WKU vs. ECU

Should I go to Western Kentucky University or East Carolina University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if WKU 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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Western Kentucky University vs. East Carolina University comparison
Western Kentucky University East Carolina University College 3 College 4
Western Kentucky University East Carolina University
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Overview

WKU ECU
Location Bowling Green, KY Greenville, NC
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 16,493 27,151
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #875 #673
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wku.edu ecu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WKU ECU
Tuition (In State) $11,112 $4,452
Tuition (Out of State) $27,000 $20,729
Room & Board $11,072 $10,816
Avg Net Price $12,625 $14,410
Avg Grant Aid $10,260 $9,020
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 59%

Admission

WKU ECU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,505 21,383
Admitted 7,276 19,744
Acceptance Rate 96.9% 92.3%
Enrolled % 37.9% 19.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.33
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25 19/24
SAT Range 980/1170 1020/1170
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

WKU ECU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

WKU ECU
Graduation Rate 50% 59%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $43,900
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $24,788
Median Loan Payment $250 $256

Diversity

WKU ECU
% Men 37% 40%
% Women 63% 60%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 76% 69%
% Black 10% 16%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 6% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

WKU ECU
% In-State 70% 83%
% Out-of-State 29% 15%

Campus

WKU ECU
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

  • East Carolina University is larger than than WKU based on total student enrollment (27,151 students vs. 16,493 students)

WKU vs. ECU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WKU or ECU?

  • Western Kentucky University is 149.6% more expensive to attend than ECU for in-state tuition ($11,112.00 vs. $4,452.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 30.3% higher at WKU than East Carolina University ($27,000.00 vs. $20,729.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than ECU ($12,625 vs. $14,410)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at East Carolina University are 2.4% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($10,816 vs. $11,072)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Kentucky University than East Carolina University (99% vs. 59%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Western Kentucky University students is 13.7% larger than aid received East Carolina University ($10,260 vs. $9,020)

WKU vs. ECU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at East Carolina University (1053) is 6 points higher than at WKU (1047)
  • Incoming WKU students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at ECU (23)
  • Accepted freshman WKU students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at ECU (3.33)
  • WKU has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than ECU (92.3%)

WKU vs. ECU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WKU 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 WKU.

  • The graduation rate at ECU is higher than Western Kentucky University (59% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from East Carolina University earn on average $6,800 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($43,900 vs. $37,100)
  • Western Kentucky University students graduate with a $538 lower median federal student loan debt than ECU graduates. ($24,250 vs. $24,788)
  • WKU graduates are paying $6 less per month on federal student loans than ECU graduates. ($250 vs. $256)
  • More ECU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WKU students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 47%)

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