UNCG vs. ETSU

Should I go to University of North Carolina at Greensboro or East Tennessee State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UNCG 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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University of North Carolina at Greensboro vs. East Tennessee State University comparison
University of North Carolina at Greensboro East Tennessee State University College 3 College 4
University of North Carolina at Greensboro East Tennessee State University
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Overview

UNCG ETSU
Location Greensboro, NC Johnson City, TN
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 17,743 13,586
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #692 #702
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uncg.edu etsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UNCG ETSU
Tuition (In State) $4,422 $7,950
Tuition (Out of State) $20,168 $11,790
Room & Board $10,534 $10,270
Avg Net Price $10,592 $16,033
Avg Grant Aid $8,921 $9,228
% Receiving Grant Aid 83% 85%

Admission

UNCG ETSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,379 9,903
Admitted 11,120 8,622
Acceptance Rate 89.8% 87.1%
Enrolled % 23.5% 24.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.59 3.33
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/27 19/26
SAT Range 1100/1280 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 1, 2025

Academics

UNCG ETSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)

Outcomes

UNCG ETSU
Graduation Rate 53% 44%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,100 $40,000
Making Student Loan Payments 56% 50%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,737 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $235 $211

Diversity

UNCG ETSU
% Men 6% 7%
% Women 14% 14%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 52% 82%
% Black 28% 7%
% Hispanic 8% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 2% 3%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

UNCG ETSU
% In-State 93% 78%
% Out-of-State 5% 20%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of North Carolina at Greensboro is larger than than ETSU based on total student enrollment (17,743 students vs. 13,586 students)

UNCG vs. ETSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNCG or ETSU?

  • East Tennessee State University is 79.8% more expensive to attend than UNCG for in-state tuition ($7,950.00 vs. $4,422.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 71.1% higher at UNCG than East Tennessee State University ($20,168.00 vs. $11,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Carolina at Greensboro than ETSU ($10,592 vs. $16,033)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at East Tennessee State University are 2.6% lower than costs at University of North Carolina at Greensboro ($10,270 vs. $10,534)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at East Tennessee State University than University of North Carolina at Greensboro (85% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by East Tennessee State University students is 3.4% larger than aid received University of North Carolina at Greensboro ($9,228 vs. $8,921)

UNCG vs. ETSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at East Tennessee State University (1068) is 33 points higher than at UNCG (1035)
  • Incoming UNCG students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at ETSU (23)
  • Accepted freshman UNCG students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.59) than students at ETSU (3.33)
  • UNCG has a higher acceptance rate (89.8%) than ETSU (87.1%)

UNCG vs. ETSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UNCG 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 UNCG.

  • The graduation rate at UNCG is higher than East Tennessee State University (53% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from East Tennessee State University earn on average $900 more per year than UNCG graduates after ten years. ($40,000 vs. $39,100)
  • East Tennessee State University students graduate with a $2,237 lower median federal student loan debt than UNCG graduates. ($20,500 vs. $22,737)
  • ETSU graduates are paying $24 less per month on federal student loans than UNCG graduates. ($211 vs. $235)
  • More UNCG graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ETSU students, three years after graduation. (56% vs. 50%)

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