ETSU vs. CSUMB

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

 ETSU CSUMB
Location Johnson City, TN Seaside, CA
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 13,586 6,742
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #702 #835
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website etsu.edu csumb.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ETSU CSUMB
Tuition (In State) $7,950 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $11,790 $17,622
Room & Board $10,270 $16,413
Avg Net Price $16,033 $15,222
Avg Grant Aid $9,228 $10,480
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 73%

Admission

 ETSU CSUMB
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,903 11,769
Admitted 8,622 11,160
Acceptance Rate 87.1% 94.8%
Enrolled % 24.8% 8.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.33 3.45
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 17/23
SAT Range 950/1170 960/1160
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2026

Academics

 ETSU CSUMB
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)

Outcomes

 ETSU CSUMB
Graduation Rate 44% 38%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,000 $45,300
Making Student Loan Payments 50% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $14,000
Median Loan Payment $211 $144

Diversity

 ETSU CSUMB
% Men 7% 3%
% Women 14% 9%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 82% 31%
% Black 7% 6%
% Hispanic 2% 43%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 7%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 5%

Students

 ETSU CSUMB
% In-State 78% 93%
% Out-of-State 20% 5%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • East Tennessee State University is larger than than CSUMB based on total student enrollment (13,586 students vs. 6,742 students)

ETSU vs. CSUMB Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ETSU or CSUMB?

  • East Tennessee State University is 38.5% more expensive to attend than CSUMB for in-state tuition ($7,950.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 49.5% higher at CSUMB than East Tennessee State University ($17,622.00 vs. $11,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Monterey Bay than ETSU ($15,222 vs. $16,033)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at East Tennessee State University are 59.8% lower than costs at California State University Monterey Bay ($10,270 vs. $16,413)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at East Tennessee State University than California State University Monterey Bay (85% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Monterey Bay students is 13.6% larger than aid received East Tennessee State University ($10,480 vs. $9,228)

ETSU vs. CSUMB Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman CSUMB students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.45) than students at ETSU (3.33)
  • CSUMB has a higher acceptance rate (94.8%) than ETSU (87.1%)

ETSU vs. CSUMB Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at ETSU is higher than California State University Monterey Bay (44% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from California State University Monterey Bay earn on average $5,300 more per year than ETSU graduates after ten years. ($45,300 vs. $40,000)
  • California State University Monterey Bay students graduate with a $6,500 lower median federal student loan debt than ETSU graduates. ($14,000 vs. $20,500)
  • CSUMB graduates are paying $67 less per month on federal student loans than ETSU graduates. ($144 vs. $211)
  • More CSUMB graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ETSU students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 50%)

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