Cal State Fullerton vs. ECU

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

Cal State Fullerton ECU
Location Fullerton, CA Greenville, NC
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 40,386 27,151
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #699 #673
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fullerton.edu ecu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal State Fullerton ECU
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $4,452
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $20,729
Room & Board $16,702 $10,816
Avg Net Price $7,925 $14,410
Avg Grant Aid $9,194 $9,020
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 59%

Admission

Cal State Fullerton ECU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 48,748 21,383
Admitted 32,527 19,744
Acceptance Rate 66.7% 92.3%
Enrolled % 16.2% 19.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.77 3.33
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/23 19/24
SAT Range 1000/1180 1020/1170
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2024

Academics

Cal State Fullerton ECU
Student to Faculty Ratio 24:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

Cal State Fullerton ECU
Graduation Rate 50% 59%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $43,900
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,000 $24,788
Median Loan Payment $155 $256

Diversity

Cal State Fullerton ECU
% Men 42% 40%
% Women 58% 60%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 22% 69%
% Black 2% 16%
% Hispanic 40% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 6% 0%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

Cal State Fullerton ECU
% In-State 99% 83%
% Out-of-State 1% 15%

Campus

Cal State Fullerton ECU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • California State University Fullerton is larger than than ECU based on total student enrollment (40,386 students vs. 27,151 students)

Cal State Fullerton vs. ECU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal State Fullerton or ECU?

  • California State University Fullerton is 29% more expensive to attend than ECU for in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $4,452.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 17.6% higher at ECU than California State University Fullerton ($20,729.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Fullerton than ECU ($7,925 vs. $14,410)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at East Carolina University are 54.4% lower than costs at California State University Fullerton ($10,816 vs. $16,702)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Fullerton than East Carolina University (74% vs. 59%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Fullerton students is 1.9% larger than aid received East Carolina University ($9,194 vs. $9,020)

Cal State Fullerton vs. ECU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at East Carolina University (1053) is 29 points higher than at Cal State Fullerton (1024)
  • Incoming ECU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Cal State Fullerton (22)
  • Accepted freshman Cal State Fullerton students have a 0.44 point higher average high school GPA (3.77) than students at ECU (3.33)
  • ECU has a higher acceptance rate (92.3%) than Cal State Fullerton (66.7%)

Cal State Fullerton vs. ECU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cal State Fullerton 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 Cal State Fullerton.

  • The graduation rate at ECU is higher than California State University Fullerton (59% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from California State University Fullerton earn on average $5,100 more per year than ECU graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $43,900)
  • California State University Fullerton students graduate with a $9,788 lower median federal student loan debt than ECU graduates. ($15,000 vs. $24,788)
  • Cal State Fullerton graduates are paying $101 less per month on federal student loans than ECU graduates. ($155 vs. $256)
  • More Cal State Fullerton graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ECU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 63%)

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