UALR vs. ETSU

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

 UALR ETSU
Location Little Rock, AR Johnson City, TN
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 8,158 13,586
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #782 #702
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ualr.edu etsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UALR ETSU
Tuition (In State) $5,818 $7,950
Tuition (Out of State) $16,573 $11,790
Room & Board $9,352 $10,270
Avg Net Price $11,225 $16,033
Avg Grant Aid $9,968 $9,228
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 85%

Admission

 UALR ETSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,661 9,903
Admitted 2,114 8,622
Acceptance Rate 57.7% 87.1%
Enrolled % 22.6% 24.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.33
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/23 19/26
SAT Range 890/1170 950/1170
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 17, 2026

Academics

 UALR ETSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (6%)
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)

Outcomes

 UALR ETSU
Graduation Rate 21% 44%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,000 $40,000
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 50%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $211 $211

Diversity

 UALR ETSU
% Men 12% 7%
% Women 17% 14%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 52% 82%
% Black 27% 7%
% Hispanic 7% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 9% 3%
% International 2% 3%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

 UALR ETSU
% In-State 91% 78%
% Out-of-State 9% 20%

Campus

 UALR 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 UALR based on total student enrollment (13,586 students vs. 8,158 students)

UALR vs. ETSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UALR or ETSU?

  • East Tennessee State University is 36.6% more expensive to attend than UALR for in-state tuition ($7,950.00 vs. $5,818.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 40.6% higher at UALR than East Tennessee State University ($16,573.00 vs. $11,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Arkansas at Little Rock than ETSU ($11,225 vs. $16,033)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Arkansas at Little Rock are 9.8% lower than costs at East Tennessee State University ($9,352 vs. $10,270)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Arkansas at Little Rock than East Tennessee State University (96% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Arkansas at Little Rock students is 8% larger than aid received East Tennessee State University ($9,968 vs. $9,228)

UALR vs. ETSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at East Tennessee State University (1068) is 78 points higher than at UALR (990)
  • Incoming ETSU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at UALR (21)
  • Accepted freshman UALR students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at ETSU (3.33)
  • ETSU has a higher acceptance rate (87.1%) than UALR (57.7%)

UALR vs. ETSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UALR 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 UALR.

  • The graduation rate at ETSU is higher than University of Arkansas at Little Rock (44% vs. 21%)
  • Graduates from East Tennessee State University earn on average $2,000 more per year than UALR graduates after ten years. ($40,000 vs. $38,000)
  • East Tennessee State University and UALR graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($20,500 vs. $20,500)
  • East Tennessee State University and UALR graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($211 vs. $211)
  • More UALR graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ETSU students, three years after graduation. (51% vs. 50%)

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