ECU vs. NCAT

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

 ECU NCAT
Location Greenville, NC Greensboro, NC
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 26,785 13,885
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #587 #950
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ecu.edu ncat.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ECU NCAT
Tuition (In State) $4,452 $3,540
Tuition (Out of State) $20,729 $17,200
Room & Board $11,000 $8,832
Avg Net Price $14,470 $10,258
Avg Grant Aid $8,836 $10,700
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 89%

Admission

 ECU NCAT
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,289 30,717
Admitted 20,073 14,183
Acceptance Rate 90.1% 46.2%
Enrolled % 19.6% 19.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.33 3.61
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/26 16/22
SAT Range 1050/1200 960/1190
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 1, 2026

Academics

 ECU NCAT
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Engineering Technology (6%)

Outcomes

 ECU NCAT
Graduation Rate 59% 41%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,900 $38,100
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 27%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,788 $29,000
Median Loan Payment $256 $299

Diversity

 ECU NCAT
% Men 6% 5%
% Women 14% 7%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 69% 5%
% Black 16% 84%
% Hispanic 6% 3%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 ECU NCAT
% In-State 82% 67%
% Out-of-State 17% 32%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • East Carolina University is larger than than NCAT based on total student enrollment (26,785 students vs. 13,885 students)

ECU vs. NCAT Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ECU or NCAT?

  • East Carolina University is 25.8% more expensive to attend than NCAT for in-state tuition ($4,452.00 vs. $3,540.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 20.5% higher at ECU than North Carolina A & T State University ($20,729.00 vs. $17,200.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at North Carolina A & T State University than ECU ($10,258 vs. $14,470)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at North Carolina A & T State University are 24.5% lower than costs at East Carolina University ($8,832 vs. $11,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at North Carolina A & T State University than East Carolina University (89% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by North Carolina A & T State University students is 21.1% larger than aid received East Carolina University ($10,700 vs. $8,836)

ECU vs. NCAT Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at East Carolina University (1053) is 143 points higher than at NCAT (910)
  • Incoming ECU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at NCAT (19)
  • Accepted freshman NCAT 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 (90.1%) than NCAT (46.2%)

ECU vs. NCAT Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at ECU is higher than North Carolina A & T State University (59% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from East Carolina University earn on average $5,800 more per year than NCAT graduates after ten years. ($43,900 vs. $38,100)
  • East Carolina University students graduate with a $4,212 lower median federal student loan debt than NCAT graduates. ($24,788 vs. $29,000)
  • ECU graduates are paying $43 less per month on federal student loans than NCAT graduates. ($256 vs. $299)
  • More ECU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NCAT students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 27%)

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