ECSU vs. University of South Carolina-Upstate

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

ECSU University of South Carolina-Upstate
Location Elizabeth City, NC Spartanburg, SC
Setting Distant Town Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 2,149 4,913
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #964 #823
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ecsu.edu uscupstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ECSU University of South Carolina-Upstate
Tuition (In State) $1,000 $11,208
Tuition (Out of State) $5,000 $22,170
Room & Board $8,727 $9,520
Avg Net Price $4,120 $13,835
Avg Grant Aid $8,877 $12,038
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 99%

Admission

ECSU University of South Carolina-Upstate
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,927 3,090
Admitted 2,912 2,428
Acceptance Rate 74.2% 78.6%
Enrolled % 12% 28.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.16 2.53
Typical High School Grades B C+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 16/22 20/25
SAT Range 850/1070 950/1150
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

Academics

ECSU University of South Carolina-Upstate
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Health Professions (26%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

ECSU University of South Carolina-Upstate
Graduation Rate 44% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $30,700 $39,300
Making Student Loan Payments 23% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,125 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $270 $232

Diversity

ECSU University of South Carolina-Upstate
% Men 42% 32%
% Women 58% 68%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU Yes No
% White 14% 56%
% Black 74% 29%
% Hispanic 2% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 4%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 8% 2%

Students

ECSU University of South Carolina-Upstate
% In-State 65% 92%
% Out-of-State 32% 6%

Campus

ECSU University of South Carolina-Upstate
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 South Carolina Upstate is larger than than ECSU based on total student enrollment (4,913 students vs. 2,149 students)

ECSU vs. University of South Carolina-Upstate Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ECSU or University of South Carolina-Upstate?

  • University of South Carolina Upstate is 1,020.8% more expensive to attend than ECSU for in-state tuition ($11,208.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 343.4% higher at University of South Carolina-Upstate than Elizabeth City State University ($22,170.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Elizabeth City State University than University of South Carolina-Upstate ($4,120 vs. $13,835)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Elizabeth City State University are 9.1% lower than costs at University of South Carolina Upstate ($8,727 vs. $9,520)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Upstate than Elizabeth City State University (99% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of South Carolina Upstate students is 35.6% larger than aid received Elizabeth City State University ($12,038 vs. $8,877)

ECSU vs. University of South Carolina-Upstate Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of South Carolina Upstate (950) is 106 points higher than at ECSU (844)
  • Incoming University of South Carolina-Upstate students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (20) than students at ECSU (18)
  • Accepted freshman ECSU students have a 0.63 point higher average high school GPA (3.16) than students at University of South Carolina-Upstate (2.53)
  • University of South Carolina-Upstate has a higher acceptance rate (78.6%) than ECSU (74.2%)

ECSU vs. University of South Carolina-Upstate Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ECSU or University of South Carolina-Upstate? 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 University of South Carolina-Upstate and ECSU.

  • The graduation rate at ECSU is higher than University of South Carolina Upstate (44% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from University of South Carolina Upstate earn on average $8,600 more per year than ECSU graduates after ten years. ($39,300 vs. $30,700)
  • University of South Carolina Upstate students graduate with a $3,625 lower median federal student loan debt than ECSU graduates. ($22,500 vs. $26,125)
  • University of South Carolina-Upstate graduates are paying $38 less per month on federal student loans than ECSU graduates. ($232 vs. $270)
  • More University of South Carolina-Upstate graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ECSU students, three years after graduation. (55% vs. 23%)

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