The University of the South

www.sewanee.edu

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2024 Undergraduate Tuition

$55,822

4.5% growth from 2023

2024 Average Net Price

$34,815

After Financial Aid

2024 Acceptance Rate

56.9%

4,703 Applicants

2024 Enrolled Students

1,724

95.7% Full-Time

2024 Graduation Rate

79.8%

379 Graduates

About

The University of the South is a higher education institution located in Franklin County, TN. In 2024, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at The University of the South were General Psychology (53 degrees awarded), Econometrics & Quantitative Economics (51 degrees), and General Literature (39 degrees).

In 2024, 490 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at The University of the South. 54.7% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 45.3% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (369 degrees), 10.3 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (36 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at The University of the South is $55,822, which is $27,644 more than the national average for Baccalaureate Colleges ($28,178).

Baccalaureate Colleges: Arts & Sciences Focus Baccalaureate Colleges

Costs

In 2024, the median undergraduate tuition at The University of the South is $55,822, which is $27,644 more than the national average for Baccalaureate Colleges ($28,178).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $34,815.

In 2024, 96% of undergraduate students attending The University of the South received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 34% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$55,822

2024 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2024, the cost of tuition at The University of the South was $55,822. The cost of tuition at The University of the South is $27,644 more than than the overall (public and private) national average for Baccalaureate Colleges ($28,178).

This chart compares the tuition costs of The University of the South (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$34,815

2024 Value

3.57%

1 Year Growth

In 2024 The University of the South had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $34,815. Between 2023 and 2024, the average net price of The University of the South grew by 3.57%.

This chart compares the average net price of The University of the South (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$15,338

Room and Board

$1,200

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at The University of the South was of $15,338 in 2024. The cost of room and board increased by 5% between 2023 and 2024.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,200. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at The University of the South (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

96%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

34%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

96% of undergraduate students at The University of the South received financial aid through grants or loans in 2024. This represents a growth of 1.05% with respect to 2023, when 95% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at The University of the South (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Admissions

The University of the South received 4,703 undergraduate applications in 2024, which represents a 6.28% annual growth. Out of those 4,703 applicants, 2,676 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 56.9% acceptance rate.

There were 1,724 students enrolled at The University of the South in 2024. 17% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

The University of the South has an overall enrollment yield of 17.9%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

56.9%

Acceptance Rate in 2024

2,676

Accepted Out of 4,703

In 2024, the undergraduate acceptance rate of The University of the South was 56.9% (2,676 admissions from 4,703 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2023, which was 50.9%. Between 2023 and 2024, the number of applicants declined by 6.28%, while admissions grew by 4.78%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of The University of the South (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

17%

Submission Percentage (2024)

Scores Submitted (2024)

17% of enrolled first-time students at The University of the South in 2024 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

The following chart shows the average SAT scores for the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of applicants for each section of the test that they are evaluated on.

Enrollment

The University of the South had a total enrollment of 1,724 students in 2024. The full-time enrollment at The University of the South is 1,650 students and the part-time enrollment is 74. This means that 95.7% of students enrolled at The University of the South are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at The University of the South, both undergraduate and graduate, is 81% White, 5.22% Hispanic or Latino, 4.29% Black or African American, 2.96% Two or More Races, 0.87% Asian, and 0.232% American Indian or Alaska Native.

Students enrolled at The University of the South in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (43.5%), followed by White Male (38%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (3.74%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Male (39.4%), followed by White Female (33.9%) and Black or African American Male (4.59%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

95.7%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at The University of the South in 2024, both undergraduate and graduate, is 1,724 students. The full-time enrollment at The University of the South is 1,650 and the part-time enrollment is 74. This means that 95.7% of students enrolled at The University of the South are enrolled full-time compared with 78.9% at similar Baccalaureate Colleges.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at The University of the South (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

89%

2024 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at The University of the South was 89%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Baccalaureate Colleges (75%), The University of the South had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at The University of the South (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2024)

White
1,396 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
90 enrolled students
Black or African American
74 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at The University of the South is 81% White, 5.22% Hispanic or Latino, 4.29% Black or African American, 2.96% Two or More Races, 0.87% Asian, and 0.232% American Indian or Alaska Native. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Baccalaureate Colleges is 50.5% White, 15.6% Hispanic or Latino, and 13.2% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 28 students (1.62%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2024, 46 more women than men received degrees from The University of the South. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at The University of the South is white (369 degrees awarded). There were 10.3 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (36 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at The University of the South is General Psychology (53 degrees awarded), followed by Econometrics & Quantitative Economics (51 degrees) and General Literature (39 degrees).

In 2024, the most specialized majors across all degree types at The University of the South, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are English (59 degrees awarded), Theology (27 degrees), and Cultural & Gender Studies (9 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Elementary & middle school teachers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at The University of the South are Elementary & middle school teachers (143,226 people), Other managers (122,940 people), Postsecondary teachers (108,353 people), Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers (107,898 people), and Secondary school teachers (107,005 people).

The most specialized majors at The University of the South in 2024 are English (59 degrees awarded), Theology (27 degrees), Cultural & Gender Studies (9 degrees), Language & Linguistics (17 degrees), and Natural Resources & Conservation (17 degrees) (as of 2024).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at The University of the South are Surgeons, Diagnostic medical sonographers, Logisticians, Economists, and Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents

The most specialized majors at The University of the South are English (59 degrees awarded), Theology (27 degrees), Cultural & Gender Studies (9 degrees), Language & Linguistics (17 degrees), and Natural Resources & Conservation (17 degrees) (as of 2024).

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at The University of the South are Elementary & secondary schools (361,628 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (230,887 people), Religious organizations (102,033 people), Computer Systems Design (95,016 people), and Legal services (93,133 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by The University of the South.

Most Common (2024)

General Psychology
53 degrees awarded
Econometrics & Quantitative Economics
51 degrees awarded
General Literature
39 degrees awarded

In 2024, the most common bachelors degree concentration at The University of the South was General Psychology with 53 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at The University of the South according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

222

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2024

268

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2024

In 2024, 222 degrees were awarded to men at The University of the South, which is 0.828 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (268).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at The University of the South by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2024, 37 degrees were awarded to men at The University of the South in Econometrics & Quantitative Economics, which is 2.64 times more than the 14 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2024, 43 degrees were awarded to men at The University of the South in General Psychology, which is 4.3 times more than the 10 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

74%

100% Completion Time

81%

150% Completion Time

In 2024, 74% of students graduating from The University of the South completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 81% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 82% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Baccalaureate Colleges Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2024)

White
369 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
36 degrees awarded
Black or African American
21 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at The University of the South is white (369 degrees awarded). There were 10.3 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (36 degrees).

0.408% of degree recipients (2 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2024)

White Female
243 degrees awarded
White Female
224 degrees awarded
White Male
221 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at The University of the South is white female (243 degrees awarded). There were 1.08 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white female (224 degrees).

Operations

The University of the South has an endowment valued at nearly $500M, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 61.7M (12.3%) compared to the 7.58% average return (3.75M on 49.5M) across all Baccalaureate Colleges.

In 2024, The University of the South had a total salary expenditure of 130M. The University of the South employs 61 Assistant professors, 60 Professors and 56 Associate professors. Most academics at The University of the South are Male Associate professor (35), Male Assistant professor (33), and Female Professor (30).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at The University of the South are: Service, with 182 employees, Office and Administrative Support, with 133 employees, and Management with 74 employees.

Endowment

$500M

2024 Endowment

8.03%

growth from 2023

The University of the South has an endowment valued at about $500M, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year. The endowment of The University of the South grew 8.03% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $450M higher than than the median endowment of Baccalaureate Colleges according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at The University of the South (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Baccalaureate Colleges: Arts & Sciences Focus Carnegie Classification grouping.

Salary Expenditure

$50.8M

2024 Salaries

5.27%

growth from 2023

In 2024, The University of the South paid a median of $50.8M in salaries, which represents 39% of their overall expenditure ($130M) and a 5.27% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 2.22% growth between 2022 and 2023, and a 4.53% growth between 2021 and 2022.

Instructional Salaries

$16.9M

Instructional Salaries

185

Number of Employees

In 2024, The University of the South paid a total of $16.9M to 185 employees working as instructors, which represents 33.3% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $522k (3.48%) for similar Baccalaureate Colleges.

Occupations by Share

In 2024, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at The University of the South were Service with 182 employees, Office and Administrative Support with 133 employees, and Management with 74 employees.

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