CSU vs. ECU

Should I go to California State University Chico or East Carolina University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CSU or ECU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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California State University Chico vs. East Carolina University comparison
California State University Chico East Carolina University College 3 College 4
California State University Chico East Carolina University
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Overview

 CSU ECU
Location Chico, CA Greenville, NC
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 14,183 27,151
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #659 #673
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csuchico.edu ecu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 CSU ECU
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $4,452
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $20,729
Room & Board $15,212 $10,816
Avg Net Price $15,517 $14,410
Avg Grant Aid $9,162 $9,020
% Receiving Grant Aid 62% 59%

Admission

 CSU ECU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,417 21,383
Admitted 20,347 19,744
Acceptance Rate 95% 92.3%
Enrolled % 9.9% 19.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.33
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 19/24
SAT Range 970/1170 1020/1170
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Dec 15, 2023

Academics

 CSU ECU
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

 CSU ECU
Graduation Rate 59% 59%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,400 $43,900
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,000 $24,788
Median Loan Payment $175 $256

Diversity

 CSU ECU
% Men 45% 40%
% Women 55% 60%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 46% 69%
% Black 2% 16%
% Hispanic 29% 6%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 7% 2%

Students

 CSU ECU
% In-State 97% 83%
% Out-of-State 2% 15%

Campus

 CSU ECU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • East Carolina University is larger than than CSU based on total student enrollment (27,151 students vs. 14,183 students)

CSU vs. ECU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSU or ECU?

  • California State University Chico is 29% more expensive to attend than ECU for in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $4,452.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 17.6% higher at ECU than California State University Chico ($20,729.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at East Carolina University than CSU ($14,410 vs. $15,517)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at East Carolina University are 40.6% lower than costs at California State University Chico ($10,816 vs. $15,212)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Chico than East Carolina University (62% vs. 59%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Chico students is 1.6% larger than aid received East Carolina University ($9,162 vs. $9,020)

CSU vs. ECU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CSU or ECU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between ECU or CSU .

  • The average SAT score at East Carolina University (1053) is 50 points higher than at CSU (1003)
  • Incoming ECU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at CSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman CSU students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.37) than students at ECU (3.33)
  • CSU has a higher acceptance rate (95%) than ECU (92.3%)

CSU vs. ECU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CSU or ECU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between ECU and CSU.

  • The graduation rate at CSU is the same as at East Carolina University (59% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from California State University Chico earn on average $8,500 more per year than ECU graduates after ten years. ($52,400 vs. $43,900)
  • California State University Chico students graduate with a $7,788 lower median federal student loan debt than ECU graduates. ($17,000 vs. $24,788)
  • CSU graduates are paying $81 less per month on federal student loans than ECU graduates. ($175 vs. $256)
  • More CSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ECU students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 63%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/