ECU vs. BC

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

 ECU BC
Location Greenville, NC Bridgewater, VA
Setting Small City Small Suburban
Enrollment 27,151 1,421
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #673 #676
Religious Affiliation - Church of Brethren - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ecu.edu bridgewater.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ECU BC
Tuition (In State) $4,452 $38,800
Tuition (Out of State) $20,729 $38,800
Room & Board $10,816 $13,830
Avg Net Price $14,410 $19,332
Avg Grant Aid $9,020 $34,142
% Receiving Grant Aid 59% 100%

Admission

 ECU BC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,383 3,402
Admitted 19,744 3,074
Acceptance Rate 92.3% 90.4%
Enrolled % 19.2% 13.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.33 3.61
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/24 22/28
SAT Range 1020/1170 1020/1230
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline May 1, 2025

Academics

 ECU BC
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

 ECU BC
Graduation Rate 59% 59%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,900 $43,100
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,788 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $256 $279

Diversity

 ECU BC
% Men 40% 48%
% Women 60% 52%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 69% 73%
% Black 16% 11%
% Hispanic 6% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 4%

Students

 ECU BC
% In-State 83% 73%
% Out-of-State 15% 24%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • East Carolina University is larger than than BC based on total student enrollment (27,151 students vs. 1,421 students)

ECU vs. BC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ECU or BC?

  • Bridgewater College is 771.5% more expensive to attend than ECU for in-state tuition ($38,800.00 vs. $4,452.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 87.2% higher at BC than East Carolina University ($38,800.00 vs. $20,729.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at East Carolina University than BC ($14,410 vs. $19,332)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at East Carolina University are 27.9% lower than costs at Bridgewater College ($10,816 vs. $13,830)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bridgewater College than East Carolina University (100% vs. 59%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bridgewater College students is 278.5% larger than aid received East Carolina University ($34,142 vs. $9,020)

ECU vs. BC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at East Carolina University (1053) is 19 points higher than at BC (1034)
  • Incoming BC students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at ECU (23)
  • Accepted freshman BC students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at ECU (3.33)
  • ECU has a higher acceptance rate (92.3%) than BC (90.4%)

ECU vs. BC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ECU or BC? 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 BC and ECU.

  • The graduation rate at ECU is the same as at Bridgewater College (59% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from East Carolina University earn on average $800 more per year than BC graduates after ten years. ($43,900 vs. $43,100)
  • East Carolina University students graduate with a $2,212 lower median federal student loan debt than BC graduates. ($24,788 vs. $27,000)
  • ECU graduates are paying $23 less per month on federal student loans than BC graduates. ($256 vs. $279)
  • More BC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ECU students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 63%)

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