ETSU vs. BC

Should I go to East Tennessee State University or Bridgewater College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if ETSU or BC 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 Tennessee State University vs. Bridgewater College comparison
East Tennessee State University Bridgewater College College 3 College 4
East Tennessee State University Bridgewater College
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Overview

 ETSU BC
Location Johnson City, TN Bridgewater, VA
Setting Small City Small Suburban
Enrollment 13,483 1,421
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #652 #676
Religious Affiliation - Church of Brethren - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website etsu.edu bridgewater.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ETSU BC
Tuition (In State) $7,722 $38,800
Tuition (Out of State) $11,532 $38,800
Room & Board $9,613 $13,830
Avg Net Price $14,350 $19,332
Avg Grant Aid $8,739 $34,142
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 ETSU BC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,609 3,402
Admitted 8,193 3,074
Acceptance Rate 85.3% 90.4%
Enrolled % 25.1% 13.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.33 3.61
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 22/28
SAT Range 980/1190 1020/1230
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 May 1, 2025

Academics

 ETSU BC
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

 ETSU BC
Graduation Rate 44% 59%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,000 $43,100
Making Student Loan Payments 50% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $211 $279

Diversity

 ETSU BC
% Men 37% 48%
% Women 63% 52%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 82% 73%
% Black 7% 11%
% Hispanic 2% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 4%

Students

 ETSU BC
% In-State 75% 73%
% Out-of-State 23% 24%

Campus

 ETSU BC
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • East Tennessee State University is larger than than BC based on total student enrollment (13,483 students vs. 1,421 students)

ETSU vs. BC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ETSU or BC?

  • Bridgewater College is 402.5% more expensive to attend than ETSU for in-state tuition ($38,800.00 vs. $7,722.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 236.5% higher at BC than East Tennessee State University ($38,800.00 vs. $11,532.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at East Tennessee State University than BC ($14,350 vs. $19,332)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at East Tennessee State University are 43.9% lower than costs at Bridgewater College ($9,613 vs. $13,830)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at East Tennessee State University as Bridgewater College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bridgewater College students is 290.7% larger than aid received East Tennessee State University ($34,142 vs. $8,739)

ETSU vs. BC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at East Tennessee State University (1068) is 34 points higher than at BC (1034)
  • Incoming BC students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at ETSU (23)
  • Accepted freshman BC students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at ETSU (3.33)
  • BC has a higher acceptance rate (90.4%) than ETSU (85.3%)

ETSU vs. BC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ETSU or BC? 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 BC and ETSU.

  • The graduation rate at BC is higher than East Tennessee State University (59% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from Bridgewater College earn on average $3,100 more per year than ETSU graduates after ten years. ($43,100 vs. $40,000)
  • East Tennessee State University students graduate with a $6,500 lower median federal student loan debt than BC graduates. ($20,500 vs. $27,000)
  • ETSU graduates are paying $68 less per month on federal student loans than BC graduates. ($211 vs. $279)
  • More BC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ETSU students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 50%)

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