ETSU vs. RU

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

 ETSU RU
Location Johnson City, TN Radford, VA
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 13,483 7,718
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #652 #566
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website etsu.edu radford.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ETSU RU
Tuition (In State) $7,722 $8,156
Tuition (Out of State) $11,532 $20,246
Room & Board $9,613 $10,567
Avg Net Price $14,350 $17,105
Avg Grant Aid $8,739 $9,733
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 96%

Admission

 ETSU RU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,609 11,442
Admitted 8,193 10,680
Acceptance Rate 85.3% 93.3%
Enrolled % 25.1% 11.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.33 3.31
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 19/23
SAT Range 980/1190 960/1160
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

 ETSU RU
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Business (18%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

 ETSU RU
Graduation Rate 44% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,000 $47,400
Making Student Loan Payments 50% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $23,000
Median Loan Payment $211 $237

Diversity

 ETSU RU
% Men 37% 33%
% Women 63% 67%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 82% 71%
% Black 7% 13%
% Hispanic 2% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 ETSU RU
% In-State 75% 89%
% Out-of-State 23% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • East Tennessee State University is larger than than RU based on total student enrollment (13,483 students vs. 7,718 students)

ETSU vs. RU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ETSU or RU?

  • Radford University is 5.6% more expensive to attend than ETSU for in-state tuition ($8,156.00 vs. $7,722.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 75.6% higher at RU than East Tennessee State University ($20,246.00 vs. $11,532.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at East Tennessee State University than RU ($14,350 vs. $17,105)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at East Tennessee State University are 9.9% lower than costs at Radford University ($9,613 vs. $10,567)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at East Tennessee State University than Radford University (100% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Radford University students is 11.4% larger than aid received East Tennessee State University ($9,733 vs. $8,739)

ETSU vs. RU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman ETSU students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.33) than students at RU (3.31)
  • RU has a higher acceptance rate (93.3%) than ETSU (85.3%)

ETSU vs. RU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at RU is higher than East Tennessee State University (56% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from Radford University earn on average $7,400 more per year than ETSU graduates after ten years. ($47,400 vs. $40,000)
  • East Tennessee State University students graduate with a $2,500 lower median federal student loan debt than RU graduates. ($20,500 vs. $23,000)
  • ETSU graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than RU graduates. ($211 vs. $237)
  • More RU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ETSU students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 50%)

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