R1 ResearchPublic

University of Memphis

Memphis, Tennessee·Public, 4-year or above·Southeast·memphis.edu
6-yr Graduation
51%
-11.5pp vs R1 Research
Total enrollment
20,276
peer median 23,108
Avg net price
$12,397
-$5.4k vs R1 Research
Use this data
Ask Clema
AdmissionsOutcomesProgram outcomesAccreditationCostFederal aidLoan defaultsAcademic programsEnrollment trendsAthleticsCampus safetyFacultyPeersIR OfficeCommon Data Set

Admissions & acceptance rate

First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.

IPEDS
Applied
15,084
15,084 candidates competed
Admitted
10,865
72.0% acceptance rate
Enrolled
1,962
18.1% yield

Graduation rate & outcomes

Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.

IPEDS
Overall completion
51%-11.5pp vs R1 Research
4-year graduation
33%
6-year graduation (bachelor’s)
51%
Full-time retention
77%

Pell equity

14.7pp gap
Pell recipients
44%548 of 1256
Non-Pell (all)
59%686 of 1169
Subsidized loan, no Pell
53%149 of 280
No Federal Aid
60%537 of 889

Non-Pell students graduate at a 14.7-point higher rate than Pell recipients.

Source: IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) — Pell/SSL cohort, 2024 cohort.

Program outcomes

Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.

FVT/GE

Of 192 Title IV programs, 61 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 131 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.

Total programs
192
Passing
61
31.8% of portfolio
Failing (GE)
0
0.0% of portfolio
Fail rate
0.0%
-0.6pp vs 0.6% national

Pass / fail distribution

192programs
  • Passing61 · 31.8%
  • No Data131 · 68.2%
  • Failing0 · 0.0%

Severity spectrum

Critical
0
Severe
0
Recoverable
0
At Risk
0
Watch
3
Safe
58
No data
131

Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.

Earnings premium gap

Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.

61
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
Bachelor Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
+16.5%
$38,440 vs $32,989
Linguistic Comparative and Related Language Studies and Services
Bachelor Degree · Foreign Languages, Literatures, And Linguistics
+18.2%
$39,001 vs $32,989
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
Master's Degree · Education
+20.5%
$51,734 vs $42,937
Music
Master's Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
+25.2%
$57,099 vs $45,599
English Language and Literature General
Bachelor Degree · English Language And Literature/Letters
+25.4%
$41,383 vs $32,989
Communication and Media Studies
Bachelor Degree · Communication, Journalism, And Related Programs
+29.1%
$42,605 vs $32,989
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+29.8%
$66,928 vs $51,545
Curriculum and Instruction
Master's Degree · Education
+31.0%
$56,248 vs $42,937

Debt vs earnings

Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.

57
Law
First Professional Degree · Legal Professions And Studies
117%
$94,810 debt · $81,169 earn
Educational Administration and Supervision
Doctoral Degree · Education
84%
$71,013 debt · $85,070 earn
Social Work
Master's Degree · Public Administration And Social Service Professions
67%
$41,397 debt · $61,683 earn
Social Work
Bachelor Degree · Public Administration And Social Service Professions
66%
$30,500 debt · $46,494 earn
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
Master's Degree · Education
64%
$33,160 debt · $51,734 earn
Liberal Arts and Sciences General Studies and Humanities
Master's Degree · Liberal Arts And Sciences, General Studies And Humanities
63%
$40,853 debt · $65,320 earn
Teacher Education and Professional Development Specific Levels and Methods
Bachelor Degree · Education
61%
$27,000 debt · $44,293 earn
Ethnic Cultural Minority Gender and Group Studies
Bachelor Degree · Area, Ethnic, Cultural, And Gender Studies
61%
$31,125 debt · $51,232 earn

Accreditation status & history

Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.

DAPIP
AccreditedInstitutional accreditor

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges

Accredited since 1927Next review Jun 2031

Programmatic accreditations · 20

Action history · 29

  1. Dec 2025Renewal of Accreditation
    Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
  2. Oct 2025Renewal of Accreditation
    American Psychological Association, Commission on Accreditation · Clinical Psychology (CLPSY) - PhD Doctoral programs
  3. Sep 2025Grant Substantive Change: Program
    Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
  4. Jul 2025Renewal of Accreditation
    Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics · Dietetics (DIETI) - Dietetic Internship
  5. Jan 2025Renewal of Accreditation
    Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics · Dietetics (DIETI) - Dietetic Internship

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Tuition & cost

What families actually pay, broken down by family income.

College Scorecard

Net price by family income

Aid exceeds costFamily pays
$0–30k$10,607
$30–48k$10,968
$48–75k$13,923
$75–110k$17,384
$110k+$18,691

Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.

Avg net price
$12,397
-$5,394vs R1 Research median $17,792
Federal loans
37.9%
In-state tuition
$10,728
Out-of-state
$15,384

Federal aid volume & trends

Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.

Federal Student Aid

In AY 2024–25, 7,890 students received $46.3M in Pell grants, alongside $78.2M in federal Direct Loans.

Pell recipients
7,890
AY 2024–25
Pell disbursed
$46.3M
$46,252,250 total
Direct Loans
$78.2M
13,018 loan awards

Pell recipients · 5-year trend

8k
’20
8k
’21
7k
’22
8k
’23
8k
’24

Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25

Subsidized$21.1M
5,384 loan awards
Unsubsidized · UG$21.2M
5,197 loan awards
Unsubsidized · Grad$25.1M
1,622 loan awards
Parent PLUS$5.6M
462 loan awards
Grad PLUS$5.2M
353 loan awards

Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student loan default rate

The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.

Cohort Default Rate

Of 5,269 borrowers who entered repayment, 186 (3.5%) defaulted within three years — above the 2.3% national rate.

Default rate
3.5%
+1.2pp vs 2.3% national
Borrowers in repayment
5,269
Defaulted
186
Measurement window
3 years
Federal CDR standard

Default rate vs national, by cohort

2016
11.0%
2017
11.4%
2018
9.3%
2019
3.5%
2020*
0.0%
This institutionNational rate

* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Academic programs at University of Memphis

Top program areas ranked by completions.

IPEDS
Distinct CIP programs140
UndergraduateOffered
GraduateOffered

Top program families by completions

3,546 total completions
01Business
79222.3%
02Parks/Recreation
42612.0%
03Health Professions
42512.0%
04Computer Sciences
38510.9%
05Multi/Interdisciplinary
35810.1%
06Education
3158.9%
07Engineering
2577.2%
08Psychology
2166.1%
09Visual/Performing Arts
2065.8%
10Biological Sciences
1664.7%

Enrollment trends & demographics

Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.

IPEDS
Fall total
20,276
12-mo unduplicated
23,443
Undergraduate
18,051
Graduate
5,392

Gender split

Men
40%9,446
Women
60%13,997

Race / ethnicity composition

Black
40.7%
White
35.2%
Hispanic
12.2%
Asian
4.7%
Two or more
4.3%
Non-resident
2.0%
Unknown
0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
0.1%

Athletics & Title IX gender equity

How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.

EADA
Athletes
468
320 M · 148 W
Women athletes
31.6%
Athletic aid
$9.2M
Total student aid
Budget
$65.9M
Total expenses

Men vs women · spending splits

Athletic student aid
$5.8M
$3.3M
Recruiting expense
$945K
$378K
Head-coach salaries
$823K
$162K
Men Women

Sport-by-sport · 9

Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
98 M · 74 W
$2.5M
Football
165 M · —
$22.0M
Soccer
38 M · 33 W
$2.9M
Baseball
37 M · —
$2.1M
Softball
— · 33 W
$1.6M
Basketball
16 M · 15 W
$12.8M

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Campus safety & crime statistics

Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.

Clery Act
Criminal offenses · per 1,000 students
3.54
77 offenses · 21,736 students

3-year trend

3.562 yrs ago4.061 yr ago3.54Latest
Offenses · 3-yr
243
Last three years
VAWA · 3-yr
37
DV, dating, stalking
Hate crimes · 3-yr
0
Res-hall fires · 3-yr
23

Criminal offenses by type

Motor vehicle theft
61
Burglary
6
Aggravated assault
5
Rape
3
Robbery
2

By location

77total
  • On campus45
  • Non-campus31
  • Public property1

Includes 14 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).

VAWA offenses

3
Domestic violence
1
Dating violence
0
Stalking
4 total under the Violence Against Women Act.

Hate crimes by bias

No hate crimes reported.

Arrests vs disciplinary referrals

CategoryArrestsReferrals
Weapons120
Drugs012
Liquor14

Residence-hall fires

  • Rawls Hall2 fires
    CookingDamage $0-$99
  • Rawls Hall2 fires
    CookingDamage $0-$99
  • Smith Hall2 fires
    OtherDamage $0-$99
  • Smith Hall2 fires
    OtherDamage $0-$99
  • LLC2 fires
    Damage $0-$99
  • LLC2 fires
    Damage $0-$99
  • South Hall2 fires
    Damage $0-$99
  • South Hall2 fires
    OtherDamage $0-$99
  • Carpenter Complex8 fires
    OtherDamage $10,000-$24,999
  • Carpenter Complex8 fires
    OtherDamage $0-$99
  • Carpenter Complex8 fires
    OtherDamage $0-$99
  • Carpenter Complex8 fires
    OtherDamage $0-$99
  • Carpenter Complex8 fires
    OtherDamage $0-$99
  • Carpenter Complex8 fires
    OtherDamage $0-$99
  • Carpenter Complex8 fires
    OtherDamage $0-$99
  • Carpenter Complex8 fires
    OtherDamage $0-$99
  • Centennial Place2 fires
    Machinery/IndustrialDamage $100-$999
  • Centennial Place2 fires
    OtherDamage $0-$99
  • Carney Johnston Hall3 fires
    Machinery/IndustrialDamage $0-$99
  • Carney Johnston Hall3 fires
    OtherDamage $0-$99
  • Carney Johnston Hall3 fires
    OtherDamage $0-$99

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student-faculty ratio

Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.

IPEDS
Student-to-faculty
16.0:1
Instructional staff (full-time equivalent)
886

University of Memphis vs Peer comparison

The peer institutions University of Memphis selected for federal comparison reporting.

IPEDS
GraduationRetentionSelectivityEnrollmentAffordabilityYield
This institutionPeer median

A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.

Carnegie
SubjectUniversity of Memphis
51%—20,276$12,397R1 Research
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville
74%41.6%38,728$18,976R1 Research
Mississippi State University
67%77.6%23,150$17,595R1 Research
University of Alabama at Birmingham
64%88.2%20,905$18,749R1 Research
Old Dominion University
46%90.4%23,743$14,638R1 Research
University of Louisville
61%79.4%23,065$17,988R1 Research
Peer group median63%79.4%23,108$17,792

Institutions like University of Memphis

Explore the federal data for institutions in University of Memphis's comparison group.

IPEDS

University of Memphis Institutional Research office

The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.

Office
Office of Institutional Research
Phone
(901) 678-2000
Address
3720 Alumni Ave, Memphis, TN 38152

The page provides information on the University of Memphis's Office of Institutional Research, including resources like interactive reports and external reporting data. Contact information and links to various resources, including Power BI reports and report request submission forms, are available.

Visit IR office page
Team
5 members
  • Bridgette Decent
    Associate Vice Provost for Strategic Analytics
  • Sean M. Holden
    Director of Institutional Research
  • Shima Azizzadeh-Roodpish
    Research Analyst III
  • Latisha Brooks
    Research Analyst II
  • Jeff Parsell
    Research Analyst I

Common Data Set

University of Memphis's own annual Common Data Set: the most detailed self-reported reference for selectivity, cost, outcomes, and the student body.

Source publications

Frequently asked questions about University of Memphis

Quick answers to the questions most often asked about University of Memphis.

What is the graduation rate at University of Memphis?

University of Memphis reports a 6-year graduation rate of 51% per the latest IPEDS.

How many students attend University of Memphis?

University of Memphis reports a total enrollment of 20,276 students per the latest IPEDS.

What is the average net price at University of Memphis?

The average net price at University of Memphis is $12,397 per the latest College Scorecard. Net price is the published cost of attendance minus grant aid.

What is the yield rate at University of Memphis?

University of Memphis's yield rate is 18.1%, the share of admitted students who enrolled, per the latest IPEDS.

Where is University of Memphis located?

University of Memphis is located in Memphis, Tennessee 38152.

Who runs Institutional Research at University of Memphis?

University of Memphis's IR work is done by the Office of Institutional Research.

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDS2025 provisional data (Fall 2025–26 release, July 28, 2026)
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
U.S. Department of Education
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.
U.S. Department of Education
DAPIP accreditationContinuously refreshed
Accreditation status for institutions and programs, reported by recognized accrediting agencies.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Federal Pell Grant volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Pell Grant recipient counts, award amounts, and disbursements by institution and award year.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Federal student loan volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Federal Direct Loan recipient counts and disbursement volume by institution and award year.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Cohort Default RatesFY 2022 official rates
Institution-level federal student loan default rates, measuring borrowers who default within three years of entering repayment.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Equity in Athletics (EADA)Academic year 2024–25
Athletics participation, coaching, revenues, and expenses by sport and gender for Title IV institutions.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Campus Safety & SecurityData through reporting year 2024
Criminal offenses, arrests, disciplinary actions, VAWA offenses, and fire statistics reported by campus under the Clery Act.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Last reviewed July 2026All data sources & release dates →

Have a question this page can’t answer?

Ask Clema anything about University of Memphis and its peers — plain language in, cited answers out, in minutes instead of days.

Try for freeBook a demo

Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card