ECSU vs. Shaw University

Should I go to Elizabeth City State University or Shaw University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if ECSU or Shaw University 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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Elizabeth City State University vs. Shaw University comparison
Elizabeth City State University Shaw University College 3 College 4
Elizabeth City State University Shaw University
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Overview

ECSU Shaw University
Location Elizabeth City, NC Raleigh, NC
Setting Distant Town Large City
Enrollment 2,149 1,067
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #964
Religious Affiliation - Baptist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ecsu.edu shawu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ECSU Shaw University
Tuition (In State) $1,000 $11,808
Tuition (Out of State) $5,000 $11,808
Room & Board $8,727 $8,514
Avg Net Price $4,120 $14,204
Avg Grant Aid $8,877 $15,548
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 87%

Admission

ECSU Shaw University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,927 2,435
Admitted 2,912 1,486
Acceptance Rate 74.2% 61%
Enrolled % 12% 13.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.16 2.6
Typical High School Grades B C+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 16/22
SAT Range 850/1070
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 Jun 30, 2025 Jul 30, 2025

Academics

ECSU Shaw University
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Human Services (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

ECSU Shaw University
Graduation Rate 44% 27%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $30,700 $29,000
Making Student Loan Payments 23% 15%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,125 $38,000
Median Loan Payment $270 $392

Diversity

ECSU Shaw University
% Men 42% 47%
% Women 58% 53%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU Yes Yes
% White 14% 1%
% Black 74% 58%
% Hispanic 2% 0%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 0%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 8% 39%

Students

ECSU Shaw University
% In-State 65% 55%
% Out-of-State 32% 34%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Elizabeth City State University is larger than than Shaw University based on total student enrollment (2,149 students vs. 1,067 students)

ECSU vs. Shaw University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ECSU or Shaw University?

  • Shaw University is 1,080.8% more expensive to attend than ECSU for in-state tuition ($11,808.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 136.2% higher at Shaw University than Elizabeth City State University ($11,808.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Elizabeth City State University than Shaw University ($4,120 vs. $14,204)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shaw University are 2.5% lower than costs at Elizabeth City State University ($8,514 vs. $8,727)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Elizabeth City State University than Shaw University (92% vs. 87%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Shaw University students is 75.1% larger than aid received Elizabeth City State University ($15,548 vs. $8,877)

ECSU vs. Shaw University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman ECSU students have a 0.56 point higher average high school GPA (3.16) than students at Shaw University (2.6)
  • ECSU has a higher acceptance rate (74.2%) than Shaw University (61%)

ECSU vs. Shaw University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ECSU or Shaw University? 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 Shaw University and ECSU.

  • The graduation rate at ECSU is higher than Shaw University (44% vs. 27%)
  • Graduates from Elizabeth City State University earn on average $1,700 more per year than Shaw University graduates after ten years. ($30,700 vs. $29,000)
  • Elizabeth City State University students graduate with a $11,875 lower median federal student loan debt than Shaw University graduates. ($26,125 vs. $38,000)
  • ECSU graduates are paying $122 less per month on federal student loans than Shaw University graduates. ($270 vs. $392)
  • More ECSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Shaw University students, three years after graduation. (23% vs. 15%)

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