Columbus State vs. ETSU

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

 Columbus State ETSU
Location Columbus, GA Johnson City, TN
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 7,610 13,586
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #997 #702
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website columbusstate.edu etsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Columbus State ETSU
Tuition (In State) $4,371 $7,950
Tuition (Out of State) $15,425 $11,790
Room & Board $11,262 $10,270
Avg Net Price $11,384 $16,033
Avg Grant Aid $8,299 $9,228
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 85%

Admission

 Columbus State ETSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,550 9,903
Admitted 3,523 8,622
Acceptance Rate 99.2% 87.1%
Enrolled % 30.7% 24.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.07 3.33
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/24 19/26
SAT Range 860/1100 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 Jun 30, 2026

Academics

 Columbus State ETSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (24%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (4%)
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)

Outcomes

 Columbus State ETSU
Graduation Rate 31% 44%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,400 $40,000
Making Student Loan Payments 37% 50%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $268 $211

Diversity

 Columbus State ETSU
% Men 7% 7%
% Women 14% 14%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 51% 82%
% Black 37% 7%
% Hispanic 6% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 1% 3%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

 Columbus State ETSU
% In-State 91% 78%
% Out-of-State 7% 20%

Campus

 Columbus State 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 Columbus State based on total student enrollment (13,586 students vs. 7,610 students)

Columbus State vs. ETSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbus State or ETSU?

  • East Tennessee State University is 81.9% more expensive to attend than Columbus State for in-state tuition ($7,950.00 vs. $4,371.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 30.8% higher at Columbus State than East Tennessee State University ($15,425.00 vs. $11,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbus State University than ETSU ($11,384 vs. $16,033)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at East Tennessee State University are 9.7% lower than costs at Columbus State University ($10,270 vs. $11,262)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Columbus State University than East Tennessee State University (98% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by East Tennessee State University students is 11.2% larger than aid received Columbus State University ($9,228 vs. $8,299)

Columbus State vs. ETSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at East Tennessee State University (1068) is 107 points higher than at Columbus State (961)
  • Incoming ETSU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Columbus State (20)
  • Accepted freshman ETSU students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.33) than students at Columbus State (3.07)
  • Columbus State has a higher acceptance rate (99.2%) than ETSU (87.1%)

Columbus State vs. ETSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Columbus State 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 Columbus State.

  • The graduation rate at ETSU is higher than Columbus State University (44% vs. 31%)
  • Graduates from East Tennessee State University earn on average $2,600 more per year than Columbus State graduates after ten years. ($40,000 vs. $37,400)
  • East Tennessee State University students graduate with a $5,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbus State graduates. ($20,500 vs. $26,000)
  • ETSU graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans than Columbus State graduates. ($211 vs. $268)
  • More ETSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbus State students, three years after graduation. (50% vs. 37%)

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