CU vs. ETSU

Should I go to Cumberland University or East Tennessee State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CU or ETSU 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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Cumberland University vs. East Tennessee State University comparison
Cumberland University East Tennessee State University College 3 College 4
Cumberland University East Tennessee State University
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Overview

CU ETSU
Location Lebanon, TN Johnson City, TN
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 2,588 13,483
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #652
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cumberland.edu etsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CU ETSU
Tuition (In State) $25,200 $7,722
Tuition (Out of State) $25,200 $11,532
Room & Board $8,990 $9,613
Avg Net Price $18,528 $14,350
Avg Grant Aid $22,145 $8,739
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

CU ETSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,137 9,609
Admitted 1,415 8,193
Acceptance Rate 66.2% 85.3%
Enrolled % 44.5% 25.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.33
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/26
SAT Range 980/1190
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

CU ETSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (46%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Biology (4%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (4%)
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)

Outcomes

CU ETSU
Graduation Rate 34% 44%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,900 $40,000
Making Student Loan Payments 60% 50%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,729 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $224 $211

Diversity

CU ETSU
% Men 42% 37%
% Women 58% 63%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 63% 82%
% Black 12% 7%
% Hispanic 3% 2%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 4% 3%
% Unknown Race 16% 1%

Students

CU ETSU
% In-State 88% 75%
% Out-of-State 8% 23%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • East Tennessee State University is larger than than CU based on total student enrollment (13,483 students vs. 2,588 students)

CU vs. ETSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CU or ETSU?

  • Cumberland University is 226.3% more expensive to attend than ETSU for in-state tuition ($25,200.00 vs. $7,722.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 118.5% higher at CU than East Tennessee State University ($25,200.00 vs. $11,532.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at East Tennessee State University than CU ($14,350 vs. $18,528)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cumberland University are 6.9% lower than costs at East Tennessee State University ($8,990 vs. $9,613)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Cumberland University as East Tennessee State University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cumberland University students is 153.4% larger than aid received East Tennessee State University ($22,145 vs. $8,739)

CU vs. ETSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at East Tennessee State University (1068) is 79 points higher than at CU (989)
  • Incoming ETSU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at CU (21)
  • Accepted freshman ETSU students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.33) than students at CU (3.3)
  • ETSU has a higher acceptance rate (85.3%) than CU (66.2%)

CU vs. ETSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CU or ETSU? 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 ETSU and CU.

  • The graduation rate at ETSU is higher than Cumberland University (44% vs. 34%)
  • Graduates from East Tennessee State University earn on average $100 more per year than CU graduates after ten years. ($40,000 vs. $39,900)
  • East Tennessee State University students graduate with a $1,229 lower median federal student loan debt than CU graduates. ($20,500 vs. $21,729)
  • ETSU graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than CU graduates. ($211 vs. $224)
  • More CU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ETSU students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 50%)

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