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ASU UNCG UNC Charlotte WCU UNC Chapel Hill Coastal Carolina NC State WVU UD University of North Carolina at Asheville Auburn UofSC| East Carolina University | University of North Carolina at Wilmington | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
ECU | UNCW | ||
| Location | Greenville, NC | Wilmington, NC | ||
| Setting | Small City | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 27,151 | 17,843 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #673 | #377 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | ecu.edu | uncw.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
ECU | UNCW | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $4,452 | $4,443 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $20,729 | $19,063 | ||
| Room & Board | $10,816 | $12,120 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $14,410 | $18,709 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,020 | $6,217 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 59% | 56% |
Admission |
ECU | UNCW | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 21,383 | 16,860 | ||
| Admitted | 19,744 | 11,605 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 92.3% | 68.8% | ||
| Enrolled % | 19.2% | 20.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.33 | 3.56 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very Easy | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 19/24 | 24/29 | ||
| SAT Range | 1020/1170 | 1220/1370 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Feb 1, 2025 |
Academics |
ECU | UNCW | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 17:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
ECU | UNCW | ||
| Graduation Rate | 59% | 67% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $43,900 | $44,700 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 63% | 64% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $24,788 | $20,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $256 | $211 |
Diversity |
ECU | UNCW | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 40% | 34% | ||
| % Women | 60% | 66% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 69% | 78% | ||
| % Black | 16% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 6% | 7% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 3% | ||
| % International | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 3% |
Students |
ECU | UNCW | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 83% | 80% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 15% | 19% | ||
Campus |
ECU | UNCW | ||
| 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 UNCW based on total student enrollment (27,151 students vs. 17,843 students)
ECU vs. UNCW Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, ECU or UNCW?
- East Carolina University is 0.2% more expensive to attend than UNCW for in-state tuition ($4,452.00 vs. $4,443.00)
- Out of state tuition is 8.7% higher at ECU than University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($20,729.00 vs. $19,063.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at East Carolina University than UNCW ($14,410 vs. $18,709)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at East Carolina University are 12.1% lower than costs at University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($10,816 vs. $12,120)
- More students receive financial grant aid at East Carolina University than University of North Carolina at Wilmington (59% vs. 56%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by East Carolina University students is 45.1% larger than aid received University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($9,020 vs. $6,217)
ECU vs. UNCW Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, ECU or UNCW? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UNCW or ECU .
- The average SAT score at University of North Carolina at Wilmington (1162) is 109 points higher than at ECU (1053)
- Incoming UNCW students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at ECU (23)
- Accepted freshman UNCW students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at ECU (3.33)
- ECU has a higher acceptance rate (92.3%) than UNCW (68.8%)
ECU vs. UNCW Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, ECU or UNCW? 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 UNCW and ECU.
- The graduation rate at UNCW is higher than East Carolina University (67% vs. 59%)
- Graduates from University of North Carolina at Wilmington earn on average $800 more per year than ECU graduates after ten years. ($44,700 vs. $43,900)
- University of North Carolina at Wilmington students graduate with a $4,288 lower median federal student loan debt than ECU graduates. ($20,500 vs. $24,788)
- UNCW graduates are paying $45 less per month on federal student loans than ECU graduates. ($211 vs. $256)
- More UNCW graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ECU students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 63%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/