ECSU vs. WSSU vs. Morgan State vs. Jackson State University

Should I go to Elizabeth City State University or Winston Salem State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if ECSU or WSSU 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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Elizabeth City State University vs. Winston Salem State University vs. Morgan State University vs. Jackson State University comparison
Elizabeth City State University Winston Salem State University Morgan State University Jackson State University
Elizabeth City State University Winston Salem State University Morgan State University Jackson State University
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Overview

 ECSU WSSU Morgan State Jackson State University
Location Elizabeth City, NC Winston-Salem, NC Baltimore, MD Jackson, MS
Setting Distant Town Midsize City Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 2,165 4,776 9,808 6,564
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #964 #953 #1008 #974
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit
Website ecsu.edu wssu.edu morgan.edu jsums.edu
Team Colors                                        

Costs

 ECSU WSSU Morgan State Jackson State University
Tuition (In State) $1,000 $3,401 $5,587 $8,815
Tuition (Out of State) $5,000 $14,057 $16,269 $8,815
Room & Board $9,079 $11,484 $12,755 $11,782
Avg Net Price $7,363 $12,948 $15,350 $19,892
Avg Grant Aid $10,554 $9,254 $9,751 $8,133
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 88% 97% 92%

Admission

 ECSU WSSU Morgan State Jackson State University
Applied 5,360 9,273 22,741 14,141
Admitted 3,778 6,357 18,865 12,873
Acceptance Rate 70.5% 68.6% 83% 56.6%
Enrolled % 9.2% 13.9% 12.1% 5.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.16 3.01 3.1 3.1
Typical High School Grades B B B B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 16/22 14/18 17/21 15/20
SAT Range 850/1070 820/1050 860/1080 850/1080
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jun 30, 2026 Feb 15, 2026 Apr 15, 2026 Jul 15, 2026

Academics

 ECSU WSSU Morgan State Jackson State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 16:1 17:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Health Professions (50%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Communication (11%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Education (18%)
  • General Studies (15%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

 ECSU WSSU Morgan State Jackson State University
Graduation Rate 44% 41% 28% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $30,700 $35,700 $40,900 $32,800
Making Student Loan Payments 23% 33% 22% 36%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,125 $25,663 $31,000 $29,000
Median Loan Payment $270 $265 $320 $299

Diversity

 ECSU WSSU Morgan State Jackson State University
% Men 1% 2% 6% 7%
% Women 4% 9% 9% 20%
Racial Diversity Low Low Very Low Extremely Low
HBCU Yes Yes Yes Yes
% White 14% 16% 2% 4%
% Black 74% 72% 83% 92%
% Hispanic 2% 3% 4% 0%
% Native American 0% 1% 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0% 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 4% 3% 1%
% International 0% 2% 7% 2%
% Unknown Race 8% 2% 1% 0%

Students

 ECSU WSSU Morgan State Jackson State University
% In-State 69% 77% 49% 30%
% Out-of-State 24% 22% 50% 69%

Campus

 ECSU WSSU Morgan State Jackson State University
Campus Housing Yes Yes Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Winston Salem State University is larger than than ECSU based on total student enrollment (4,776 students vs. 2,165 students)

ECSU vs. WSSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ECSU or WSSU?

  • Winston Salem State University is 240.1% more expensive to attend than ECSU for in-state tuition ($3,401.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 181.1% higher at WSSU than Elizabeth City State University ($14,057.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Elizabeth City State University than WSSU ($7,363 vs. $12,948)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Elizabeth City State University are 26.5% lower than costs at Winston Salem State University ($9,079 vs. $11,484)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Elizabeth City State University than Winston Salem State University (92% vs. 88%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Elizabeth City State University students is 14% larger than aid received Winston Salem State University ($10,554 vs. $9,254)

ECSU vs. WSSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Winston Salem State University (870) is 26 points higher than at ECSU (844)
  • Incoming ECSU students have at the same average ACT score (18) as students at WSSU (18)
  • Accepted freshman ECSU students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.16) than students at WSSU (3.01)
  • ECSU has a higher acceptance rate (70.5%) than WSSU (68.6%)

ECSU vs. WSSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ECSU or WSSU? 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 WSSU and ECSU.

  • The graduation rate at ECSU is higher than Winston Salem State University (44% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Winston Salem State University earn on average $5,000 more per year than ECSU graduates after ten years. ($35,700 vs. $30,700)
  • Winston Salem State University students graduate with a $462 lower median federal student loan debt than ECSU graduates. ($25,663 vs. $26,125)
  • WSSU graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than ECSU graduates. ($265 vs. $270)
  • More WSSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ECSU students, three years after graduation. (33% vs. 23%)

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