ECSU vs. Purchase College

Should I go to Eastern Connecticut State University or SUNY at Purchase College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if ECSU or Purchase College 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. SUNY at Purchase College comparison
Eastern Connecticut State University SUNY at Purchase College College 3 College 4
Eastern Connecticut State University SUNY at Purchase College
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Overview

 ECSU Purchase College
Location Willimantic, CT Purchase, NY
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,979 3,229
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #451 #297
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website easternct.edu purchase.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ECSU Purchase College
Tuition (In State) $6,664 $7,070
Tuition (Out of State) $9,996 $16,980
Room & Board $17,258 $15,400
Avg Net Price $21,205 $18,651
Avg Grant Aid $9,865 $9,627
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 72%

Admission

 ECSU Purchase College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,275 7,221
Admitted 4,249 5,259
Acceptance Rate 80.5% 72.8%
Enrolled % 14.5% 14.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.4 3.37
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 27/32
SAT Range 1110/1320 1178/1363
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 Jul 1, 2026

Academics

 ECSU Purchase College
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (37%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

 ECSU Purchase College
Graduation Rate 49% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,400 $40,200
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 65%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,000 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $237 $232

Diversity

 ECSU Purchase College
% Men 1% 1%
% Women 2% 1%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 67% 55%
% Black 7% 10%
% Hispanic 10% 18%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 9% 7%

Students

 ECSU Purchase College
% In-State 89% 78%
% Out-of-State 11% 21%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Eastern Connecticut State University is larger than than Purchase College based on total student enrollment (3,979 students vs. 3,229 students)

ECSU vs. Purchase College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ECSU or Purchase College?

  • SUNY at Purchase College is 6.1% more expensive to attend than ECSU for in-state tuition ($7,070.00 vs. $6,664.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 69.9% higher at Purchase College than Eastern Connecticut State University ($16,980.00 vs. $9,996.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY at Purchase College than ECSU ($18,651 vs. $21,205)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY at Purchase College are 12.1% lower than costs at Eastern Connecticut State University ($15,400 vs. $17,258)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Eastern Connecticut State University than SUNY at Purchase College (94% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Eastern Connecticut State University students is 2.5% larger than aid received SUNY at Purchase College ($9,865 vs. $9,627)

ECSU vs. Purchase College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman ECSU students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.4) than students at Purchase College (3.37)
  • ECSU has a higher acceptance rate (80.5%) than Purchase College (72.8%)

ECSU vs. Purchase College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ECSU or Purchase College? 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 Purchase College and ECSU.

  • The graduation rate at Purchase College is higher than Eastern Connecticut State University (56% vs. 49%)
  • Graduates from Eastern Connecticut State University earn on average $6,200 more per year than Purchase College graduates after ten years. ($46,400 vs. $40,200)
  • SUNY at Purchase College students graduate with a $500 lower median federal student loan debt than ECSU graduates. ($22,500 vs. $23,000)
  • Purchase College graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than ECSU graduates. ($232 vs. $237)
  • More ECSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purchase College students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 65%)

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