Eastern vs. McNeese

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

Eastern McNeese
Location Richmond, KY Lake Charles, LA
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 14,324 6,230
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #854 #890
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website eku.edu mcneese.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Eastern McNeese
Tuition (In State) $9,544 $5,147
Tuition (Out of State) $19,922 $6,647
Room & Board $10,360 $9,878
Avg Net Price $10,806 $10,154
Avg Grant Aid $10,583 $9,540
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 88%

Admission

Eastern McNeese
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 15,821 3,554
Admitted 10,174 2,532
Acceptance Rate 64.3% 71.2%
Enrolled % 26.9% 41.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.39 3.36
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 17/24 18/24
SAT Range 940/1185 970/1180
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Eastern McNeese
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Engineering (5%)

Outcomes

Eastern McNeese
Graduation Rate 38% 37%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,900 $44,000
Making Student Loan Payments 49% 49%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,695 $20,238
Median Loan Payment $245 $209

Diversity

Eastern McNeese
% Men 39% 38%
% Women 61% 62%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 85% 67%
% Black 6% 18%
% Hispanic 2% 3%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 2% 7%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

Eastern McNeese
% In-State 91% 84%
% Out-of-State 9% 8%

Campus

Eastern McNeese
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 McNeese based on total student enrollment (14,324 students vs. 6,230 students)

Eastern vs. McNeese Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Eastern or McNeese?

  • Eastern Kentucky University is 85.4% more expensive to attend than McNeese for in-state tuition ($9,544.00 vs. $5,147.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 199.7% higher at Eastern than McNeese State University ($19,922.00 vs. $6,647.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at McNeese State University than Eastern ($10,154 vs. $10,806)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at McNeese State University are 4.9% lower than costs at Eastern Kentucky University ($9,878 vs. $10,360)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Eastern Kentucky University than McNeese State University (98% vs. 88%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Eastern Kentucky University students is 10.9% larger than aid received McNeese State University ($10,583 vs. $9,540)

Eastern vs. McNeese Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at McNeese State University (1029) is 1 points higher than at Eastern (1028)
  • Incoming Eastern students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at McNeese (22)
  • Accepted freshman Eastern students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.39) than students at McNeese (3.36)
  • McNeese has a higher acceptance rate (71.2%) than Eastern (64.3%)

Eastern vs. McNeese Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Eastern is higher than McNeese State University (38% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from McNeese State University earn on average $6,100 more per year than Eastern graduates after ten years. ($44,000 vs. $37,900)
  • McNeese State University students graduate with a $3,457 lower median federal student loan debt than Eastern graduates. ($20,238 vs. $23,695)
  • McNeese graduates are paying $36 less per month on federal student loans than Eastern graduates. ($209 vs. $245)
  • More Eastern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former McNeese students, three years after graduation. (49% vs. 49%)

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