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 18,053 13,483
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #952 #652
Religious Affiliation Baptist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucumberlands.edu etsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Cumberland College ETSU
Tuition (In State) $9,875 $7,722
Tuition (Out of State) $9,875 $11,532
Room & Board $9,300 $9,613
Avg Net Price $14,337 $14,350
Avg Grant Aid $9,822 $8,739
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

 Cumberland College ETSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,314 9,609
Admitted 1,921 8,193
Acceptance Rate 83% 85.3%
Enrolled % 33.3% 25.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.47 3.33
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/23 19/26
SAT Range 960/1160 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 Aug 31, 2025

Academics

 Cumberland College ETSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 16:1
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 46% 37%
% Women 54% 63%
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% 75%
% Out-of-State 28% 23%

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 (18,053 students vs. 13,483 students)

Cumberland College vs. ETSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cumberland College or ETSU?

  • University of the Cumberlands is 27.9% more expensive to attend than ETSU for in-state tuition ($9,875.00 vs. $7,722.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 16.8% higher at ETSU than University of the Cumberlands ($11,532.00 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 ($14,337 vs. $14,350)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of the Cumberlands are 3.4% lower than costs at East Tennessee State University ($9,300 vs. $9,613)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at East Tennessee State University than University of the Cumberlands (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of the Cumberlands students is 12.4% larger than aid received East Tennessee State University ($9,822 vs. $8,739)

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 (85.3%) than Cumberland College (83%)

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/