University of West Alabama vs. ECU

Should I go to University of West Alabama or East Central University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if University of West Alabama or ECU 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 West Alabama vs. East Central University comparison
University of West Alabama East Central University College 3 College 4
East Central University
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Overview

University of West Alabama ECU
Location Livingston, AL Ada, OK
Setting Remote Rural Remote Town
Enrollment 6,194 3,200
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1007 #913
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uwa.edu ecok.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of West Alabama ECU
Tuition (In State) $9,100 $6,300
Tuition (Out of State) $18,200 $15,810
Room & Board $8,166 $7,752
Avg Net Price $14,781 $9,355
Avg Grant Aid $7,790 $8,911
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 91%

Admission

University of West Alabama ECU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,041 1,161
Admitted 1,778 761
Acceptance Rate 87.1% 65.5%
Enrolled % 17.7% 48.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.16 3.31
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/22 16/22
SAT Range 820/978 935/1055
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 10, 2026

Academics

University of West Alabama ECU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (27%)
  • Health Professions (24%)
  • Business (14%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Human Services (14%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

University of West Alabama ECU
Graduation Rate 28% 34%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,500 $40,300
Making Student Loan Payments 36% 45%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,489 $16,878
Median Loan Payment $273 $174

Diversity

University of West Alabama ECU
% Men 13% 7%
% Women 44% 16%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 45% 55%
% Black 40% 3%
% Hispanic 2% 5%
% Native American 0% 14%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 10%
% International 6% 10%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

University of West Alabama ECU
% In-State 77% 77%
% Out-of-State 21% 11%

Campus

University of West Alabama ECU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of West Alabama is larger than than ECU based on total student enrollment (6,194 students vs. 3,200 students)

University of West Alabama vs. ECU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University of West Alabama or ECU?

  • University of West Alabama is 44.4% more expensive to attend than ECU for in-state tuition ($9,100.00 vs. $6,300.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 15.1% higher at University of West Alabama than East Central University ($18,200.00 vs. $15,810.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at East Central University than University of West Alabama ($9,355 vs. $14,781)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at East Central University are 5.3% lower than costs at University of West Alabama ($7,752 vs. $8,166)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of West Alabama than East Central University (93% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by East Central University students is 14.4% larger than aid received University of West Alabama ($8,911 vs. $7,790)

University of West Alabama vs. ECU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at East Central University (970) is 40 points higher than at University of West Alabama (930)
  • Incoming ECU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at University of West Alabama (20)
  • Accepted freshman ECU students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at University of West Alabama (3.16)
  • University of West Alabama has a higher acceptance rate (87.1%) than ECU (65.5%)

University of West Alabama vs. ECU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of West Alabama or ECU? 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 ECU and University of West Alabama.

  • The graduation rate at ECU is higher than University of West Alabama (34% vs. 28%)
  • Graduates from East Central University earn on average $1,800 more per year than University of West Alabama graduates after ten years. ($40,300 vs. $38,500)
  • East Central University students graduate with a $9,611 lower median federal student loan debt than University of West Alabama graduates. ($16,878 vs. $26,489)
  • ECU graduates are paying $99 less per month on federal student loans than University of West Alabama graduates. ($174 vs. $273)
  • More ECU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of West Alabama students, three years after graduation. (45% vs. 36%)

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