3: $73,667 Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $57,404 Year 2: $62,012 Year 3: $71,084 Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $65,427 Year 2: $67,324 Year 3: $70,983 Engineering, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $54,615 Year 2: $69,338 Year 3: $69,556 Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $68,269 Year 2: $71,255 Year 3: $69,322 Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $46,241 Year 2: $57,318 Year 3: $61,753

Compare Similar Colleges

The list of suggested college comparisons provided below is generated automatically by our system, utilizing statistics gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and various online sources. If you don't find the colleges you wish to compare, please visit our comparison page. There, you can search for the specific colleges and initiate your comparison.