University of Memphis

Public · Moderately Selective · TN

Photo: Bubbahotepblues (CC BY-SA 4.0)

School data & stats

TypePublic

LocationTN · South

SettingUrban

Undergrads12,701

Student:faculty16:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate33.4%

6-yr grad rate50.9%

Drop-out rate22.6%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$11k

Out-of-state tuition$15k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity64.8%

Gender diversity59.9%

International2%

Identity—

Overview

The University of Memphis is a public research university serving an urban Tennessee city built on logistics, healthcare, and music. It draws heavily from the Memphis metro area and carries a strong commuter and first-generation-student identity, with a campus culture shaped as much by the surrounding city as by a traditional quad. The main campus sits in the Highland/Normal Station area of the city, close enough to downtown and the medical district that internships and part-time work are a normal part of student life rather than an exception.

Academics

The university is best known nationally for its Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music, its programs in communication sciences and disorders (audiology and speech-language pathology), and its supply-chain and logistics offerings through the Fogelman College of Business and Economics, the last of which benefits directly from being in FedEx's home city and near major distribution and trucking employers. The Herff College of Engineering and the Loewenberg College of Nursing are other solid programs, and the university also runs its own law school. Many programs are structured with working and commuting students in mind, with evening and flexible scheduling more common than at a traditional residential flagship.

Campus & student life

Memphis is an urban campus, and a large share of students commute or balance coursework with jobs and family responsibilities, giving it a less traditional residential-college feel than many state flagships. Tiger athletics, particularly basketball, are a unifying point of campus and city pride, with a program that has produced NBA talent and draws serious local attention even from people with no other connection to the university. The city's music and food scene functions as an extension of campus life for students willing to explore it.

Getting in

Admissions is generally accessible and geared toward serving Tennessee students, with an emphasis on opening doors for first-generation and local applicants rather than a highly competitive, essay-driven process. Merit scholarships tied to test scores and GPA play a meaningful role in what students actually pay, and specific programs like nursing and the audiology/speech-pathology track have their own more selective entry points once students are enrolled.

After graduation

Graduates feed directly into Memphis's health-care and distribution-and-logistics employers, including major hospital systems and the freight and trucking companies clustered around FedEx's hub. Music school graduates have a real track record in the city's recording, performance, and music-business economy, trading on Memphis's musical heritage. The alumni network is concentrated regionally and tied closely to the city's major employers rather than spread nationally.

Worth knowing

Because so many students commute or work while enrolled, the on-campus social scene is thinner than at a traditional flagship, which suits some students and disappoints others expecting a classic residential experience. The city itself, not the campus, is often the bigger draw for students who choose Memphis.

memphis.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate72%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 915–1180 · ACT 18–24

Test policyrequired

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

Regular decisionJul 1

AdmissionRolling

Applying