Shorter vs. ETSU

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

Shorter ETSU
Location Rome, GA Johnson City, TN
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 1,447 13,586
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #977 #702
Religious Affiliation Baptist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website shorter.edu etsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Shorter ETSU
Tuition (In State) $23,514 $7,950
Tuition (Out of State) $23,514 $11,790
Room & Board $9,784 $10,270
Avg Net Price $16,692 $16,033
Avg Grant Aid $18,168 $9,228
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 85%

Admission

Shorter ETSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 783 9,903
Admitted 759 8,622
Acceptance Rate 96.9% 87.1%
Enrolled % 35.4% 24.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.25 3.33
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/23 19/26
SAT Range 900/1130 950/1170
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 Aug 25, 2026

Academics

Shorter ETSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)

Outcomes

Shorter ETSU
Graduation Rate 47% 44%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,300 $40,000
Making Student Loan Payments 38% 50%
Median Student Loan Debt $28,418 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $293 $211

Diversity

Shorter ETSU
% Men 4% 7%
% Women 5% 14%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 62% 82%
% Black 24% 7%
% Hispanic 5% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 4% 3%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Shorter ETSU
% In-State 81% 78%
% Out-of-State 16% 20%

Campus

Shorter 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 Shorter based on total student enrollment (13,586 students vs. 1,447 students)

Shorter vs. ETSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Shorter or ETSU?

  • Shorter University is 195.8% more expensive to attend than ETSU for in-state tuition ($23,514.00 vs. $7,950.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 99.4% higher at Shorter than East Tennessee State University ($23,514.00 vs. $11,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at East Tennessee State University than Shorter ($16,033 vs. $16,692)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shorter University are 5% lower than costs at East Tennessee State University ($9,784 vs. $10,270)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Shorter University than East Tennessee State University (100% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Shorter University students is 96.9% larger than aid received East Tennessee State University ($18,168 vs. $9,228)

Shorter vs. ETSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at East Tennessee State University (1068) is 99 points higher than at Shorter (969)
  • Incoming ETSU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Shorter (21)
  • Accepted freshman ETSU students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.33) than students at Shorter (3.25)
  • Shorter has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than ETSU (87.1%)

Shorter vs. ETSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Shorter 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 Shorter.

  • The graduation rate at Shorter is higher than East Tennessee State University (47% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from Shorter University earn on average $9,300 more per year than ETSU graduates after ten years. ($49,300 vs. $40,000)
  • East Tennessee State University students graduate with a $7,918 lower median federal student loan debt than Shorter graduates. ($20,500 vs. $28,418)
  • ETSU graduates are paying $82 less per month on federal student loans than Shorter graduates. ($211 vs. $293)
  • More ETSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Shorter students, three years after graduation. (50% vs. 38%)

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