Belmont vs. ETSU

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

 Belmont ETSU
Location Nashville, TN Johnson City, TN
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 8,862 13,586
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #312 #702
Religious Affiliation Interdenominational - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website belmont.edu etsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Belmont ETSU
Tuition (In State) $39,400 $7,950
Tuition (Out of State) $39,400 $11,790
Room & Board $14,290 $10,270
Avg Net Price $37,558 $16,033
Avg Grant Aid $22,922 $9,228
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 85%

Admission

 Belmont ETSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,950 9,903
Admitted 8,624 8,622
Acceptance Rate 96.4% 87.1%
Enrolled % 19.4% 24.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.83 3.33
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/30 19/26
SAT Range 1160/1350 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 Jul 1, 2026

Academics

 Belmont ETSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (34%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (5%)
  • Communications Technology (5%)
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)

Outcomes

 Belmont ETSU
Graduation Rate 68% 44%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,100 $40,000
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 50%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,780 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $225 $211

Diversity

 Belmont ETSU
% Men 5% 7%
% Women 12% 14%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 80% 82%
% Black 5% 7%
% Hispanic 5% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 1% 3%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

 Belmont ETSU
% In-State 27% 78%
% Out-of-State 72% 20%

Campus

 Belmont 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

  • East Tennessee State University is larger than than Belmont based on total student enrollment (13,586 students vs. 8,862 students)

Belmont vs. ETSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Belmont or ETSU?

  • Belmont University is 395.6% more expensive to attend than ETSU for in-state tuition ($39,400.00 vs. $7,950.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 234.2% higher at Belmont than East Tennessee State University ($39,400.00 vs. $11,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at East Tennessee State University than Belmont ($16,033 vs. $37,558)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at East Tennessee State University are 39.1% lower than costs at Belmont University ($10,270 vs. $14,290)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Belmont University than East Tennessee State University (92% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Belmont University students is 148.4% larger than aid received East Tennessee State University ($22,922 vs. $9,228)

Belmont vs. ETSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Belmont University (1158) is 90 points higher than at ETSU (1068)
  • Incoming Belmont students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at ETSU (23)
  • Accepted freshman Belmont students have a 0.5 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at ETSU (3.33)
  • Belmont has a higher acceptance rate (96.4%) than ETSU (87.1%)

Belmont vs. ETSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Belmont 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 Belmont.

  • The graduation rate at Belmont is higher than East Tennessee State University (68% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from Belmont University earn on average $9,100 more per year than ETSU graduates after ten years. ($49,100 vs. $40,000)
  • East Tennessee State University students graduate with a $1,280 lower median federal student loan debt than Belmont graduates. ($20,500 vs. $21,780)
  • ETSU graduates are paying $14 less per month on federal student loans than Belmont graduates. ($211 vs. $225)
  • More Belmont graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ETSU students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 50%)

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