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Side-by-side comparison of admissions, costs, and outcomes
Cross-Admit Decision Data
Of 21 applicants admitted to both schools:
Based on 21 self-reported cross-admit decisions from the last 5 cycles
View all-time data (25 cross-admits)
25 total cross-admit decisions (all cycles)
Belmont University is Top 100 · UTKnoxville is Top 75 in the LSD rankings
See full LSD.Law school rankings →About this comparison
This page compares Belmont University and University of Tennessee across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 21 applicants admitted to both.
Based on 21 applicants admitted to both schools, 67% chose to attend University of Tennessee. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.
In the U.S. News rankings, University of Tennessee is ranked #55 compared to #84 — a gap of 29 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
University of Tennessee is significantly more selective, with an acceptance rate of 24.8% compared to Belmont University's 37.6%.
Both schools are located in Tennessee — Belmont University in Nashville and University of Tennessee in Knoxville — meaning graduates often compete in the same regional legal market.
Employment outcomes differ substantially: Belmont University places 42.5% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 10.2% for the other school. This 32 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.
On cost, University of Tennessee has lower tuition at $16,696 per year compared to $38,236. Combined with employment rates of 96.4% (Belmont University) and 92.1% (UTKnoxville), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.
Among cross-admitted applicants, Belmont University offered a median scholarship of $117,833 compared to $36,000, a difference of $81,833 that may factor into enrollment decisions.
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Admissions Comparison
2025 ABA 509How these schools compare on LSAT, GPA, selectivity, and class composition.
| Metric | Belmont University | UTKnoxville |
|---|---|---|
| USN Rank | #84 | #55 ▲ |
| LSD Rank | Top 100 (0.004) | Top 75 (0.008) ▲ |
| LSAT 25th | 158 | 160 ▲ |
| LSAT Median | 161 | 164 ▲ |
| LSAT 75th | 163 | 166 ▲ |
| GPA Median | 3.84 | 3.89 ▲ |
| Acceptance Rate | 37.6% | 24.8% ▲ |
| Class Size | 136 | 140 |
| Yield Rate | 27.0% ▲ | 25.8% |
Financial Comparison
2025 ABA 509Tuition, scholarships, and debt burden at each school.
| Metric | Belmont University | UTKnoxville |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition (In-State) | $38,236 | $16,696 ▲ |
| Tuition (Out-of-State) | $56,822 | $35,140 ▲ |
| Median Grant | $23,375 ▲ | $10,550 |
| % Receiving Grants | 94.0% ▲ | 89.0% |
| Avg. Debt at Graduation | - | - |
Employment Outcomes
2024 ABA 509Post-graduation employment placement, salaries, and bar passage.
| Metric | Belmont University | UTKnoxville |
|---|---|---|
| BigLaw (501+) | 42.5% ▲ | 10.2% |
| Judicial Clerkships | 15.8% ▲ | 5.5% |
| Median Salary (Private) | $90,000 | $150,000 ▲ |
| Employment Rate | 96.4% ▲ | 92.1% |
| Bar Pass Rate | 95.6% ▲ | 91.9% |
Cross-Admit Decisions by Cycle
How cross-admit preferences have shifted over recent application cycles.
| Cycle | Split | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-2025 |
25%
|
8 |
| 2021-2022 |
40%
|
5 |
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