University of Memphis is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Memphis, Tennessee. It enrolls 12,701 students (a large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.
AccreditorSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Selective), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.
Strong
72/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes39
Value83
Affordability78
Selectivity42
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
University of Memphis admits 72% of applicants, which makes it moderately selective, and realistic if you meet the academic profile.
Acceptance Rate
72%
Moderate
SAT Range (25th–75th)
915 – 1180
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
18 – 24
Cumulative composite
Test PolicyRequiredSAT or ACT scores must be submitted with the application.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether University of Memphis is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Becoming less selective ↑
8.6 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $12,397 a year on average, it sits below what public colleges charge nationally. That still leaves most families a gap to cover, but a manageable one. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$10,728
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$15,384
Room & Board (on-campus)
$11,342
Room & Board (off-campus)
$11,342
Books & Supplies
$920
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$6,654
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$6,654
Total Cost of Attendance
$25,169
Application fee: $25 (one-time, due at submission)
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$10,607
$30,001 – $48,000
$10,968
$48,001 – $75,000
$13,923
$75,001 – $110,000
$17,384
Over $110,000
$18,691
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$3,50010%percentile
$7,05625%percentile
$23,300Medianpercentile
$30,86475%percentile
$45,00090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $17,500
↓ $5,800
No Pell $12,500
↓ $10,800
Dependent students $14,743
↓ $8,557
Independent students $19,585
↓ $3,715
Female students $16,626
↓ $6,674
Male students $14,350
↓ $8,950
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $9,500, less than completers ($23,300), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
51% of students who start here finish within six years, and 74% come back after first year. Roughly half finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.
6-Year Graduation Rate
51%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
74%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $48,458 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$48,458
Earning > $25K
75%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$38,400
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$50,700
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$40,000
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$43,900
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$48,600
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $12,300, about 24% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
15.0 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Moderate. Only 62% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 12,701 students, a large student community. Worth knowing: 37% are the first in their family to go to college.
Total Enrolled
12,701
Part-Time
18%
First-Generation
37%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Black 40.7%5,173
White 35.2%4,469
Hispanic 12.2%1,544
Asian 4.7%602
Other 4.5%577
International 2.0%259
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at University of Memphis. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
University of Memphis offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
159 distinct programs across
28 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
There are 17 students for every instructor here: on the higher side, so larger classes are common.
Student : Faculty
17:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$11,407
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$341M
Solid financial position
Avg Faculty Salary
$86,035
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
896 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
203
23%
$118,331
Associate Professors
237
26%
$89,327
Assistant Professors
245
27%
$81,051
Instructors
211
24%
$57,054
Pros & Cons of University of Memphis
No college is right for everyone. Here is where University of Memphis is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Frequently Asked Questions about University of Memphis
The questions families ask most about University of Memphis, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is University of Memphis hard to get into?
Admissions at University of Memphis are moderately competitive. The acceptance rate is 72%, so most applicants who meet the academic minimums are admitted.
What is the acceptance rate at University of Memphis?
72% of applicants are admitted. Most applicants who meet the basic requirements are admitted. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What SAT score do you need for University of Memphis?
Aim for 1180 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 915 and 1180 (Reading plus Math), so anything above the top of that range makes you competitive and anything below the bottom means the rest of your application has to carry more weight. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What ACT score do you need for University of Memphis?
Aim for 24 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 18 and 24 on the composite, so the upper half of that band is where you want to land. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does University of Memphis cost?
Budget around $12,397 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is University of Memphis worth it?
On the numbers, yes: solid return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $48,458 a year against a net price of $12,397, about 3.9 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is University of Memphis known for?
Mostly Kinesiology, Nursing, Information Systems. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do University of Memphis graduates earn?
About $48,458 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is University of Memphis accredited?
Yes. University of Memphis is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend University of Memphis?
12,701 students. Big enough for a wide course catalogue without feeling anonymous. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at University of Memphis?
51% finish within six years. That leaves a meaningful share who do not finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is University of Memphis a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is University of Memphis located?
University of Memphis is located in Memphis, Tennessee.
What programs does University of Memphis offer?
159 different programs, most commonly Kinesiology, Nursing, Information Systems. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at University of Memphis?
17 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Related Colleges in Tennessee
Other colleges in Tennessee share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
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