ECU vs. WCU

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

 ECU WCU
Location Greenville, NC West Chester, PA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 26,785 17,076
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #587 #532
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ecu.edu wcupa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ECU WCU
Tuition (In State) $4,452 $7,716
Tuition (Out of State) $20,729 $19,290
Room & Board $11,000 $12,474
Avg Net Price $14,470 $21,684
Avg Grant Aid $8,836 $5,503
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 70%

Admission

 ECU WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,289 16,467
Admitted 20,073 13,042
Acceptance Rate 90.1% 79.2%
Enrolled % 19.6% 23.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.33 3.43
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/26 24/28
SAT Range 1050/1200 1100/1270
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

Academics

 ECU WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)

Outcomes

 ECU WCU
Graduation Rate 59% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,900 $49,000
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,788 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $256 $242

Diversity

 ECU WCU
% Men 6% 5%
% Women 14% 11%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 69% 78%
% Black 16% 11%
% Hispanic 6% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

 ECU WCU
% In-State 82% 87%
% Out-of-State 17% 13%

Campus

 ECU WCU
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 WCU based on total student enrollment (26,785 students vs. 17,076 students)

ECU vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ECU or WCU?

  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania is 73.3% more expensive to attend than ECU for in-state tuition ($7,716.00 vs. $4,452.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.5% higher at ECU than West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($20,729.00 vs. $19,290.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at East Carolina University than WCU ($14,470 vs. $21,684)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at East Carolina University are 13.4% lower than costs at West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($11,000 vs. $12,474)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at West Chester University of Pennsylvania than East Carolina University (70% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by East Carolina University students is 60.6% larger than aid received West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($8,836 vs. $5,503)

ECU vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at West Chester University of Pennsylvania (1072) is 19 points higher than at ECU (1053)
  • Incoming WCU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at ECU (23)
  • Accepted freshman WCU students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.43) than students at ECU (3.33)
  • ECU has a higher acceptance rate (90.1%) than WCU (79.2%)

ECU vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than East Carolina University (68% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from West Chester University of Pennsylvania earn on average $5,100 more per year than ECU graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $43,900)
  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania students graduate with a $1,288 lower median federal student loan debt than ECU graduates. ($23,500 vs. $24,788)
  • WCU graduates are paying $14 less per month on federal student loans than ECU graduates. ($242 vs. $256)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ECU students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 63%)

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