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The University of the South
The University of the South admits a bit under 60% of applicants; strong grades put you in the conversation at The University of the South, and the data below says what "strong" means.
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The University of the South anchors the college town of Sewanee, TN, where the private campus and town largely share a footprint. The school maintains its Protestant Episcopal affiliation, which threads through campus life to a degree that varies by program.
Its highest-earning path is Economics, where graduates median $87,762 four years out. 15.8% of undergraduates carry Pell grants — a plain read on who the campus actually serves. With 1,607 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 88.9% of first-years come back for a second year.
Submitters admitted here typically landed between 1236 and 1398 — above the TN middle for four-year schools. Put your own practice estimate on The University of the South's range with the SAT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.
Admissions
In the Fall 2023 cycle, The University of the South received 5,018 applications and admitted 2,554 (50.9%), with 449 enrolling.
Scores help here but aren't the gate. If your SAT sits inside the 1236–1398 submitter range, sending it likely helps; below it, The University of the South's own policy says you can leave it out.
| Score | 25th | 50th | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading & Writing | 633 | 660 | 710 |
| SAT Math | 603 | 645 | 688 |
| ACT Composite | 27 | 29 | 32 |
Percentiles are among students who submitted scores (Fall 2023 admissions cycle).
How The University of the South compares
| The University of the South | Tennessee median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 56.9% | 69.4% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $56,120 | $21,400 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $64,911 | $48,382 | $53,781 |
Earnings data favors The University of the South: $64,911 median at year ten, versus $48,382 across Tennessee institutions.
Cost, size & completion
Tuition runs $56,120 regardless of where you're from. At The University of the South, that sticker is a starting point for aid talks — not what the median family pays.
Enrollment sits at 1,607 — The University of the South is one of the smaller campuses on this site.
79.8% of The University of the South students finish a bachelor's within six years — 24.9 points above the national 54.9% — and the single best predictor that the $56,120 price above buys a degree, not just enrollment.
Top majors by earnings at The University of the South
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Economics | $87,762 |
| Political Science and Government | $72,682 |
| International/Globalization Studies | $70,907 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $59,821 |
| Psychology, General | $58,715 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $58,164 |
| Biology, General | $47,695 |
Median earnings for these 7 The University of the South programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $64,911 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 28 additional The University of the South programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for The University of the South?
Among admitted students who submitted scores, the middle 50% scored 1236–1398 on the SAT. There's no published GPA cutoff — pair these ranges with the 56.9% admission rate to judge your odds.
What is The University of the South's acceptance rate?
50.9% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 2,554 admitted from 5,018 applicants.
How much does The University of the South cost?
At The University of the South, published tuition is $56,120 — net price after aid usually comes in lower. That number is The University of the South's ceiling, not a quote.
What do The University of the South graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $64,911 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in Tennessee
- Rhodes College — 50.3% admitted
- The University of Tennessee-Knoxville — 41.6% admitted
- Freed-Hardeman University — 59.7% admitted
- Fisk University — 37.4% admitted
Run your own numbers
Data: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (Jun 2026), IPEDS ADM2023/HD2024. Retrieved 2026-09-01. Figures reflect the latest federal cohorts, which lag the current admissions cycle.