Eastern vs. Coastal Carolina

Should I go to Eastern Kentucky University or Coastal Carolina University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Eastern or Coastal Carolina 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 Kentucky University vs. Coastal Carolina University comparison
Eastern Kentucky University Coastal Carolina University College 3 College 4
Eastern Kentucky University Coastal Carolina University
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Overview

 Eastern Coastal Carolina
Location Richmond, KY Conway, SC
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 14,324 10,337
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #854 #821
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website eku.edu coastal.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Eastern Coastal Carolina
Tuition (In State) $9,544 $11,460
Tuition (Out of State) $19,922 $28,310
Room & Board $10,360 $10,628
Avg Net Price $10,806 $14,016
Avg Grant Aid $10,583 $10,610
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 88%

Admission

 Eastern Coastal Carolina
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 15,821 17,161
Admitted 10,174 13,493
Acceptance Rate 64.3% 78.6%
Enrolled % 26.9% 19.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.39 3.72
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/24 20/25
SAT Range 940/1185 1020/1190
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 Eastern Coastal Carolina
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Business (30%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)

Outcomes

 Eastern Coastal Carolina
Graduation Rate 38% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,900 $42,200
Making Student Loan Payments 49% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,695 $24,930
Median Loan Payment $245 $257

Diversity

 Eastern Coastal Carolina
% Men 39% 45%
% Women 61% 55%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 85% 68%
% Black 6% 20%
% Hispanic 2% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 5%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

 Eastern Coastal Carolina
% In-State 91% 31%
% Out-of-State 9% 68%

Campus

 Eastern Coastal Carolina
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Eastern Kentucky University is larger than than Coastal Carolina based on total student enrollment (14,324 students vs. 10,337 students)

Eastern vs. Coastal Carolina Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Eastern or Coastal Carolina?

  • Coastal Carolina University is 20.1% more expensive to attend than Eastern for in-state tuition ($11,460.00 vs. $9,544.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 42.1% higher at Coastal Carolina than Eastern Kentucky University ($28,310.00 vs. $19,922.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Eastern Kentucky University than Coastal Carolina ($10,806 vs. $14,016)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Eastern Kentucky University are 2.6% lower than costs at Coastal Carolina University ($10,360 vs. $10,628)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Eastern Kentucky University than Coastal Carolina University (98% vs. 88%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Coastal Carolina University students is 0.3% larger than aid received Eastern Kentucky University ($10,610 vs. $10,583)

Eastern vs. Coastal Carolina Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Eastern Kentucky University (1028) is 19 points higher than at Coastal Carolina (1009)
  • Incoming Eastern students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at Coastal Carolina (22)
  • Accepted freshman Coastal Carolina students have a 0.33 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at Eastern (3.39)
  • Coastal Carolina has a higher acceptance rate (78.6%) than Eastern (64.3%)

Eastern vs. Coastal Carolina Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Eastern or Coastal Carolina? 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 Coastal Carolina and Eastern.

  • The graduation rate at Coastal Carolina is higher than Eastern Kentucky University (46% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from Coastal Carolina University earn on average $4,300 more per year than Eastern graduates after ten years. ($42,200 vs. $37,900)
  • Eastern Kentucky University students graduate with a $1,235 lower median federal student loan debt than Coastal Carolina graduates. ($23,695 vs. $24,930)
  • Eastern graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than Coastal Carolina graduates. ($245 vs. $257)
  • More Coastal Carolina graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Eastern students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 49%)

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