ECSU vs. WCU

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

 ECSU WCU
Location Elizabeth City, NC Cullowhee, NC
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 2,165 11,628
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #964 #742
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ecsu.edu wcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ECSU WCU
Tuition (In State) $1,000 $1,000
Tuition (Out of State) $5,000 $5,000
Room & Board $9,079 $11,764
Avg Net Price $7,363 $12,252
Avg Grant Aid $10,554 $5,442
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 99%

Admission

 ECSU WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,360 18,183
Admitted 3,778 15,758
Acceptance Rate 70.5% 86.7%
Enrolled % 9.2% 13.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.16 3.44
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 16/22 20/26
SAT Range 850/1070 1050/1260
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, 2026 Mar 1, 2026

Academics

 ECSU WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

 ECSU WCU
Graduation Rate 44% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $30,700 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 23% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,125 $22,010
Median Loan Payment $270 $227

Diversity

 ECSU WCU
% Men 1% 4%
% Women 4% 10%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 14% 79%
% Black 74% 6%
% Hispanic 2% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 4%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 8% 1%

Students

 ECSU WCU
% In-State 69% 78%
% Out-of-State 24% 19%

Campus

 ECSU WCU
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

  • Western Carolina University is larger than than ECSU based on total student enrollment (11,628 students vs. 2,165 students)

ECSU vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ECSU or WCU?

  • Elizabeth City State University and WCU cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($1,000.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is the same at ECSU as Western Carolina University ($5,000.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Elizabeth City State University than WCU ($7,363 vs. $12,252)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Elizabeth City State University are 29.6% lower than costs at Western Carolina University ($9,079 vs. $11,764)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Carolina University than Elizabeth City State University (99% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Elizabeth City State University students is 93.9% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($10,554 vs. $5,442)

ECSU vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Carolina University (1032) is 188 points higher than at ECSU (844)
  • Incoming WCU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at ECSU (18)
  • Accepted freshman WCU students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.44) than students at ECSU (3.16)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (86.7%) than ECSU (70.5%)

ECSU vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ECSU or WCU? 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 WCU and ECSU.

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than Elizabeth City State University (50% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from Western Carolina University earn on average $8,400 more per year than ECSU graduates after ten years. ($39,100 vs. $30,700)
  • Western Carolina University students graduate with a $4,115 lower median federal student loan debt than ECSU graduates. ($22,010 vs. $26,125)
  • WCU graduates are paying $43 less per month on federal student loans than ECSU graduates. ($227 vs. $270)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ECSU students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 23%)

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