University of Memphis acceptance rate and your odds of getting in
University of Memphis, a public university in Tennessee, reports a 72% acceptance rate and sits in the moderately selective band. In practice that means it admits more applicants than it rejects, so a strong application is judged against an applicant pool that is already self-selected.
Use this page to see what University of Memphis weighs, where it ranks among Tennessee schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1200, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.
What do students study at University of Memphis?
Bachelor's degrees awarded by field in 2023 (IPEDS completions). Each field has its own page with the school's numbers, the model's major adjustment, and peers offering it.
Will I get into University of Memphis?
Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into University of Memphis, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.
What are my chances of getting into University of Memphis?
Your odds at University of Memphis are not the same as its 72% acceptance rate. Your real odds depend on how your GPA, course rigor, test scores, and activities compare to its admitted students. Run your profile through the free CollegeCalcAI calculator to get a personalized acceptance percentage for University of Memphis in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.
Is University of Memphis hard to get into?
University of Memphis is moderately selective: it admits more applicants than it rejects, with about a 72% acceptance rate. Meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.
What GPA do you need to get into University of Memphis?
There is no hard GPA cutoff at University of Memphis, but admitted students often present roughly a 3.2 to 3.7 GPA. University of Memphis reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.
Your chances at University of Memphis by GPA and SAT
Estimated chance of admission at University of Memphis for plain profiles, from the same model as the calculator. Unweighted GPA, 3 AP courses, Regular Decision, no legacy, athletic or first-generation hook. The last column is test-optional (no score sent).
What are my chances at University of Memphis with a 3.1 GPA and a 1050 SAT?
About 81% (Safety), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.1 unweighted GPA and a 1050 SAT, the middle of University of Memphis's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.4 GPA with a 1180 SAT comes out near 97%. Courses, activities, essays and the application round move the number; the free calculator includes them.
Estimates, not guarantees. Get yours with your real courses and activities. Assistants and developers can fetch this table from the free API: /api/v1/colleges/university-of-memphis.
How to get into University of Memphis
Built from University of Memphis's admitted class and what it reports weighing. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled figures, not published cutoffs.
There is no formula that guarantees a spot at University of Memphis, but the applicants who get in tend to do the same four things. Here is what the numbers say each one looks like.
CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at University of Memphis carries about a 3.21 core GPA and a 1130 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Meeting it puts you in the admitted range for most applicants.
The admitted middle 50% is 915 to 1180 SAT (18 to 24 ACT). Scores are required, so schedule a retake if you are below the midpoint.
University of Memphis rates rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores highest in its own Common Data Set. Put your depth there: and a transcript whose rigor rises through junior year.
Most public universities read early applicants first without a binding commitment. Apply by University of Memphis's early or priority deadline (confirm dates at www.memphis.edu), and if you are out of state, know that residency changes both the bar and the price.
How many students apply to University of Memphis, and how many get in?
University of Memphis admitted 14,605 of the 15,640 students who applied for fall 2023, which works out to 93.4%. 2,591 enrolled. Only about 18% of admitted students enrolled, so the school admits several students for every seat it expects to fill, which is why its acceptance rate reads higher than its selectivity feels. University of Memphis enrolls about 12,701 undergraduates in total, 60% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 16 to 1.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.
What SAT and ACT scores do you need for University of Memphis?
Admitted students at University of Memphis post SAT scores of 915 to 1180 in the middle 50%, with an average of 1088. On the ACT the middle 50% runs from 18 to 24. A score above 1180 puts you in the top quarter of admits and turns the test into an asset; a score below 915 puts you in the bottom quarter, where the rest of the application has to carry more weight. University of Memphis requires test scores, so plan a test date that leaves time for one retake.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10.
What University of Memphis looks for
What University of Memphis weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.
The factors that carry the most weight at University of Memphis are rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores. Solid grades in a challenging schedule do most of the work here, with the rest of the application providing context. These ratings come from University of Memphis's reported Common Data Set, so the full chart below reflects what the school itself says it values, not a generic guess.
SAT score positioning at University of Memphis
How common SAT scores sit relative to the admitted middle. This is context, not a probability. Your full profile determines the real estimate.
How much does University of Memphis cost after financial aid?
The full sticker price at University of Memphis (tuition, fees, housing, food, books) is about $25,169 a year. Tuition and fees are $10,728 for TN residents and $15,384 for out-of-state students, a $4,656 gap that makes residency the single biggest lever on cost. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $12,397 a year, and it ranges from $10,607 for families earning under $30,000 to $18,691 for families earning over $110,000. 41% of undergraduates receive a federal Pell Grant.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Net price is what students receiving aid paid after grants, by family income.
What do University of Memphis graduates earn, and how many graduate?
Median earnings for University of Memphis students ten years after entry are $48,458 ($40,921 at the six-year mark). 51% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 77% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $23,300; 38% of undergraduates take federal loans.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Earnings cover students who received federal aid.
How University of Memphis compares in Tennessee
University of Memphis ranks #20 most selective of 33 schools in Tennessee in our database.
Among the 33 Tennessee schools we track, University of Memphis ranks #20 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like Vanderbilt University (6%) and Fisk University (37%) sit nearby, which makes Tennessee a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list. As a public university, residency matters: in-state applicants generally see meaningfully better odds than the headline rate suggests.
Similar to University of Memphis
Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.
Applicants targeting University of Memphis often weigh James Madison University, University of Maryland Baltimore County, and University of Missouri-Kansas City, which sit at a similar level. Running the same profile against each one in the free calculator is the fastest way to see where you are a reach, a match, or a likely.
Frequently asked questions
What is University of Memphis's acceptance rate?
University of Memphis admitted 14,605 of 15,640 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 93.4% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 18% of admitted students enrolled.
What SAT score do you need for University of Memphis?
The middle 50% of admitted students scored 915 to 1180 on the SAT and 18 to 24 on the ACT. A score above 1180 is in the top quarter of admits.
Is University of Memphis test-optional?
No. University of Memphis reports that test scores are required for admission.
How much does University of Memphis cost after financial aid?
The average net price at University of Memphis, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $12,397 a year against a sticker price of about $25,169. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $10,607 on average.
What do University of Memphis graduates earn?
Median earnings ten years after entering University of Memphis are $48,458 a year among students who received federal aid, and 51% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).
What does University of Memphis value most in applicants?
Based on its admissions profile, University of Memphis weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.
Does University of Memphis favor in-state applicants?
As a public university, University of Memphis generally admits in-state applicants at a higher rate than out-of-state applicants, so your home state affects your odds. CollegeCalcAI applies an in-state residency boost when you select your state.
How can I improve my chances at University of Memphis?
Focus on the highest-leverage parts of your application: course rigor and GPA trajectory first, then test scores, then a focused leadership or activity spike. CollegeCalcAI's Power-Ups quantify how much each change would move your odds at University of Memphis specifically.
What are the admission requirements for University of Memphis?
University of Memphis reviews GPA, course rigor, test scores (where submitted), activities, and essays. With a more accessible acceptance rate, meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.
Acceptance rate, application counts, admitted test ranges, cost, and outcomes reflect publicly reported federal data (U.S. Department of Education: IPEDS 2023 and the College Scorecard) and each school's Common Data Set; figures are rounded and lag the current cycle by one to two years, so confirm deadlines and policies on the school's own site. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled estimates. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are a planning tool computed by a fixed, transparent model, not a guarantee of any admission decision.