Georgia Southwestern vs. ETSU

Should I go to Georgia Southwestern State University or East Tennessee State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Georgia Southwestern or ETSU 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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Georgia Southwestern State University vs. East Tennessee State University comparison
Georgia Southwestern State University East Tennessee State University College 3 College 4
Georgia Southwestern State University East Tennessee State University
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Overview

Georgia Southwestern ETSU
Location Americus, GA Johnson City, TN
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 3,070 13,483
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #908 #652
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website gsw.edu etsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Georgia Southwestern ETSU
Tuition (In State) $4,064 $7,722
Tuition (Out of State) $14,786 $11,532
Room & Board $8,978 $9,613
Avg Net Price $12,186 $14,350
Avg Grant Aid $9,472 $8,739
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Georgia Southwestern ETSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,939 9,609
Admitted 1,419 8,193
Acceptance Rate 73.2% 85.3%
Enrolled % 34.2% 25.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.17 3.33
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 19/26
SAT Range 1010/1160 980/1190
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 21, 2025

Academics

Georgia Southwestern ETSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (37%)
  • Education (25%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (3%)
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)

Outcomes

Georgia Southwestern ETSU
Graduation Rate 30% 44%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,100 $40,000
Making Student Loan Payments 45% 50%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,000 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $227 $211

Diversity

Georgia Southwestern ETSU
% Men 33% 37%
% Women 67% 63%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 62% 82%
% Black 29% 7%
% Hispanic 3% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 2% 3%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Georgia Southwestern ETSU
% In-State 95% 75%
% Out-of-State 4% 23%

Campus

Georgia Southwestern ETSU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • East Tennessee State University is larger than than Georgia Southwestern based on total student enrollment (13,483 students vs. 3,070 students)

Georgia Southwestern vs. ETSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Georgia Southwestern or ETSU?

  • East Tennessee State University is 90% more expensive to attend than Georgia Southwestern for in-state tuition ($7,722.00 vs. $4,064.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 28.2% higher at Georgia Southwestern than East Tennessee State University ($14,786.00 vs. $11,532.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Georgia Southwestern State University than ETSU ($12,186 vs. $14,350)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Georgia Southwestern State University are 7.1% lower than costs at East Tennessee State University ($8,978 vs. $9,613)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Georgia Southwestern State University as East Tennessee State University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Georgia Southwestern State University students is 8.4% larger than aid received East Tennessee State University ($9,472 vs. $8,739)

Georgia Southwestern vs. ETSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at East Tennessee State University (1068) is 101 points higher than at Georgia Southwestern (967)
  • Incoming ETSU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Georgia Southwestern (21)
  • Accepted freshman ETSU students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.33) than students at Georgia Southwestern (3.17)
  • ETSU has a higher acceptance rate (85.3%) than Georgia Southwestern (73.2%)

Georgia Southwestern vs. ETSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Georgia Southwestern or ETSU? 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 ETSU and Georgia Southwestern.

  • The graduation rate at ETSU is higher than Georgia Southwestern State University (44% vs. 30%)
  • Graduates from East Tennessee State University earn on average $1,900 more per year than Georgia Southwestern graduates after ten years. ($40,000 vs. $38,100)
  • East Tennessee State University students graduate with a $1,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Georgia Southwestern graduates. ($20,500 vs. $22,000)
  • ETSU graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than Georgia Southwestern graduates. ($211 vs. $227)
  • More ETSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Georgia Southwestern students, three years after graduation. (50% vs. 45%)

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