ECU vs. NC State

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

 ECU NC State
Location Greenville, NC Raleigh, NC
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 26,785 37,323
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #587 #118
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ecu.edu ncsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ECU NC State
Tuition (In State) $4,452 $6,535
Tuition (Out of State) $20,729 $29,407
Room & Board $11,000 $13,719
Avg Net Price $14,470 $14,860
Avg Grant Aid $8,836 $11,811
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 50%

Admission

 ECU NC State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,289 40,049
Admitted 20,073 15,958
Acceptance Rate 90.1% 39.8%
Enrolled % 19.6% 35.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.33 3.83
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Moderate Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/26 28/32
SAT Range 1050/1200 1300/1460
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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

 ECU NC State
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Engineering (22%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

 ECU NC State
Graduation Rate 59% 72%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,900 $57,200
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,788 $20,782
Median Loan Payment $256 $214

Diversity

 ECU NC State
% Men 6% 14%
% Women 14% 13%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 69% 74%
% Black 16% 6%
% Hispanic 6% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 0% 4%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 ECU NC State
% In-State 82% 85%
% Out-of-State 17% 13%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • North Carolina State University at Raleigh is larger than than ECU based on total student enrollment (37,323 students vs. 26,785 students)

ECU vs. NC State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ECU or NC State?

  • North Carolina State University at Raleigh is 46.8% more expensive to attend than ECU for in-state tuition ($6,535.00 vs. $4,452.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 41.9% higher at NC State than East Carolina University ($29,407.00 vs. $20,729.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at East Carolina University than NC State ($14,470 vs. $14,860)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at East Carolina University are 24.7% lower than costs at North Carolina State University at Raleigh ($11,000 vs. $13,719)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at East Carolina University than North Carolina State University at Raleigh (57% vs. 50%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by North Carolina State University at Raleigh students is 33.7% larger than aid received East Carolina University ($11,811 vs. $8,836)

ECU vs. NC State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at North Carolina State University at Raleigh (1264) is 211 points higher than at ECU (1053)
  • Incoming NC State students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at ECU (23)
  • Accepted freshman NC State students have a 0.5 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at ECU (3.33)
  • ECU has a higher acceptance rate (90.1%) than NC State (39.8%)

ECU vs. NC State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ECU or NC State? 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 NC State and ECU.

  • The graduation rate at NC State is higher than East Carolina University (72% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from North Carolina State University at Raleigh earn on average $13,300 more per year than ECU graduates after ten years. ($57,200 vs. $43,900)
  • North Carolina State University at Raleigh students graduate with a $4,006 lower median federal student loan debt than ECU graduates. ($20,782 vs. $24,788)
  • NC State graduates are paying $42 less per month on federal student loans than ECU graduates. ($214 vs. $256)
  • More NC State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ECU students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 63%)

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