RIC vs. ETSU

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

 RIC ETSU
Location Providence, RI Johnson City, TN
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 5,767 13,586
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #705 #702
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ric.edu etsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 RIC ETSU
Tuition (In State) $9,481 $7,950
Tuition (Out of State) $25,014 $11,790
Room & Board $13,719 $10,270
Avg Net Price $11,549 $16,033
Avg Grant Aid $6,998 $9,228
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 85%

Admission

 RIC ETSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,988 9,903
Admitted 4,045 8,622
Acceptance Rate 81.1% 87.1%
Enrolled % 20.1% 24.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.08 3.33
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26
SAT Range 860/1160 950/1170
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 Mar 15, 2025

Academics

 RIC ETSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (21%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)

Outcomes

 RIC ETSU
Graduation Rate 44% 44%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,000 $40,000
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 50%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,200 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $219 $211

Diversity

 RIC ETSU
% Men 3% 7%
% Women 14% 14%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 62% 82%
% Black 8% 7%
% Hispanic 16% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 0% 3%
% Unknown Race 8% 1%

Students

 RIC ETSU
% In-State 82% 78%
% Out-of-State 17% 20%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • East Tennessee State University is larger than than RIC based on total student enrollment (13,586 students vs. 5,767 students)

RIC vs. ETSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, RIC or ETSU?

  • Rhode Island College is 19.3% more expensive to attend than ETSU for in-state tuition ($9,481.00 vs. $7,950.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 112.2% higher at RIC than East Tennessee State University ($25,014.00 vs. $11,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rhode Island College than ETSU ($11,549 vs. $16,033)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at East Tennessee State University are 33.6% lower than costs at Rhode Island College ($10,270 vs. $13,719)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rhode Island College than East Tennessee State University (92% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by East Tennessee State University students is 31.9% larger than aid received Rhode Island College ($9,228 vs. $6,998)

RIC vs. ETSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at East Tennessee State University (1068) is 155 points higher than at RIC (913)
  • Incoming ETSU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at RIC (19)
  • Accepted freshman ETSU students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.33) than students at RIC (3.08)
  • ETSU has a higher acceptance rate (87.1%) than RIC (81.1%)

RIC vs. ETSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at RIC is the same as at East Tennessee State University (44% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from Rhode Island College earn on average $2,000 more per year than ETSU graduates after ten years. ($42,000 vs. $40,000)
  • East Tennessee State University students graduate with a $700 lower median federal student loan debt than RIC graduates. ($20,500 vs. $21,200)
  • ETSU graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than RIC graduates. ($211 vs. $219)
  • More RIC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ETSU students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 50%)

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