ECSU vs. URI

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

 ECSU URI
Location Willimantic, CT Kingston, RI
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,979 17,351
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #451 #353
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website easternct.edu uri.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ECSU URI
Tuition (In State) $6,664 $14,116
Tuition (Out of State) $9,996 $33,512
Room & Board $17,258 $14,900
Avg Net Price $21,205 $20,964
Avg Grant Aid $9,865 $12,803
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 98%

Admission

 ECSU URI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,275 25,391
Admitted 4,249 19,568
Acceptance Rate 80.5% 77.1%
Enrolled % 14.5% 16.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.4 3.58
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 26/31
SAT Range 1110/1320 1030/1270
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 URI
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Engineering (9%)

Outcomes

 ECSU URI
Graduation Rate 49% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,400 $56,200
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,000 $23,438
Median Loan Payment $237 $242

Diversity

 ECSU URI
% Men 1% 6%
% Women 2% 10%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 67% 71%
% Black 7% 5%
% Hispanic 10% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 9% 7%

Students

 ECSU URI
% In-State 89% 39%
% Out-of-State 11% 60%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Rhode Island is larger than than ECSU based on total student enrollment (17,351 students vs. 3,979 students)

ECSU vs. URI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ECSU or URI?

  • University of Rhode Island is 111.8% more expensive to attend than ECSU for in-state tuition ($14,116.00 vs. $6,664.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 235.3% higher at URI than Eastern Connecticut State University ($33,512.00 vs. $9,996.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Rhode Island than ECSU ($20,964 vs. $21,205)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Rhode Island are 15.8% lower than costs at Eastern Connecticut State University ($14,900 vs. $17,258)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Rhode Island than Eastern Connecticut State University (98% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Rhode Island students is 29.8% larger than aid received Eastern Connecticut State University ($12,803 vs. $9,865)

ECSU vs. URI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman URI students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.58) than students at ECSU (3.4)
  • ECSU has a higher acceptance rate (80.5%) than URI (77.1%)

ECSU vs. URI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ECSU or URI? 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 URI and ECSU.

  • The graduation rate at URI is higher than Eastern Connecticut State University (63% vs. 49%)
  • Graduates from University of Rhode Island earn on average $9,800 more per year than ECSU graduates after ten years. ($56,200 vs. $46,400)
  • Eastern Connecticut State University students graduate with a $438 lower median federal student loan debt than URI graduates. ($23,000 vs. $23,438)
  • ECSU graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than URI graduates. ($237 vs. $242)
  • More URI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ECSU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 68%)

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