Sewanee: The University of the South
Sewanee: The University of the South at a Glance
Reviewed by James A. Barham, PhD, Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error
Sewanee: The University of the South Featured Rankings
About Sewanee: The University of the South
Featured Alumnus
Jon Meacham ranks among our Top Influential Historians Today.
According to Wikipedia, The University of the South, familiarly known as Sewanee , is a private Episcopal liberal arts college in Sewanee, Tennessee. It is owned by 28 southern dioceses of the Episcopal Church, and its School of Theology is an official seminary of the church. The university's School of Letters offers graduate degrees in American Literature and Creative Writing. The campus consists of of scenic mountain property atop the Cumberland Plateau, with the developed portion occupying about .
Sewanee: The University of the South Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Annual Applications | Acceptance | Retention Rate | Graduation Rate | Median SAT Score | Median ACT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5,018 | 57% | 89% | 79% | 1325 | 29 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.
How Much Does Sewanee: The University of the South Cost To Attend?
| Tuition and fees (in-state) |
|---|
| $58,226 |
| Income | Average Net Cost |
|---|---|
| 0 - 30K | $20,205 |
| 30K - 48K | $14,784 |
| 48K - 75K | $26,325 |
| 75K - 110K | $27,659 |
| 110K+ | $40,379 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.
How Much Do Sewanee: The University of the South Graduates Make?
Ten years after starting college, former Sewanee: The University of the South students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $72,175 a year, and 93% of those not still in school are working.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.
Sewanee: The University of the South's Demographics
Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.
| Student Body | Under-Grads | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| 1,905 | 1,755 | 150 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is Sewanee: The University of the South?
Sewanee: The University of the South is located at 735 University Avenue, Sewanee, TN 37383-1000.
How Safe is Sewanee: The University of the South?
Relative to its enrollment, Sewanee: The University of the South has a violent crime rate of 0.12% and a property crime rate of less than 0.01%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft).
What Is Sewanee: The University of the South Known For?
Sewanee: The University of the South is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
- Religious Studies
- Literature
- Mathematics
- Philosophy
- Business
- History
- Economics
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Political Science
- Computer Science
- Biology
- Psychology
- Anthropology
- Sociology
- Earth Sciences
Sewanee: The University of the South's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered
Each rank compares how much Sewanee: The University of the South's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence
Sewanee: The University of the South ranks #282 in the U.S. and #1189 worldwide for influence in Religious Studies.
religious-studies-hub DegreesSewanee: The University of the South ranks #364 in the U.S. and #1096 worldwide for influence in Literature.
literature DegreesSewanee: The University of the South ranks #415 in the U.S. and #1768 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.
math DegreesSewanee: The University of the South ranks #438 in the U.S. and #1434 worldwide for influence in Philosophy.
philosophy DegreesSewanee: The University of the South ranks #534 in the U.S. and #1955 worldwide for influence in Business.
business DegreesSewanee: The University of the South ranks #555 in the U.S. and #1625 worldwide for influence in History.
history DegreesSewanee: The University of the South ranks #667 in the U.S. and #3925 worldwide for influence in Economics.
economics DegreesSewanee: The University of the South ranks #715 in the U.S. and #3076 worldwide for influence in Physics.
physics DegreesSewanee: The University of the South ranks #769 in the U.S. and #3447 worldwide for influence in Chemistry.
chemistry DegreesSewanee: The University of the South ranks #794 in the U.S. and #3436 worldwide for influence in Political Science.
political-science DegreesSewanee: The University of the South ranks #814 in the U.S. and #3633 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.
computer-science DegreesSewanee: The University of the South ranks #842 in the U.S. and #3634 worldwide for influence in Biology.
biology DegreesSewanee: The University of the South ranks #1012 in the U.S. and #2667 worldwide for influence in Psychology.
psychology DegreesSewanee: The University of the South ranks #1223 in the U.S. and #3684 worldwide for influence in Anthropology.
anthropology DegreesSewanee: The University of the South ranks #1301 in the U.S. and #4144 worldwide for influence in Sociology.
sociology DegreesSewanee: The University of the South ranks #1729 in the U.S. and #6056 worldwide for influence in Earth Sciences.
earth-science DegreesWho Are Sewanee: The University of the South's Most Influential Alumni?
Sewanee: The University of the South's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Nursing, Literature, and Religious Studies. Here are some of Sewanee: The University of the South's most famous alumni:
- Edmund Kirby Smith
- A Confederate States Army general .
- Gene Robinson
- A Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire.
- Jon Meacham
- An American journalist and biographer .
- Jeff McMahan
- An American philosopher.
- Howard Baker
- An American politician and diplomat .
- Samuel Pickering
- An American academic.
- Douglass Adair
- A Historian.
- Esau McCaulley
- A Professor of New Testament.
- Douglas Porch
- An American military historian.
- Benjamin B. Dunlap
- An American academic.
- Bertram Wyatt-Brown
- An American historian.
- J. G. de Roulhac Hamilton
- An American historian.
