Michigan State University vs The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

East Lansing, MI · Knoxville, TN · largest Scorecard gap: acceptance rate

Scorecard match plate

Pair MI:TN

PUBLIC-PAIR · CROSS-STATE · ACCEPT-GAP · NET-PAR · EARN-SPLIT · DEBT-SPLIT · COMPLETE-HIGH · GAP-ACCEPT

  • PUBLIC-PAIR Public pair
  • CROSS-STATE MI × TN
  • ACCEPT-GAP Admission gap
  • NET-PAR Net near-par
  • EARN-SPLIT Earnings split
  • DEBT-SPLIT Debt split
  • COMPLETE-HIGH High completion
  • GAP-ACCEPT Largest gap · Acceptance Rate

Instrument codes from this pair's College Scorecard ownership, geography, acceptance, net price, earnings, debt, and completion, plus the ENROLL-RACE · wide · 2013–2023 decade-path stamp below, not a ranking or recommendation.

Decade path · College Scorecard

Both grew, one campus expanded much faster

ENROLL-RACE · wide · 2013–2023

Undergraduate headcount rose at both Michigan State University and The University of Tennessee-Knoxville across 2013–2023, but one fitted annual pace pulls far ahead of the other. Treat them as size peers on different slopes, not interchangeable large campuses.

  • The University of Tennessee-Knoxville: enrollment grew +37.3% over 2013–2023; fitted +694 students/yr fitted, r² 0.87.
  • Michigan State University: enrollment grew +7.0% over 2013–2023; fitted +124 students/yr fitted, r² 0.40.
  • Michigan State University: acceptance rate eased +22.2% across 2013–2023 (r² 0.80).
  • The University of Tennessee-Knoxville: acceptance-rate path 2013–2023 stays non-directional here (r² 0.26).

College Scorecard institution series; dollars are nominal. Direction claims require r² ≥ 0.40 on the fitted annual slope, otherwise the page reports the observed range. Descriptive history, not a recommendation.

Scorecard metrics

Cards ordered by relative gap on this pair. Teal = better side.

Largest gaps: Michigan State University vs The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

  1. ACCEPTANCE-RATE The University of Tennessee-Knoxville leads on acceptance rate (41.6% vs 84.8% at Michigan State University)
  2. OUT-OF-STATE-TUITI The University of Tennessee-Knoxville leads on out-of-state tuition ($33,256 vs $43,842 at Michigan State University)
  3. IN-STATE-TUITION The University of Tennessee-Knoxville leads on in-state tuition ($13,812 vs $16,458 at Michigan State University)

Michigan State University profile · The University of Tennessee-Knoxville profile · Compare other colleges

Acceptance Rate and other Scorecard questions

On acceptance rate, who leads between Michigan State University and The University of Tennessee-Knoxville?
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville leads on acceptance rate at 41.6% versus 84.8% at Michigan State University. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On out-of-state tuition, who leads between Michigan State University and The University of Tennessee-Knoxville?
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville leads on out-of-state tuition at $33,256 versus $43,842 at Michigan State University. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On in-state tuition, who leads between Michigan State University and The University of Tennessee-Knoxville?
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville leads on in-state tuition at $13,812 versus $16,458 at Michigan State University. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard College Scorecard institution outcomes (earnings, completion, debt); acceptance rate focus for this pair · 2025