ETSU vs. NSU

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

 ETSU NSU
Location Johnson City, TN Norfolk, VA
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 13,586 6,045
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #702 #999
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website etsu.edu nsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ETSU NSU
Tuition (In State) $7,950 $5,926
Tuition (Out of State) $11,790 $17,428
Room & Board $10,270 $11,692
Avg Net Price $16,033 $12,272
Avg Grant Aid $9,228 $11,153
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 97%

Admission

 ETSU NSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,903 10,211
Admitted 8,622 8,931
Acceptance Rate 87.1% 87.5%
Enrolled % 24.8% 16.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.33 2.9
Typical High School Grades B+ B-
Admissions Standards Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 16/21
SAT Range 950/1170 840/1100
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 31, 2026

Academics

 ETSU NSU
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%)
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

 ETSU NSU
Graduation Rate 44% 33%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,000 $36,700
Making Student Loan Payments 50% 27%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $31,000
Median Loan Payment $211 $320

Diversity

 ETSU NSU
% Men 7% 3%
% Women 14% 5%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 82% 5%
% Black 7% 84%
% Hispanic 2% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

 ETSU NSU
% In-State 78% 65%
% Out-of-State 20% 31%

Campus

 ETSU NSU
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 NSU based on total student enrollment (13,586 students vs. 6,045 students)

ETSU vs. NSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ETSU or NSU?

  • East Tennessee State University is 34.2% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($7,950.00 vs. $5,926.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 47.8% higher at NSU than East Tennessee State University ($17,428.00 vs. $11,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Norfolk State University than ETSU ($12,272 vs. $16,033)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at East Tennessee State University are 13.8% lower than costs at Norfolk State University ($10,270 vs. $11,692)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Norfolk State University than East Tennessee State University (97% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Norfolk State University students is 20.9% larger than aid received East Tennessee State University ($11,153 vs. $9,228)

ETSU vs. NSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at East Tennessee State University (1068) is 260 points higher than at NSU (808)
  • Incoming ETSU students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at NSU (17)
  • Accepted freshman ETSU students have a 0.43 point higher average high school GPA (3.33) than students at NSU (2.9)
  • NSU has a higher acceptance rate (87.5%) than ETSU (87.1%)

ETSU vs. NSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at ETSU is higher than Norfolk State University (44% vs. 33%)
  • Graduates from East Tennessee State University earn on average $3,300 more per year than NSU graduates after ten years. ($40,000 vs. $36,700)
  • East Tennessee State University students graduate with a $10,500 lower median federal student loan debt than NSU graduates. ($20,500 vs. $31,000)
  • ETSU graduates are paying $109 less per month on federal student loans than NSU graduates. ($211 vs. $320)
  • More ETSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NSU students, three years after graduation. (50% vs. 27%)

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