ETSU vs. SU

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

 ETSU SU
Location Johnson City, TN Winchester, VA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 13,483 4,260
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #652 #537
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website etsu.edu su.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ETSU SU
Tuition (In State) $7,722 $33,790
Tuition (Out of State) $11,532 $33,790
Room & Board $9,613 $11,230
Avg Net Price $14,350 $26,143
Avg Grant Aid $8,739 $23,467
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 ETSU SU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,609 2,296
Admitted 8,193 1,845
Acceptance Rate 85.3% 80.4%
Enrolled % 25.1% 25.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.33 3.7
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 19/26
SAT Range 980/1190 1010/1230
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 ETSU SU
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Health Professions (36%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (17%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Biology (4%)

Outcomes

 ETSU SU
Graduation Rate 44% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,000 $48,300
Making Student Loan Payments 50% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $211 $258

Diversity

 ETSU SU
% Men 37% 32%
% Women 63% 68%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU No No
% White 82% 59%
% Black 7% 11%
% Hispanic 2% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 3% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 13%

Students

 ETSU SU
% In-State 75% 52%
% Out-of-State 23% 48%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • East Tennessee State University is larger than than SU based on total student enrollment (13,483 students vs. 4,260 students)

ETSU vs. SU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ETSU or SU?

  • Shenandoah University is 337.6% more expensive to attend than ETSU for in-state tuition ($33,790.00 vs. $7,722.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 193% higher at SU than East Tennessee State University ($33,790.00 vs. $11,532.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at East Tennessee State University than SU ($14,350 vs. $26,143)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at East Tennessee State University are 16.8% lower than costs at Shenandoah University ($9,613 vs. $11,230)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at East Tennessee State University as Shenandoah University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Shenandoah University students is 168.5% larger than aid received East Tennessee State University ($23,467 vs. $8,739)

ETSU vs. SU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at East Tennessee State University (1068) is 63 points higher than at SU (1005)
  • Incoming ETSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at SU (22)
  • Accepted freshman SU students have a 0.37 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at ETSU (3.33)
  • ETSU has a higher acceptance rate (85.3%) than SU (80.4%)

ETSU vs. SU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at SU is higher than East Tennessee State University (45% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from Shenandoah University earn on average $8,300 more per year than ETSU graduates after ten years. ($48,300 vs. $40,000)
  • East Tennessee State University students graduate with a $4,500 lower median federal student loan debt than SU graduates. ($20,500 vs. $25,000)
  • ETSU graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than SU graduates. ($211 vs. $258)
  • More SU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ETSU students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 50%)

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