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University of Tennessee vs Wake Forest University

Side-by-side comparison of admissions, costs, and outcomes

Cross-Admit Decision Data

Of 23 applicants admitted to both schools:

26%
74%
Median scholarship: $33,000 Median scholarship: $105,000

Based on 23 self-reported cross-admit decisions from the last 5 cycles

View all-time data (37 cross-admits)
24% chose UTKnoxville 76% chose WFU

37 total cross-admit decisions (all cycles)

UTKnoxville is Top 75 · WFU is #31 in the LSD rankings

See full LSD.Law school rankings →
About this comparison

This page compares University of Tennessee and Wake Forest University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 23 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 23 applicants admitted to both schools, 74% chose to attend Wake Forest University. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.

In the U.S. News rankings, Wake Forest University is ranked #26 compared to #55 — a gap of 29 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.

University of Tennessee is located in Knoxville, Tennessee, while Wake Forest University is in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Regional placement matters: graduates tend to find employment near their law school, so location should factor into your decision alongside rankings and cost.

Employment outcomes differ substantially: Wake Forest University places 24.5% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 10.2% for the other school. This 14 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 $57,920. Combined with employment rates of 92.1% (UTKnoxville) and 97.4% (WFU), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.

Among cross-admitted applicants, Wake Forest University offered a median scholarship of $105,000 compared to $33,000, a difference of $72,000 that may factor into enrollment decisions.

Compare Another Pair

University of Tennessee
vs
Wake Forest University

Admissions Comparison

2025 ABA 509

How these schools compare on LSAT, GPA, selectivity, and class composition.

Metric UTKnoxville WFU
USN Rank #55 #26
LSD Rank Top 75 (0.008) #31 (0.024)
LSAT 25th 160 163
LSAT Median 164 166
LSAT 75th 166 168
GPA Median 3.89 3.79
Acceptance Rate 24.8% 24.6%
Class Size 140 204
Yield Rate 25.8% 28.3%

Financial Comparison

2025 ABA 509

Tuition, scholarships, and debt burden at each school.

Metric UTKnoxville WFU
Tuition (In-State) $16,696 $57,920
Tuition (Out-of-State) $35,140 $57,920
Median Grant $10,550 $40,000
% Receiving Grants 89.0% 76.0%
Avg. Debt at Graduation - -

Employment Outcomes

2024 ABA 509

Post-graduation employment placement, salaries, and bar passage.

Metric UTKnoxville WFU
BigLaw (501+) 10.2% 24.5%
Judicial Clerkships 5.5% 7.1%
Median Salary (Private) $150,000 $135,000
Employment Rate 92.1% 97.4%
Bar Pass Rate 91.9% 88.2%

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