ECU vs. WSSU

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

 ECU WSSU
Location Greenville, NC Winston-Salem, NC
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 27,151 5,004
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #673 #956
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ecu.edu wssu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ECU WSSU
Tuition (In State) $4,452 $3,401
Tuition (Out of State) $20,729 $14,057
Room & Board $10,816 $11,220
Avg Net Price $14,410 $14,097
Avg Grant Aid $9,020 $8,350
% Receiving Grant Aid 59% 86%

Admission

 ECU WSSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,383 7,628
Admitted 19,744 5,598
Acceptance Rate 92.3% 73.4%
Enrolled % 19.2% 15.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.33 3.01
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Very Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/24 14/19
SAT Range 1020/1170 830/1050
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 15, 2025

Academics

 ECU WSSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Health Professions (50%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

 ECU WSSU
Graduation Rate 59% 41%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,900 $35,700
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 33%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,788 $25,663
Median Loan Payment $256 $265

Diversity

 ECU WSSU
% Men 40% 24%
% Women 60% 76%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 69% 16%
% Black 16% 72%
% Hispanic 6% 3%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 ECU WSSU
% In-State 83% 82%
% Out-of-State 15% 16%

Campus

 ECU WSSU
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 WSSU based on total student enrollment (27,151 students vs. 5,004 students)

ECU vs. WSSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ECU or WSSU?

  • East Carolina University is 30.9% more expensive to attend than WSSU for in-state tuition ($4,452.00 vs. $3,401.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 47.5% higher at ECU than Winston Salem State University ($20,729.00 vs. $14,057.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Winston Salem State University than ECU ($14,097 vs. $14,410)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at East Carolina University are 3.7% lower than costs at Winston Salem State University ($10,816 vs. $11,220)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Winston Salem State University than East Carolina University (86% vs. 59%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by East Carolina University students is 8% larger than aid received Winston Salem State University ($9,020 vs. $8,350)

ECU vs. WSSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at East Carolina University (1053) is 183 points higher than at WSSU (870)
  • Incoming ECU students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at WSSU (18)
  • Accepted freshman ECU students have a 0.32 point higher average high school GPA (3.33) than students at WSSU (3.01)
  • ECU has a higher acceptance rate (92.3%) than WSSU (73.4%)

ECU vs. WSSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at ECU is higher than Winston Salem State University (59% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from East Carolina University earn on average $8,200 more per year than WSSU graduates after ten years. ($43,900 vs. $35,700)
  • East Carolina University students graduate with a $875 lower median federal student loan debt than WSSU graduates. ($24,788 vs. $25,663)
  • ECU graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than WSSU graduates. ($256 vs. $265)
  • More ECU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSSU students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 33%)

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