TU vs. Elon

Should I go to Towson University or Elon University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if TU or Elon 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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Towson University vs. Elon University comparison
Towson University Elon University College 3 College 4
Towson University Elon University
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Overview

TU Elon
Location Towson, MD Elon, NC
Setting Small City Small Suburban
Enrollment 19,527 7,207
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #375 #134
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website towson.edu elon.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

TU Elon
Tuition (In State) $7,382 $44,029
Tuition (Out of State) $24,402 $44,029
Room & Board $15,644 $14,478
Avg Net Price $15,064 $41,849
Avg Grant Aid $11,565 $17,523
% Receiving Grant Aid 62% 69%

Admission

TU Elon
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 18,948 18,791
Admitted 15,689 12,649
Acceptance Rate 82.8% 67.3%
Enrolled % 19.2% 13.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.69 3.65
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/28 23/28
SAT Range 1050/1270 1143/1305
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 Apr 1, 2026 Jan 10, 2026

Academics

TU Elon
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Communication (19%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)

Outcomes

TU Elon
Graduation Rate 64% 82%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,500 $56,200
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,750 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $183 $240

Diversity

TU Elon
% Men 4% 4%
% Women 12% 7%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 61% 82%
% Black 18% 6%
% Hispanic 6% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

TU Elon
% In-State 90% 18%
% Out-of-State 9% 80%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Towson University is larger than than Elon based on total student enrollment (19,527 students vs. 7,207 students)

TU vs. Elon Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, TU or Elon?

  • Elon University is 496.4% more expensive to attend than TU for in-state tuition ($44,029.00 vs. $7,382.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 80.4% higher at Elon than Towson University ($44,029.00 vs. $24,402.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Towson University than Elon ($15,064 vs. $41,849)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Elon University are 8.1% lower than costs at Towson University ($14,478 vs. $15,644)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Elon University than Towson University (69% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Elon University students is 51.5% larger than aid received Towson University ($17,523 vs. $11,565)

TU vs. Elon Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Elon University (1211) is 130 points higher than at TU (1081)
  • Incoming Elon students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at TU (23)
  • Accepted freshman TU students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at Elon (3.65)
  • TU has a higher acceptance rate (82.8%) than Elon (67.3%)

TU vs. Elon Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, TU or Elon? 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 Elon and TU.

  • The graduation rate at Elon is higher than Towson University (82% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from Elon University earn on average $2,700 more per year than TU graduates after ten years. ($56,200 vs. $53,500)
  • Towson University students graduate with a $5,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Elon graduates. ($17,750 vs. $23,250)
  • TU graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans than Elon graduates. ($183 vs. $240)
  • More Elon graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former TU students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 69%)

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