FAU vs. ECU

Should I go to Florida Atlantic University or East Carolina University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if FAU or ECU 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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Florida Atlantic University vs. East Carolina University comparison
Florida Atlantic University East Carolina University College 3 College 4
Florida Atlantic University East Carolina University
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Overview

 FAU ECU
Location Boca Raton, FL Greenville, NC
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 30,790 26,785
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #678 #587
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fau.edu ecu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 FAU ECU
Tuition (In State) $2,522 $4,452
Tuition (Out of State) $14,374 $20,729
Room & Board $12,536 $11,000
Avg Net Price $9,839 $14,470
Avg Grant Aid $10,786 $8,836
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 57%

Admission

 FAU ECU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 27,612 22,289
Admitted 20,279 20,073
Acceptance Rate 73.4% 90.1%
Enrolled % 21.8% 19.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.74 3.33
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/26 20/26
SAT Range 1040/1210 1050/1200
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline May 1, 2026

Academics

 FAU ECU
Student to Faculty Ratio 23:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

 FAU ECU
Graduation Rate 43% 59%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,200 $43,900
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,861 $24,788
Median Loan Payment $174 $256

Diversity

 FAU ECU
% Men 9% 6%
% Women 12% 14%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 43% 69%
% Black 20% 16%
% Hispanic 26% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 FAU ECU
% In-State 72% 82%
% Out-of-State 22% 17%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Florida Atlantic University is larger than than ECU based on total student enrollment (30,790 students vs. 26,785 students)

FAU vs. ECU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, FAU or ECU?

  • East Carolina University is 76.5% more expensive to attend than FAU for in-state tuition ($4,452.00 vs. $2,522.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 44.2% higher at ECU than Florida Atlantic University ($20,729.00 vs. $14,374.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Florida Atlantic University than ECU ($9,839 vs. $14,470)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at East Carolina University are 14% lower than costs at Florida Atlantic University ($11,000 vs. $12,536)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Florida Atlantic University than East Carolina University (86% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Florida Atlantic University students is 22.1% larger than aid received East Carolina University ($10,786 vs. $8,836)

FAU vs. ECU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at East Carolina University (1053) is 6 points higher than at FAU (1047)
  • Incoming FAU students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at ECU (23)
  • Accepted freshman FAU students have a 0.41 point higher average high school GPA (3.74) than students at ECU (3.33)
  • ECU has a higher acceptance rate (90.1%) than FAU (73.4%)

FAU vs. ECU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, FAU or ECU? 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 ECU and FAU.

  • The graduation rate at ECU is higher than Florida Atlantic University (59% vs. 43%)
  • Graduates from Florida Atlantic University earn on average $2,300 more per year than ECU graduates after ten years. ($46,200 vs. $43,900)
  • Florida Atlantic University students graduate with a $7,927 lower median federal student loan debt than ECU graduates. ($16,861 vs. $24,788)
  • FAU graduates are paying $82 less per month on federal student loans than ECU graduates. ($174 vs. $256)
  • More ECU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former FAU students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 54%)

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