SWU vs. ETSU

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

 SWU ETSU
Location Central, SC Johnson City, TN
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 1,175 13,483
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #826 #652
Religious Affiliation Wesleyan - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website edu. etsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 SWU ETSU
Tuition (In State) $26,520 $7,722
Tuition (Out of State) $26,520 $11,532
Room & Board $9,650 $9,613
Avg Net Price $17,639 $14,350
Avg Grant Aid $19,636 $8,739
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 SWU ETSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 846 9,609
Admitted 433 8,193
Acceptance Rate 51.2% 85.3%
Enrolled % 34.2% 25.1%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.33
Typical High School Grades A/A+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/23 19/26
SAT Range 1013/1160 980/1190
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

Academics

 SWU ETSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (66%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (3%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (3%)
  • Psychology (3%)
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)

Outcomes

 SWU ETSU
Graduation Rate 42% 44%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,800 $40,000
Making Student Loan Payments 50% 50%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $211

Diversity

 SWU ETSU
% Men 33% 37%
% Women 67% 63%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 63% 82%
% Black 28% 7%
% Hispanic 5% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 1% 3%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 SWU ETSU
% In-State 58% 75%
% Out-of-State 42% 23%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • East Tennessee State University is larger than than SWU based on total student enrollment (13,483 students vs. 1,175 students)

SWU vs. ETSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SWU or ETSU?

  • Southern Wesleyan University is 243.4% more expensive to attend than ETSU for in-state tuition ($26,520.00 vs. $7,722.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 130% higher at SWU than East Tennessee State University ($26,520.00 vs. $11,532.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at East Tennessee State University than SWU ($14,350 vs. $17,639)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at East Tennessee State University are 0.4% lower than costs at Southern Wesleyan University ($9,613 vs. $9,650)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Southern Wesleyan University as East Tennessee State University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Southern Wesleyan University students is 124.7% larger than aid received East Tennessee State University ($19,636 vs. $8,739)

SWU vs. ETSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman SWU students have a 0.67 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at ETSU (3.33)
  • ETSU has a higher acceptance rate (85.3%) than SWU (51.2%)

SWU vs. ETSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SWU 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 SWU.

  • The graduation rate at ETSU is higher than Southern Wesleyan University (44% vs. 42%)
  • Graduates from Southern Wesleyan University earn on average $4,800 more per year than ETSU graduates after ten years. ($44,800 vs. $40,000)
  • East Tennessee State University students graduate with a $6,500 lower median federal student loan debt than SWU graduates. ($20,500 vs. $27,000)
  • ETSU graduates are paying $68 less per month on federal student loans than SWU graduates. ($211 vs. $279)
  • More SWU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ETSU students, three years after graduation. (50% vs. 50%)

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