ECU vs. GWU

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

ECU GWU
Location Greenville, NC Boiling Springs, NC
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 27,151 3,144
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #673 #639
Religious Affiliation - Southern Baptist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ecu.edu gardner-webb.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ECU GWU
Tuition (In State) $4,452 $31,220
Tuition (Out of State) $20,729 $31,220
Room & Board $10,816 $10,770
Avg Net Price $14,410 $22,339
Avg Grant Aid $9,020 $24,130
% Receiving Grant Aid 59% 100%

Admission

ECU GWU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,383 5,728
Admitted 19,744 4,293
Acceptance Rate 92.3% 74.9%
Enrolled % 19.2% 9.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.33 3.74
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/24 20/25
SAT Range 1020/1170 1020/1210
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

ECU GWU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Business (30%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Education (5%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (4%)

Outcomes

ECU GWU
Graduation Rate 59% 55%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,900 $40,500
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 52%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,788 $24,969
Median Loan Payment $256 $258

Diversity

ECU GWU
% Men 40% 32%
% Women 60% 68%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 69% 67%
% Black 16% 17%
% Hispanic 6% 3%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 10%

Students

ECU GWU
% In-State 83% 54%
% Out-of-State 15% 41%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • East Carolina University is larger than than GWU based on total student enrollment (27,151 students vs. 3,144 students)

ECU vs. GWU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ECU or GWU?

  • Gardner Webb University is 601.3% more expensive to attend than ECU for in-state tuition ($31,220.00 vs. $4,452.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 50.6% higher at GWU than East Carolina University ($31,220.00 vs. $20,729.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at East Carolina University than GWU ($14,410 vs. $22,339)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Gardner Webb University are 0.4% lower than costs at East Carolina University ($10,770 vs. $10,816)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Gardner Webb University than East Carolina University (100% vs. 59%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Gardner Webb University students is 167.5% larger than aid received East Carolina University ($24,130 vs. $9,020)

ECU vs. GWU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at East Carolina University (1053) is 76 points higher than at GWU (977)
  • Incoming ECU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at GWU (21)
  • Accepted freshman GWU students have a 0.41 point higher average high school GPA (3.74) than students at ECU (3.33)
  • ECU has a higher acceptance rate (92.3%) than GWU (74.9%)

ECU vs. GWU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ECU or GWU? 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 GWU and ECU.

  • The graduation rate at ECU is higher than Gardner Webb University (59% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from East Carolina University earn on average $3,400 more per year than GWU graduates after ten years. ($43,900 vs. $40,500)
  • East Carolina University students graduate with a $181 lower median federal student loan debt than GWU graduates. ($24,788 vs. $24,969)
  • ECU graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than GWU graduates. ($256 vs. $258)
  • More ECU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former GWU students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 52%)

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