GVSU vs. ECU

Should I go to Grand Valley State University or East Carolina University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if GVSU or ECU 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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Grand Valley State University vs. East Carolina University comparison
Grand Valley State University East Carolina University College 3 College 4
Grand Valley State University East Carolina University
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Overview

 GVSU ECU
Location Allendale, MI Greenville, NC
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 22,269 26,785
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #559 #587
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website gvsu.edu ecu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 GVSU ECU
Tuition (In State) $14,628 $4,452
Tuition (Out of State) $20,820 $20,729
Room & Board $11,142 $11,000
Avg Net Price $17,995 $14,470
Avg Grant Aid $8,925 $8,836
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 57%

Admission

 GVSU ECU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 24,297 22,289
Admitted 23,008 20,073
Acceptance Rate 94.7% 90.1%
Enrolled % 21% 19.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.65 3.33
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 20/26
SAT Range 940/1190 1050/1200
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 May 1, 2025

Academics

 GVSU ECU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

 GVSU ECU
Graduation Rate 63% 59%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,600 $43,900
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $24,788
Median Loan Payment $258 $256

Diversity

 GVSU ECU
% Men 4% 6%
% Women 10% 14%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 83% 69%
% Black 5% 16%
% Hispanic 5% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

 GVSU ECU
% In-State 91% 82%
% Out-of-State 8% 17%

Campus

 GVSU ECU
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 Carolina University is larger than than GVSU based on total student enrollment (26,785 students vs. 22,269 students)

GVSU vs. ECU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, GVSU or ECU?

  • Grand Valley State University is 228.6% more expensive to attend than ECU for in-state tuition ($14,628.00 vs. $4,452.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.4% higher at GVSU than East Carolina University ($20,820.00 vs. $20,729.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at East Carolina University than GVSU ($14,470 vs. $17,995)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at East Carolina University are 1.3% lower than costs at Grand Valley State University ($11,000 vs. $11,142)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Grand Valley State University than East Carolina University (86% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Grand Valley State University students is 1% larger than aid received East Carolina University ($8,925 vs. $8,836)

GVSU vs. ECU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Grand Valley State University (1090) is 37 points higher than at ECU (1053)
  • Incoming GVSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at ECU (23)
  • Accepted freshman GVSU students have a 0.32 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at ECU (3.33)
  • GVSU has a higher acceptance rate (94.7%) than ECU (90.1%)

GVSU vs. ECU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at GVSU is higher than East Carolina University (63% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from Grand Valley State University earn on average $700 more per year than ECU graduates after ten years. ($44,600 vs. $43,900)
  • East Carolina University students graduate with a $212 lower median federal student loan debt than GVSU graduates. ($24,788 vs. $25,000)
  • ECU graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than GVSU graduates. ($256 vs. $258)
  • More ECU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former GVSU students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 62%)

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