ETSU vs. WVU

Should I go to East Tennessee State University or West Virginia University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if ETSU or WVU 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Marshall University JMU ECU Penn State TU Ohio University WCU Kent State Middle Tennessee State University WVSU Kentucky WCU
East Tennessee State University vs. West Virginia University comparison
East Tennessee State University West Virginia University College 3 College 4
East Tennessee State University West Virginia University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 ETSU WVU
Location Johnson City, TN Morgantown, WV
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 13,586 24,200
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #702 #534
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website etsu.edu wvu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ETSU WVU
Tuition (In State) $7,950 $9,648
Tuition (Out of State) $11,790 $27,360
Room & Board $10,270 $13,876
Avg Net Price $16,033 $13,691
Avg Grant Aid $9,228 $11,893
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 93%

Admission

 ETSU WVU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,903 19,857
Admitted 8,622 17,129
Acceptance Rate 87.1% 86.3%
Enrolled % 24.8% 25.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.33 3.45
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 20/26
SAT Range 950/1170 1010/1240
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

Academics

 ETSU WVU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)

Outcomes

 ETSU WVU
Graduation Rate 44% 57%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,000 $50,600
Making Student Loan Payments 50% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $24,001
Median Loan Payment $211 $248

Diversity

 ETSU WVU
% Men 7% 10%
% Women 14% 13%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 82% 81%
% Black 7% 5%
% Hispanic 2% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 3% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

 ETSU WVU
% In-State 78% 43%
% Out-of-State 20% 56%

Campus

 ETSU WVU
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

  • West Virginia University is larger than than ETSU based on total student enrollment (24,200 students vs. 13,586 students)

ETSU vs. WVU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ETSU or WVU?

  • West Virginia University is 21.4% more expensive to attend than ETSU for in-state tuition ($9,648.00 vs. $7,950.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 132.1% higher at WVU than East Tennessee State University ($27,360.00 vs. $11,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at West Virginia University than ETSU ($13,691 vs. $16,033)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at East Tennessee State University are 35.1% lower than costs at West Virginia University ($10,270 vs. $13,876)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at West Virginia University than East Tennessee State University (93% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by West Virginia University students is 28.9% larger than aid received East Tennessee State University ($11,893 vs. $9,228)

ETSU vs. WVU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at West Virginia University (1078) is 10 points higher than at ETSU (1068)
  • Incoming WVU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at ETSU (23)
  • Accepted freshman WVU students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.45) than students at ETSU (3.33)
  • ETSU has a higher acceptance rate (87.1%) than WVU (86.3%)

ETSU vs. WVU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at WVU is higher than East Tennessee State University (57% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from West Virginia University earn on average $10,600 more per year than ETSU graduates after ten years. ($50,600 vs. $40,000)
  • East Tennessee State University students graduate with a $3,501 lower median federal student loan debt than WVU graduates. ($20,500 vs. $24,001)
  • ETSU graduates are paying $37 less per month on federal student loans than WVU graduates. ($211 vs. $248)
  • More WVU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ETSU students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 50%)

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