ECU vs. Elon

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

ECU Elon
Location Greenville, NC Elon, NC
Setting Small City Small Suburban
Enrollment 27,151 7,123
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #673 #116
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ecu.edu elon.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ECU Elon
Tuition (In State) $4,452 $41,734
Tuition (Out of State) $20,729 $41,734
Room & Board $10,816 $13,886
Avg Net Price $14,410 $41,527
Avg Grant Aid $9,020 $13,880
% Receiving Grant Aid 59% 68%

Admission

ECU Elon
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,383 17,551
Admitted 19,744 13,069
Acceptance Rate 92.3% 74.5%
Enrolled % 19.2% 12.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.33 3.65
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/24 25/30
SAT Range 1020/1170 1170/1360
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 10, 2025

Academics

ECU Elon
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Communication (19%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)

Outcomes

ECU Elon
Graduation Rate 59% 82%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,900 $56,200
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,788 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $256 $240

Diversity

ECU Elon
% Men 40% 40%
% Women 60% 60%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 69% 82%
% Black 16% 6%
% Hispanic 6% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

ECU Elon
% In-State 83% 18%
% Out-of-State 15% 80%

Campus

ECU Elon
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 Elon based on total student enrollment (27,151 students vs. 7,123 students)

ECU vs. Elon Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ECU or Elon?

  • Elon University is 837.4% more expensive to attend than ECU for in-state tuition ($41,734.00 vs. $4,452.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 101.3% higher at Elon than East Carolina University ($41,734.00 vs. $20,729.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at East Carolina University than Elon ($14,410 vs. $41,527)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at East Carolina University are 28.4% lower than costs at Elon University ($10,816 vs. $13,886)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Elon University than East Carolina University (68% vs. 59%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Elon University students is 53.9% larger than aid received East Carolina University ($13,880 vs. $9,020)

ECU vs. Elon Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Elon University (1211) is 158 points higher than at ECU (1053)
  • Incoming Elon students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at ECU (23)
  • Accepted freshman Elon students have a 0.32 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at ECU (3.33)
  • ECU has a higher acceptance rate (92.3%) than Elon (74.5%)

ECU vs. Elon Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Elon is higher than East Carolina University (82% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from Elon University earn on average $12,300 more per year than ECU graduates after ten years. ($56,200 vs. $43,900)
  • Elon University students graduate with a $1,538 lower median federal student loan debt than ECU graduates. ($23,250 vs. $24,788)
  • Elon graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than ECU graduates. ($240 vs. $256)
  • More Elon graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ECU students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 63%)

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