Eastern vs. ETSU

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

 Eastern ETSU
Location Richmond, KY Johnson City, TN
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 15,008 13,586
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #873 #702
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website eku.edu etsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Eastern ETSU
Tuition (In State) $9,830 $7,950
Tuition (Out of State) $20,520 $11,790
Room & Board $11,735 $10,270
Avg Net Price $10,852 $16,033
Avg Grant Aid $11,460 $9,228
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 85%

Admission

 Eastern ETSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,082 9,903
Admitted 13,340 8,622
Acceptance Rate 78.1% 87.1%
Enrolled % 20.9% 24.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.39 3.33
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/24 19/26
SAT Range 930/1190 950/1170
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, 2026

Academics

 Eastern ETSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)

Outcomes

 Eastern ETSU
Graduation Rate 38% 44%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,900 $40,000
Making Student Loan Payments 49% 50%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,695 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $245 $211

Diversity

 Eastern ETSU
% Men 4% 7%
% Women 11% 14%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 85% 82%
% Black 6% 7%
% Hispanic 2% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 2% 3%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 Eastern ETSU
% In-State 92% 78%
% Out-of-State 8% 20%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Eastern Kentucky University is larger than than ETSU based on total student enrollment (15,008 students vs. 13,586 students)

Eastern vs. ETSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Eastern or ETSU?

  • Eastern Kentucky University is 23.6% more expensive to attend than ETSU for in-state tuition ($9,830.00 vs. $7,950.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 74% higher at Eastern than East Tennessee State University ($20,520.00 vs. $11,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Eastern Kentucky University than ETSU ($10,852 vs. $16,033)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at East Tennessee State University are 14.3% lower than costs at Eastern Kentucky University ($10,270 vs. $11,735)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Eastern Kentucky University than East Tennessee State University (98% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Eastern Kentucky University students is 24.2% larger than aid received East Tennessee State University ($11,460 vs. $9,228)

Eastern vs. ETSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at East Tennessee State University (1068) is 40 points higher than at Eastern (1028)
  • Incoming ETSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Eastern (22)
  • Accepted freshman Eastern students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.39) than students at ETSU (3.33)
  • ETSU has a higher acceptance rate (87.1%) than Eastern (78.1%)

Eastern vs. ETSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at ETSU is higher than Eastern Kentucky University (44% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from East Tennessee State University earn on average $2,100 more per year than Eastern graduates after ten years. ($40,000 vs. $37,900)
  • East Tennessee State University students graduate with a $3,195 lower median federal student loan debt than Eastern graduates. ($20,500 vs. $23,695)
  • ETSU graduates are paying $34 less per month on federal student loans than Eastern graduates. ($211 vs. $245)
  • More ETSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Eastern students, three years after graduation. (50% vs. 49%)

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