Cumberland College vs. ETSU

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

 Cumberland College ETSU
Location Williamsburg, KY Johnson City, TN
Setting Remote Town Small City
Enrollment 20,327 13,586
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #933 #702
Religious Affiliation Baptist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucumberlands.edu etsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Cumberland College ETSU
Tuition (In State) $9,875 $7,950
Tuition (Out of State) $9,875 $11,790
Room & Board $9,300 $10,270
Avg Net Price $11,555 $16,033
Avg Grant Aid $13,109 $9,228
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 85%

Admission

 Cumberland College ETSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,281 9,903
Admitted 3,056 8,622
Acceptance Rate 71.4% 87.1%
Enrolled % 21.1% 24.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.47 3.33
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 16/23 19/26
SAT Range 960/1160 950/1170
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 31, 2026

Academics

 Cumberland College ETSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)

Outcomes

 Cumberland College ETSU
Graduation Rate 43% 44%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,700 $40,000
Making Student Loan Payments 52% 50%
Median Student Loan Debt $13,956 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $144 $211

Diversity

 Cumberland College ETSU
% Men 34% 7%
% Women 36% 14%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 82%
% Black 6% 7%
% Hispanic 2% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 5% 3%
% Unknown Race 10% 1%

Students

 Cumberland College ETSU
% In-State 65% 78%
% Out-of-State 28% 20%

Campus

 Cumberland College 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

  • University of the Cumberlands is larger than than ETSU based on total student enrollment (20,327 students vs. 13,586 students)

Cumberland College vs. ETSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cumberland College or ETSU?

  • University of the Cumberlands is 24.2% more expensive to attend than ETSU for in-state tuition ($9,875.00 vs. $7,950.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 19.4% higher at ETSU than University of the Cumberlands ($11,790.00 vs. $9,875.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of the Cumberlands than ETSU ($11,555 vs. $16,033)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of the Cumberlands are 10.4% lower than costs at East Tennessee State University ($9,300 vs. $10,270)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of the Cumberlands than East Tennessee State University (100% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of the Cumberlands students is 42.1% larger than aid received East Tennessee State University ($13,109 vs. $9,228)

Cumberland College vs. ETSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at East Tennessee State University (1068) is 46 points higher than at Cumberland College (1022)
  • Incoming ETSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Cumberland College (22)
  • Accepted freshman Cumberland College students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.47) than students at ETSU (3.33)
  • ETSU has a higher acceptance rate (87.1%) than Cumberland College (71.4%)

Cumberland College vs. ETSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cumberland College 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 Cumberland College.

  • The graduation rate at ETSU is higher than University of the Cumberlands (44% vs. 43%)
  • Graduates from East Tennessee State University earn on average $3,300 more per year than Cumberland College graduates after ten years. ($40,000 vs. $36,700)
  • University of the Cumberlands students graduate with a $6,544 lower median federal student loan debt than ETSU graduates. ($13,956 vs. $20,500)
  • Cumberland College graduates are paying $67 less per month on federal student loans than ETSU graduates. ($144 vs. $211)
  • More Cumberland College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ETSU students, three years after graduation. (52% vs. 50%)

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