ECSU vs. City College of New York

Should I go to Eastern Connecticut State University or CUNY City College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if ECSU or City College of New York 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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Eastern Connecticut State University vs. CUNY City College comparison
Eastern Connecticut State University CUNY City College College 3 College 4
Eastern Connecticut State University CUNY City College
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Overview

 ECSU City College of New York
Location Willimantic, CT New York, NY
Setting Distant Town Large City
Enrollment 3,979 15,012
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #451 #276
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website easternct.edu cuny.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ECSU City College of New York
Tuition (In State) $6,664 $6,930
Tuition (Out of State) $9,996 $14,880
Room & Board $17,258 $18,104
Avg Net Price $21,205 $4,599
Avg Grant Aid $9,865 $9,236
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 86%

Admission

 ECSU City College of New York
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,275 31,988
Admitted 4,249 18,576
Acceptance Rate 80.5% 58.1%
Enrolled % 14.5% 14.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.4 3.2
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range
SAT Range 1110/1320 1220/1460
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 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 ECSU City College of New York
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Psychology (15%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

 ECSU City College of New York
Graduation Rate 49% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,400 $49,800
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 52%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,000 $11,400
Median Loan Payment $237 $117

Diversity

 ECSU City College of New York
% Men 1% 7%
% Women 2% 11%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 67% 15%
% Black 7% 16%
% Hispanic 10% 35%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 1% 6%
% Unknown Race 9% 0%

Students

 ECSU City College of New York
% In-State 89% 87%
% Out-of-State 11% 0%

Campus

 ECSU City College of New York
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • CUNY City College is larger than than ECSU based on total student enrollment (15,012 students vs. 3,979 students)

ECSU vs. City College of New York Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ECSU or City College of New York?

  • CUNY City College is 4% more expensive to attend than ECSU for in-state tuition ($6,930.00 vs. $6,664.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 48.9% higher at City College of New York than Eastern Connecticut State University ($14,880.00 vs. $9,996.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at CUNY City College than ECSU ($4,599 vs. $21,205)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Eastern Connecticut State University are 4.9% lower than costs at CUNY City College ($17,258 vs. $18,104)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Eastern Connecticut State University than CUNY City College (94% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Eastern Connecticut State University students is 6.8% larger than aid received CUNY City College ($9,865 vs. $9,236)

ECSU vs. City College of New York Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ECSU or City College of New York? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between City College of New York or ECSU .

  • Accepted freshman ECSU students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.4) than students at City College of New York (3.2)
  • ECSU has a higher acceptance rate (80.5%) than City College of New York (58.1%)

ECSU vs. City College of New York Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ECSU or City College of New York? 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 City College of New York and ECSU.

  • The graduation rate at ECSU is higher than CUNY City College (49% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from CUNY City College earn on average $3,400 more per year than ECSU graduates after ten years. ($49,800 vs. $46,400)
  • CUNY City College students graduate with a $11,600 lower median federal student loan debt than ECSU graduates. ($11,400 vs. $23,000)
  • City College of New York graduates are paying $120 less per month on federal student loans than ECSU graduates. ($117 vs. $237)
  • More ECSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former City College of New York students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 52%)

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