ECU vs. SU

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

 ECU SU
Location Greenville, NC Winchester, VA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 26,785 4,343
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #587 #523
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ecu.edu su.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ECU SU
Tuition (In State) $4,452 $34,614
Tuition (Out of State) $20,729 $34,614
Room & Board $11,000 $11,800
Avg Net Price $14,470 $26,400
Avg Grant Aid $8,836 $24,100
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 100%

Admission

 ECU SU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,289 3,763
Admitted 20,073 2,929
Acceptance Rate 90.1% 77.8%
Enrolled % 19.6% 16.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.33 3.7
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/26 19/26
SAT Range 1050/1200 1010/1230
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2026

Academics

 ECU SU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Health Professions (36%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (17%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Biology (4%)

Outcomes

 ECU SU
Graduation Rate 59% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,900 $48,300
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,788 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $256 $258

Diversity

 ECU SU
% Men 6% 9%
% Women 14% 31%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 69% 59%
% Black 16% 11%
% Hispanic 6% 6%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 0% 4%
% Unknown Race 2% 13%

Students

 ECU SU
% In-State 82% 58%
% Out-of-State 17% 42%

Campus

 ECU SU
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 SU based on total student enrollment (26,785 students vs. 4,343 students)

ECU vs. SU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ECU or SU?

  • Shenandoah University is 677.5% more expensive to attend than ECU for in-state tuition ($34,614.00 vs. $4,452.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 67% higher at SU than East Carolina University ($34,614.00 vs. $20,729.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at East Carolina University than SU ($14,470 vs. $26,400)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at East Carolina University are 7.3% lower than costs at Shenandoah University ($11,000 vs. $11,800)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Shenandoah University than East Carolina University (100% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Shenandoah University students is 172.7% larger than aid received East Carolina University ($24,100 vs. $8,836)

ECU vs. SU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at East Carolina University (1053) is 48 points higher than at SU (1005)
  • Incoming ECU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at SU (22)
  • Accepted freshman SU students have a 0.37 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at ECU (3.33)
  • ECU has a higher acceptance rate (90.1%) than SU (77.8%)

ECU vs. SU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at ECU is higher than Shenandoah University (59% vs. 45%)
  • Graduates from Shenandoah University earn on average $4,400 more per year than ECU graduates after ten years. ($48,300 vs. $43,900)
  • East Carolina University students graduate with a $212 lower median federal student loan debt than SU graduates. ($24,788 vs. $25,000)
  • ECU graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than SU graduates. ($256 vs. $258)
  • More ECU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SU students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 60%)

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