ETSU vs. UTC

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

 ETSU UTC
Location Johnson City, TN Chattanooga, TN
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 13,483 11,283
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #652 #788
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website etsu.edu utc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ETSU UTC
Tuition (In State) $7,722 $7,992
Tuition (Out of State) $11,532 $24,110
Room & Board $9,613 $9,500
Avg Net Price $14,350 $14,417
Avg Grant Aid $8,739 $9,309
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 94%

Admission

 ETSU UTC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,609 8,345
Admitted 8,193 6,897
Acceptance Rate 85.3% 82.6%
Enrolled % 25.1% 32.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.33 3.61
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 20/26
SAT Range 980/1190 1023/1210
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 1, 2025

Academics

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

Outcomes

 ETSU UTC
Graduation Rate 44% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,000 $40,600
Making Student Loan Payments 50% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $20,792
Median Loan Payment $211 $214

Diversity

 ETSU UTC
% Men 37% 42%
% Women 63% 58%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 82% 75%
% Black 7% 11%
% Hispanic 2% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 7%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 ETSU UTC
% In-State 75% 89%
% Out-of-State 23% 11%

Campus

 ETSU UTC
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 UTC based on total student enrollment (13,483 students vs. 11,283 students)

ETSU vs. UTC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ETSU or UTC?

  • The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is 3.5% more expensive to attend than ETSU for in-state tuition ($7,992.00 vs. $7,722.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 109.1% higher at UTC than East Tennessee State University ($24,110.00 vs. $11,532.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at East Tennessee State University than UTC ($14,350 vs. $14,417)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga are 1.2% lower than costs at East Tennessee State University ($9,500 vs. $9,613)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at East Tennessee State University than The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (100% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga students is 6.5% larger than aid received East Tennessee State University ($9,309 vs. $8,739)

ETSU vs. UTC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (1087) is 19 points higher than at ETSU (1068)
  • Incoming UTC students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at ETSU (23)
  • Accepted freshman UTC students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at ETSU (3.33)
  • ETSU has a higher acceptance rate (85.3%) than UTC (82.6%)

ETSU vs. UTC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at ETSU is higher than The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (44% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga earn on average $600 more per year than ETSU graduates after ten years. ($40,600 vs. $40,000)
  • East Tennessee State University students graduate with a $292 lower median federal student loan debt than UTC graduates. ($20,500 vs. $20,792)
  • ETSU graduates are paying $3 less per month on federal student loans than UTC graduates. ($211 vs. $214)
  • More UTC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ETSU students, three years after graduation. (56% vs. 50%)

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