Accessible2025-2026 admissions cycle

UT Southern acceptance rate and admissions profile

UT Southern, a public university in Tennessee, reports a 87% acceptance rate and sits in the accessible band. In practice that means it admits most qualified applicants, so a strong application is judged against an applicant pool that is already self-selected.

Use this page to see what UT Southern 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 1100, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.

Acceptance rate
87%
Accessible
Admitted SAT (75th pct)
1100
of admitted students
Type
Public
Tennessee
Selectivity in state
#27
of 33 in TN
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Will I get into UT Southern?

Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into UT Southern, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.

What are my chances of getting into UT Southern?

Your odds at UT Southern are not the same as its 87% 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 UT Southern in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.

Is UT Southern hard to get into?

UT Southern is accessible: it admits most qualified applicants, with about a 87% acceptance rate. Meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.

What GPA do you need to get into UT Southern?

There is no hard GPA cutoff at UT Southern, but admitted students span a wide GPA range, with many in the 2.8 to 3.5 band. UT Southern reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.

What SAT score do you need for UT Southern?

UT Southern does not publish a required score, but the admitted-student 75th-percentile SAT is around 1100. A score at or above that range strengthens your application, while a lower score puts more weight on your rigor, activities, and essays. CollegeCalcAI shows how your exact score shifts your odds at UT Southern.

Calculate your chances at UT Southern

What UT Southern looks for

What UT Southern weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.

The factors that carry the most weight at UT Southern 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 UT Southern's reported Common Data Set, so the full chart below reflects what the school itself says it values, not a generic guess.

Rigor of secondary school record
Very important
Academic GPA
Very important
Class rank
Considered
Standardized test scores
Important
Application essay
Considered
Recommendations
Considered
Talent / ability
Considered
Character / personal qualities
Considered
First-generation status
Considered
State residency
Important

SAT score positioning at UT Southern

How common SAT scores sit relative to the admitted middle. This is context, not a probability — your full profile determines the real estimate.

SATWhere it sits at UT Southern
1600Above the admitted 75th percentile
1500Above the admitted 75th percentile
1400Above the admitted 75th percentile
1300Above the admitted 75th percentile
1200Above the admitted 75th percentile
1100In the competitive admitted range
Colleges for a 1100 SAT →Colleges for a 22 ACT →See colleges by GPA →

How UT Southern compares in Tennessee

UT Southern ranks #27 most selective of 33 schools in Tennessee in our database.

Among the 33 Tennessee schools we track, UT Southern ranks #27 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.

Vanderbilt University
6%acceptance · TN
Fisk University
37%acceptance · TN
University of Tennessee
42%acceptance · TN
Bryan College
48%acceptance · TN
Rhodes College
50%acceptance · TN
Lane College
55%acceptance · TN
Sewanee - University of the South
57%acceptance · TN
Union University (TN)
60%acceptance · TN
See all Tennessee schools →

Similar to UT Southern

Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.

Applicants targeting UT Southern often weigh Boise State University, George Mason University, and North Carolina Central University, 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.

Boise State University
87%acceptance · ID
George Mason University
87%acceptance · VA
North Carolina Central University
87%acceptance · NC
Southern Illinois University
87%acceptance · IL
University of Hawaiʻi
87%acceptance · HI
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
87%acceptance · LA

Frequently asked questions

What does UT Southern value most in applicants?

Based on its admissions profile, UT Southern weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.

Does UT Southern favor in-state applicants?

As a public university, UT Southern 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 UT Southern?

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 UT Southern specifically.

What are the admission requirements for UT Southern?

UT Southern 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.

Is UT Southern test-optional?

Test-optional policies change year to year, so confirm UT Southern's current policy on its official admissions site. If you do submit scores, the admitted 75th-percentile SAT is around 1100; if you do not, more weight falls on your GPA, course rigor, and essays.

Acceptance rate and admitted test ranges reflect publicly reported data (U.S. Department of Education / NCES IPEDS / Common Data Sets). Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are a planning tool computed by a fixed, transparent model, not a guarantee of any admission decision.