ETSU vs. UHCL

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

 ETSU UHCL
Location Johnson City, TN Houston, TX
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 13,586 8,211
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #702
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website etsu.edu uhcl.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ETSU UHCL
Tuition (In State) $7,950 $6,024
Tuition (Out of State) $11,790 $19,608
Room & Board $10,270 $11,014
Avg Net Price $16,033 $10,488
Avg Grant Aid $9,228 $12,220
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 69%

Admission

 ETSU UHCL
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,903 2,348
Admitted 8,622 1,768
Acceptance Rate 87.1% 75.3%
Enrolled % 24.8% 24.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.33 3.39
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 18/23
SAT Range 950/1170 990/1170
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 Jun 1, 2026

Academics

 ETSU UHCL
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)

Outcomes

 ETSU UHCL
Graduation Rate 44% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,000 $53,700
Making Student Loan Payments 50% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $17,150
Median Loan Payment $211 $177

Diversity

 ETSU UHCL
% Men 7% 9%
% Women 14% 16%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 82% 43%
% Black 7% 9%
% Hispanic 2% 36%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 ETSU UHCL
% In-State 78% 95%
% Out-of-State 20% 0%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • East Tennessee State University is larger than than UHCL based on total student enrollment (13,586 students vs. 8,211 students)

ETSU vs. UHCL Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ETSU or UHCL?

  • East Tennessee State University is 32% more expensive to attend than UHCL for in-state tuition ($7,950.00 vs. $6,024.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 66.3% higher at UHCL than East Tennessee State University ($19,608.00 vs. $11,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Houston Clear Lake than ETSU ($10,488 vs. $16,033)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at East Tennessee State University are 7.2% lower than costs at University of Houston Clear Lake ($10,270 vs. $11,014)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at East Tennessee State University than University of Houston Clear Lake (85% vs. 69%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Houston Clear Lake students is 32.4% larger than aid received East Tennessee State University ($12,220 vs. $9,228)

ETSU vs. UHCL Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at East Tennessee State University (1068) is 43 points higher than at UHCL (1025)
  • Incoming ETSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at UHCL (22)
  • Accepted freshman UHCL students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.39) than students at ETSU (3.33)
  • ETSU has a higher acceptance rate (87.1%) than UHCL (75.3%)

ETSU vs. UHCL Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • Graduates from University of Houston Clear Lake earn on average $13,700 more per year than ETSU graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $40,000)
  • University of Houston Clear Lake students graduate with a $3,350 lower median federal student loan debt than ETSU graduates. ($17,150 vs. $20,500)
  • UHCL graduates are paying $34 less per month on federal student loans than ETSU graduates. ($177 vs. $211)
  • More UHCL 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/