ECU vs. UNCG

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

ECU UNCG
Location Greenville, NC Greensboro, NC
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 27,151 17,978
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #673 #671
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ecu.edu uncg.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ECU UNCG
Tuition (In State) $4,452 $4,422
Tuition (Out of State) $20,729 $19,581
Room & Board $10,816 $9,924
Avg Net Price $14,410 $10,979
Avg Grant Aid $9,020 $8,257
% Receiving Grant Aid 59% 82%

Admission

ECU UNCG
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,383 11,515
Admitted 19,744 10,587
Acceptance Rate 92.3% 91.9%
Enrolled % 19.2% 22.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.33 3.59
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/24 22/27
SAT Range 1020/1170 1110/1280
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Mar 1, 2025

Academics

ECU UNCG
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)

Outcomes

ECU UNCG
Graduation Rate 59% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,900 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,788 $22,737
Median Loan Payment $256 $235

Diversity

ECU UNCG
% Men 40% 33%
% Women 60% 67%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 69% 52%
% Black 16% 28%
% Hispanic 6% 8%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

ECU UNCG
% In-State 83% 92%
% Out-of-State 15% 6%

Campus

ECU UNCG
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 UNCG based on total student enrollment (27,151 students vs. 17,978 students)

ECU vs. UNCG Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ECU or UNCG?

  • East Carolina University is 0.7% more expensive to attend than UNCG for in-state tuition ($4,452.00 vs. $4,422.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.9% higher at ECU than University of North Carolina at Greensboro ($20,729.00 vs. $19,581.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Carolina at Greensboro than ECU ($10,979 vs. $14,410)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Carolina at Greensboro are 9% lower than costs at East Carolina University ($9,924 vs. $10,816)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of North Carolina at Greensboro than East Carolina University (82% vs. 59%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by East Carolina University students is 9.2% larger than aid received University of North Carolina at Greensboro ($9,020 vs. $8,257)

ECU vs. UNCG Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at East Carolina University (1053) is 18 points higher than at UNCG (1035)
  • Incoming ECU students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at UNCG (23)
  • Accepted freshman UNCG students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.59) than students at ECU (3.33)
  • ECU has a higher acceptance rate (92.3%) than UNCG (91.9%)

ECU vs. UNCG Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at ECU is higher than University of North Carolina at Greensboro (59% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from East Carolina University earn on average $4,800 more per year than UNCG graduates after ten years. ($43,900 vs. $39,100)
  • University of North Carolina at Greensboro students graduate with a $2,051 lower median federal student loan debt than ECU graduates. ($22,737 vs. $24,788)
  • UNCG graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than ECU graduates. ($235 vs. $256)
  • More ECU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNCG students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 56%)

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