ECU vs. ETSU

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

 ECU ETSU
Location Greenville, NC Johnson City, TN
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 26,785 13,586
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #587 #702
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ecu.edu etsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ECU ETSU
Tuition (In State) $4,452 $7,950
Tuition (Out of State) $20,729 $11,790
Room & Board $11,000 $10,270
Avg Net Price $14,470 $16,033
Avg Grant Aid $8,836 $9,228
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 85%

Admission

 ECU ETSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,289 9,903
Admitted 20,073 8,622
Acceptance Rate 90.1% 87.1%
Enrolled % 19.6% 24.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.33 3.33
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/26 19/26
SAT Range 1050/1200 950/1170
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

 ECU ETSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)

Outcomes

 ECU ETSU
Graduation Rate 59% 44%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,900 $40,000
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 50%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,788 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $256 $211

Diversity

 ECU ETSU
% Men 6% 7%
% Women 14% 14%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 69% 82%
% Black 16% 7%
% Hispanic 6% 2%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 3%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 ECU ETSU
% In-State 82% 78%
% Out-of-State 17% 20%

Campus

 ECU 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 Carolina University is larger than than ETSU based on total student enrollment (26,785 students vs. 13,586 students)

ECU vs. ETSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ECU or ETSU?

  • East Tennessee State University is 78.6% more expensive to attend than ECU for in-state tuition ($7,950.00 vs. $4,452.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 75.8% higher at ECU than East Tennessee State University ($20,729.00 vs. $11,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at East Carolina University than ETSU ($14,470 vs. $16,033)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at East Tennessee State University are 7.1% lower than costs at East Carolina University ($10,270 vs. $11,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at East Tennessee State University than East Carolina University (85% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by East Tennessee State University students is 4.4% larger than aid received East Carolina University ($9,228 vs. $8,836)

ECU vs. ETSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at East Tennessee State University (1068) is 15 points higher than at ECU (1053)
  • Incoming ECU students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at ETSU (23)
  • Accepted freshman ECU students have at the same average high school GPA (3.33) as students at ETSU (3.33)
  • ECU has a higher acceptance rate (90.1%) than ETSU (87.1%)

ECU vs. ETSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ECU 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 ECU.

  • The graduation rate at ECU is higher than East Tennessee State University (59% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from East Carolina University earn on average $3,900 more per year than ETSU graduates after ten years. ($43,900 vs. $40,000)
  • East Tennessee State University students graduate with a $4,288 lower median federal student loan debt than ECU graduates. ($20,500 vs. $24,788)
  • ETSU graduates are paying $45 less per month on federal student loans than ECU graduates. ($211 vs. $256)
  • More ECU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ETSU students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 50%)

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