ETSU vs. Milligan

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

 ETSU Milligan
Location Johnson City, TN Milligan, TN
Setting Small City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 13,483 1,105
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #652
Religious Affiliation - Christian Churches and Churches of Christ - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website etsu.edu milligan.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ETSU Milligan
Tuition (In State) $7,722 $35,950
Tuition (Out of State) $11,532 $35,950
Room & Board $9,613 $7,750
Avg Net Price $14,350 $19,865
Avg Grant Aid $8,739 $28,701
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 ETSU Milligan
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,609 844
Admitted 8,193 563
Acceptance Rate 85.3% 66.7%
Enrolled % 25.1% 31.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.33 3.69
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/26
SAT Range 980/1190
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 Aug 28, 2025

Academics

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

Outcomes

 ETSU Milligan
Graduation Rate 44% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,000 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 50% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $25,500
Median Loan Payment $211 $263

Diversity

 ETSU Milligan
% Men 37% 47%
% Women 63% 53%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 82% 82%
% Black 7% 4%
% Hispanic 2% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

 ETSU Milligan
% In-State 75% 50%
% Out-of-State 23% 47%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • East Tennessee State University is larger than than Milligan based on total student enrollment (13,483 students vs. 1,105 students)

ETSU vs. Milligan Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ETSU or Milligan?

  • Milligan University is 365.6% more expensive to attend than ETSU for in-state tuition ($35,950.00 vs. $7,722.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 211.7% higher at Milligan than East Tennessee State University ($35,950.00 vs. $11,532.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at East Tennessee State University than Milligan ($14,350 vs. $19,865)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Milligan University are 24% lower than costs at East Tennessee State University ($7,750 vs. $9,613)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at East Tennessee State University as Milligan University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Milligan University students is 228.4% larger than aid received East Tennessee State University ($28,701 vs. $8,739)

ETSU vs. Milligan Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Milligan University (1128) is 60 points higher than at ETSU (1068)
  • Incoming Milligan students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at ETSU (23)
  • Accepted freshman Milligan students have a 0.36 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at ETSU (3.33)
  • ETSU has a higher acceptance rate (85.3%) than Milligan (66.7%)

ETSU vs. Milligan Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • East Tennessee State University students graduate with a $5,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Milligan graduates. ($20,500 vs. $25,500)
  • ETSU graduates are paying $52 less per month on federal student loans than Milligan graduates. ($211 vs. $263)
  • More Milligan 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/