ECU vs. USC Aiken

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

ECU USC Aiken
Location Greenville, NC Aiken, SC
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 27,151 3,840
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #673 #888
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ecu.edu usca.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ECU USC Aiken
Tuition (In State) $4,452 $10,398
Tuition (Out of State) $20,729 $20,856
Room & Board $10,816 $8,376
Avg Net Price $14,410 $11,872
Avg Grant Aid $9,020 $9,891
% Receiving Grant Aid 59% 100%

Admission

ECU USC Aiken
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,383 2,453
Admitted 19,744 1,855
Acceptance Rate 92.3% 75.6%
Enrolled % 19.2% 29.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.33 3.19
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Very Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/24 18/24
SAT Range 1020/1170 950/1180
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

ECU USC Aiken
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)

Outcomes

ECU USC Aiken
Graduation Rate 59% 41%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,900 $39,600
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,788 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $256 $268

Diversity

ECU USC Aiken
% Men 40% 36%
% Women 60% 64%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 69% 58%
% Black 16% 27%
% Hispanic 6% 4%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 0% 4%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

ECU USC Aiken
% In-State 83% 87%
% Out-of-State 15% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • East Carolina University is larger than than USC Aiken based on total student enrollment (27,151 students vs. 3,840 students)

ECU vs. USC Aiken Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ECU or USC Aiken?

  • University of South Carolina Aiken is 133.6% more expensive to attend than ECU for in-state tuition ($10,398.00 vs. $4,452.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.6% higher at USC Aiken than East Carolina University ($20,856.00 vs. $20,729.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Carolina Aiken than ECU ($11,872 vs. $14,410)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Aiken are 29.1% lower than costs at East Carolina University ($8,376 vs. $10,816)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Aiken than East Carolina University (100% vs. 59%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of South Carolina Aiken students is 9.7% larger than aid received East Carolina University ($9,891 vs. $9,020)

ECU vs. USC Aiken Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at East Carolina University (1053) is 77 points higher than at USC Aiken (976)
  • Incoming ECU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at USC Aiken (21)
  • Accepted freshman ECU students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.33) than students at USC Aiken (3.19)
  • ECU has a higher acceptance rate (92.3%) than USC Aiken (75.6%)

ECU vs. USC Aiken Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ECU or USC Aiken? 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 USC Aiken and ECU.

  • The graduation rate at ECU is higher than University of South Carolina Aiken (59% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from East Carolina University earn on average $4,300 more per year than USC Aiken graduates after ten years. ($43,900 vs. $39,600)
  • East Carolina University students graduate with a $1,212 lower median federal student loan debt than USC Aiken graduates. ($24,788 vs. $26,000)
  • ECU graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than USC Aiken graduates. ($256 vs. $268)
  • More ECU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USC Aiken students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 54%)

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