Henderson State University vs. ECSU

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

Henderson State University ECSU
Location Arkadelphia, AR Elizabeth City, NC
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 2,136 2,165
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #988 #964
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hsu.edu ecsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Henderson State University ECSU
Tuition (In State) $6,163 $1,000
Tuition (Out of State) $8,160 $5,000
Room & Board $10,680 $9,079
Avg Net Price $16,929 $7,363
Avg Grant Aid $9,017 $10,554
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 92%

Admission

Henderson State University ECSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,814 5,360
Admitted 1,486 3,778
Acceptance Rate 81.9% 70.5%
Enrolled % 20.6% 9.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.23 3.16
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 16/21 16/22
SAT Range 903/1073 850/1070
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 15, 2026 Jun 30, 2026

Academics

Henderson State University ECSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (11%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

Henderson State University ECSU
Graduation Rate 31% 44%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,400 $30,700
Making Student Loan Payments 48% 23%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $26,125
Median Loan Payment $201 $270

Diversity

Henderson State University ECSU
% Men 8% 1%
% Women 23% 4%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 66% 14%
% Black 24% 74%
% Hispanic 4% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 1%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 8%

Students

Henderson State University ECSU
% In-State 77% 69%
% Out-of-State 21% 24%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Elizabeth City State University is larger than than Henderson State University based on total student enrollment (2,165 students vs. 2,136 students)

Henderson State University vs. ECSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Henderson State University or ECSU?

  • Henderson State University is 516.3% more expensive to attend than ECSU for in-state tuition ($6,163.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 63.2% higher at Henderson State University than Elizabeth City State University ($8,160.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Elizabeth City State University than Henderson State University ($7,363 vs. $16,929)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Elizabeth City State University are 17.6% lower than costs at Henderson State University ($9,079 vs. $10,680)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Henderson State University than Elizabeth City State University (99% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Elizabeth City State University students is 17% larger than aid received Henderson State University ($10,554 vs. $9,017)

Henderson State University vs. ECSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Henderson State University (988) is 144 points higher than at ECSU (844)
  • Incoming Henderson State University students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at ECSU (18)
  • Accepted freshman Henderson State University students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.23) than students at ECSU (3.16)
  • Henderson State University has a higher acceptance rate (81.9%) than ECSU (70.5%)

Henderson State University vs. ECSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Henderson State University or ECSU? 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 ECSU and Henderson State University.

  • The graduation rate at ECSU is higher than Henderson State University (44% vs. 31%)
  • Graduates from Henderson State University earn on average $7,700 more per year than ECSU graduates after ten years. ($38,400 vs. $30,700)
  • Henderson State University students graduate with a $6,625 lower median federal student loan debt than ECSU graduates. ($19,500 vs. $26,125)
  • Henderson State University graduates are paying $69 less per month on federal student loans than ECSU graduates. ($201 vs. $270)
  • More Henderson State University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ECSU students, three years after graduation. (48% vs. 23%)

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