ETSU vs. ASU

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

 ETSU ASU
Location Johnson City, TN Boone, NC
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 13,586 21,253
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #702 #597
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website etsu.edu appstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ETSU ASU
Tuition (In State) $7,950 $4,242
Tuition (Out of State) $11,790 $21,238
Room & Board $10,270 $12,258
Avg Net Price $16,033 $14,712
Avg Grant Aid $9,228 $7,677
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 47%

Admission

 ETSU ASU
Applied 9,903 24,001
Admitted 8,622 21,275
Acceptance Rate 87.1% 88.6%
Enrolled % 24.8% 19.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.33 3.96
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Easy Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 21/27
SAT Range 950/1170 1100/1280
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 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 ETSU ASU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)

Outcomes

 ETSU ASU
Graduation Rate 44% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,000 $41,600
Making Student Loan Payments 50% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $211 $211

Diversity

 ETSU ASU
% Men 7% 3%
% Women 14% 6%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 82% 85%
% Black 7% 3%
% Hispanic 2% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 ETSU ASU
% In-State 78% 87%
% Out-of-State 20% 13%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Appalachian State University is larger than than ETSU based on total student enrollment (21,253 students vs. 13,586 students)

ETSU vs. ASU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ETSU or ASU?

  • East Tennessee State University is 87.4% more expensive to attend than ASU for in-state tuition ($7,950.00 vs. $4,242.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 80.1% higher at ASU than East Tennessee State University ($21,238.00 vs. $11,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Appalachian State University than ETSU ($14,712 vs. $16,033)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at East Tennessee State University are 19.4% lower than costs at Appalachian State University ($10,270 vs. $12,258)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at East Tennessee State University than Appalachian State University (85% vs. 47%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by East Tennessee State University students is 20.2% larger than aid received Appalachian State University ($9,228 vs. $7,677)

ETSU vs. ASU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Appalachian State University (1157) is 89 points higher than at ETSU (1068)
  • Incoming ASU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at ETSU (23)
  • Accepted freshman ASU students have a 0.63 point higher average high school GPA (3.96) than students at ETSU (3.33)
  • ASU has a higher acceptance rate (88.6%) than ETSU (87.1%)

ETSU vs. ASU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at ASU is higher than East Tennessee State University (65% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from Appalachian State University earn on average $1,600 more per year than ETSU graduates after ten years. ($41,600 vs. $40,000)
  • Appalachian State University and ETSU graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($20,500 vs. $20,500)
  • Appalachian State University and ETSU graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($211 vs. $211)
  • More ASU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ETSU students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 50%)

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