ETSU vs. Liberty University

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

ETSU Liberty University
Location Johnson City, TN Lynchburg, VA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 13,586 103,068
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #702 #852
Religious Affiliation - Baptist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website etsu.edu liberty.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ETSU Liberty University
Tuition (In State) $7,950 $20,579
Tuition (Out of State) $11,790 $20,579
Room & Board $10,270 $12,919
Avg Net Price $16,033 $29,692
Avg Grant Aid $9,228 $12,023
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 97%

Admission

ETSU Liberty University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,903 36,921
Admitted 8,622 36,671
Acceptance Rate 87.1% 99.3%Open
Enrolled % 24.8% 17.5%Open
Avg High School GPA 3.33 3.56
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 21/29
SAT Range 950/1170 1040/1250
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline

Academics

ETSU Liberty University
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (17%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (14%)
  • General Studies (14%)
  • Health Professions (6%)

Outcomes

ETSU Liberty University
Graduation Rate 44% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,000 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 50% 36%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $24,166
Median Loan Payment $211 $249

Diversity

ETSU Liberty University
% Men 7% 19%
% Women 14% 29%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 82% 46%
% Black 7% 13%
% Hispanic 2% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 31%

Students

ETSU Liberty University
% In-State 78% 20%
% Out-of-State 20% 79%

Campus

ETSU Liberty University
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

  • Liberty University is larger than than ETSU based on total student enrollment (103,068 students vs. 13,586 students)

ETSU vs. Liberty University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ETSU or Liberty University?

  • Liberty University is 158.9% more expensive to attend than ETSU for in-state tuition ($20,579.00 vs. $7,950.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 74.5% higher at Liberty University than East Tennessee State University ($20,579.00 vs. $11,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at East Tennessee State University than Liberty University ($16,033 vs. $29,692)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at East Tennessee State University are 25.8% lower than costs at Liberty University ($10,270 vs. $12,919)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Liberty University than East Tennessee State University (97% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Liberty University students is 30.3% larger than aid received East Tennessee State University ($12,023 vs. $9,228)

ETSU vs. Liberty University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Liberty University (1070) is 2 points higher than at ETSU (1068)
  • Incoming Liberty University students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at ETSU (23)
  • Accepted freshman Liberty University students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at ETSU (3.33)
  • Liberty University has a higher acceptance rate (99.3%) than ETSU (87.1%)

ETSU vs. Liberty University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ETSU or Liberty University? 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 Liberty University and ETSU.

  • The graduation rate at Liberty University is higher than East Tennessee State University (47% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from East Tennessee State University earn on average $900 more per year than Liberty University graduates after ten years. ($40,000 vs. $39,100)
  • East Tennessee State University students graduate with a $3,666 lower median federal student loan debt than Liberty University graduates. ($20,500 vs. $24,166)
  • ETSU graduates are paying $38 less per month on federal student loans than Liberty University graduates. ($211 vs. $249)
  • More ETSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Liberty University students, three years after graduation. (50% vs. 36%)

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